Res. No. 269
Title
Resolution urging Congress to pass and the President to sign S.856/H.R.1949, also known as the Campus Accountability and Safety Act.
Body
By Council Members Barron and Brannan
Whereas, Sexual assault on college campuses across the country has significantly increased over the past decade; and
Whereas, The impact of failing to implement proper sexual assault procedures and policies on college campuses has been illustrated by several reported high-profile incidents in recent years; and
Whereas, According to the most recent data by the United States (U.S.) Department of Education report on school crime and safety, the number of reported forcible sex offenses on college campuses increased by 262 percent, from 2,200 in 2001 to 8,000 in 2015, accounting for 29 percent of all reported crimes on college campuses; and
Whereas, Further, the number of reported forcible sex offenses between 2014 and 2015 increased by 18 percent, from 6,800 to 8,000; and
Whereas, More forcible sex offenses were reported at institutions with residence halls than at institutions without them; and
Whereas, Over many years, the federal government has taken steps to safeguard students at higher education institutions and increase compliance through several pieces of legislation, including Title IX passed in 1972 and The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act ("Clery Act") passed in 1990; and
Whereas, The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013, or "VAWA 2013," includes a provision that requires higher education institutions to better respond to sexual assault, including improved reporting of sexual assault, student discipline, and training for students and campus employees on sexual violence; and
Whereas, In addition, in 2011, the Obama Administration introduced comprehensive guidance to help colleges and universities nationwide better understand their obligations under...
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