May 6, 2024 - Spring 2024 Update on Implementation of Title IX and DHR Improvements

Dear Campus Community, 

As the semester’s end approaches, I’d like to update the campus community on our continued progress in addressing the recommendations in the Cozen O’Connor Chico State Report (PDF) to improve our Title IX and Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation (DHR) programs. 

In February 2024, our implementation plan (PDF) was approved by the Chancellor’s Office and commended as the most comprehensive plan of the entire 23-campus system and a model for others to follow. Implementation Team members continue to meet regularly, but the bulk of their work is being carried out via subcommittees so they can efficiently and expertly tackle the significant number of changes. I’d especially like to draw attention to the work of the Strengthening Internal Protocols Committee, which has made incredible strides. Accomplishments include:  

• Evaluated barriers to reporting and engagement. While we know there will always be room for improvement, we have increased visibility of the ways to make reports and included “How to Make a Report” in in-person trainings. The reporting tool is linked at the top of the Title IX/DHR website, and once a report is made, Title IX staff follow up with a letter and resources. If no response, a follow-up letter is sent, and once more via text, if needed. Contact is tailored to the situation and various types of communication are used to ensure we are thorough in working with complainants, while respectfully giving them space, if it’s clear they don’t want to proceed with a report.
• Continued to separate support and advocacy functions from investigation. All Title IX employees are cross-trained for both support and advocacy and can serve in either role.  Staff also are intentional to let individuals know they do not have to re-tell their trauma. 
• Ensured supportive measures to complainants are well known. This work is also ongoing, but supportive measures are a documented piece of internal protocols, and staff always include availability of support in initial written contact, make sure it is offered in in-person contact, and in a follow-up letter listing resources for complainants and respondents. In weekly case reviews, Title IX staff discuss and affirm that support services were offered. Staff also now provide 30- and 60-day updates to parties during investigations and are creating better communications to establish a 100-working-day deadline and flow chart for ease of determining where a party (complainant/respondent) is in the process.  
• Established multidisciplinary teams to strengthen campus collaboration, information-sharing, and consultation to inform decisions. With representation from key units across campus, these teams are actively reviewing cases. Primary representation includes the Faculty Affairs and Success, Human Resources, and Student Rights and Responsibilities, as well as consultation as needed with Office of General Counsel, Senior Systemwide Director from the CSU Office of the Chancellor, University Police Department, University Housing, and Risk Management. 
• Formalized post-Title IX-DHR disciplinary processes. Title IX/DHR has created MOUs with Human Resources, Faculty Affairs and Success, and Student Rights and Responsibilities, and each unit is responsible for any resulting discipline or other corrective actions. 
• Mapped the case resolution process from reporting and intake to investigation and resolution. The mapping process clearly establishes actions based on what the complainant wants to happen and routes of investigation versus informal resolution. 
• In the process of developing a dashboard with support from the Division of Information Technology to track and share completed Title IX trainings and the number of individuals trained monthly.

I would like to commend the Strengthening Internal Protocols Committee for its work on these critical improvements. Our commitment to support reporting parties, eliminate barriers to reporting, and create transparency and clarity around the reporting process is unwavering. I appreciate the committee’s work and all that is still to come.  

Meanwhile, other subcommittees have also been engaged in critical work to address additional recommendations. Their accomplishments to date:  

• Prevention and Education
• Completed evaluation and assessment of all Title IX/DHR prevention education on campus, identified additional opportunities, and explored other CSU and national programming. Existing content was updated to remove triggering slides, with pilot presentations in spring 2024. 
• Initiated work to establish a learning community of faculty and staff who can co-design evidence-based prevention and training, as well as a one-unit course or group. 
• Partnered with University Communications to outline annual prevention and education messaging for students, faculty, and staff, including the launch of a weekly campaign for Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April 2024. 
• Infrastructure and Resources
• Updated the Vice President for Business and Finance onboarding documents to ensure connection with Title IX and continuity of transparency and reporting during leadership transitions. 
• Conducted virtual training for MPPs and department chairs on internal mechanics of the Title IX Office to help them understand the process, role, and how to support employees and students.   
• Equal Opportunity and Dispute Resolution (EODR) developed a new in-person training that is available to all campus units, with several additional trainings scheduled. If anyone would like to request training for a department or unit, please send a request to titleix@csuchico.edu. 
• Presented space needs to the Campus Facilities Use Committee in hopes of finding a permanent alternate location for EODR, per feedback from Cozen and fall campus engagement. 
• Other Conduct of Concern
• Finalized the draft Community Agreements, which were reviewed by several campus groups and circulated to all of campus for feedback in April. The goal is to have the agreements formalized by fall 2024. 
• Built a plan to educate and train the campus community in conflict resolution and restorative justice and launched pilot training in spring 2024. 
• Communications
• Drafted an annual communications plan that schedules mandatory notifications and proactive messaging campaigns to support awareness and access to Title IX. 
• Completed an audit of the EODR and Title IX websites and marketing materials and initiated improvements for a fall launch. 

All subcommittees will be continuing their work through 2024–25, with an emphasis on updating policies to reflect new regulations that will take effect August 1 and educating the campus community on those changes. I look forward to reporting back in fall. Our goal is to be transparent with the campus community in our progress to address the recommendations. We also will share these updates at the upcoming Academic Senate meeting on May 9 and at the Staff Council meeting on May 14. If you have any questions, please attend or reach out to titleix@csuchico.edu.  

Thank you to the Implementation Team for continuing to advance this important work and to all who are helping make the necessary changes. Every day, we are making strides in ensuring Chico State is a place where everyone can learn, work, and live to their fullest potential, and we will not stop until we have full confidence in the systems we have in place. 

Thanks again, 
Steve Perez