UNC-Chapel Hill is and will remain firmly committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment for all members of our community, free from discrimination, harassment, and related misconduct including sexual violence.
We have carefully reviewed the interim guidance the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights issued on September 22, 2017, and we have determined that our current policy and procedures comport with the interim guidance. Therefore, we will make no changes to our policy and procedures related to how the University responds to any allegations of discrimination and harassment, including allegations of sexual violence, at this time. We will continue to take steps to address reports of sexual misconduct in a prompt, fair, and equitable manner. We remain committed to providing support, resources, and interim measures for all parties involved and to ensuring fair and impartial investigations that include adequate due process protections and equal opportunities for the parties to be heard and provide relevant evidence.
The Office for Civil Rights has indicated that it will invite stakeholders to provide comments and feedback before it issues formal regulations regarding educational institutions’ responsibilities in responding to allegations of sexual misconduct. UNC-Chapel Hill will participate in this process as appropriate, and once the notice and comment process is announced, we will invite members of our campus community to inform our perspective by submitting input and feedback to us through the University’s Equal Opportunity and Compliance website.
If you have any questions about available resources, policies or procedures, please visit safe.unc.edu or contact the EOC Office at eoc.unc.edu.