What prompted this?
In August of 2020, the College heard from former students, alumnae, and alumni who shared via social media alleged accounts of experiences they had had or were aware of related to sexual assault during their time at Randolph College. These were painful to read, and we appreciate their courage in coming forward. As Randolph College is in full compliance with the law and investigates every allegation of sexual assault we receive and for which we have jurisdiction, it is clear we must do more to build a culture of respect on our campus. We are committed to fully facing this difficult subject and working with our amazing alumnae, alumni, current students, faculty, and staff to identify approaches that go beyond legal compliance.
Is the College under investigation?
No. Randolph College is fully compliant with all Title IX requirements, including the new U.S. Department of Education regulations, which went into effect on August 14, 2020.
Does the College investigate every allegation?
Yes, Title IX law requires the College – if it knows of an incident of sexual harassment, including sexual violence, that creates a hostile environment – to take immediate and appropriate steps to investigate or otherwise determine what occurred (subject to confidentiality considerations).
If the College is meeting all legal requirements for Title IX, what else can it do?
The College condemns sexual violence, rape, and all forms of sexual, sex or gender-based harassment, discrimination or misconduct. Zero tolerance is Randolph College’s policy. The painful accounts shared on social media over the summer of 2020, however, made clear we must do more to ensure ours is a campus culture of respect.
The College is not alone in addressing these issues. The global #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, to highlight just two of the powerful initiatives focused on ending sexual assault and harassment, illustrate what transparency and collective, creative enterprises can do to end oppressive behavior. Join the College is this critically important effort.
What can I do? How can I help?
Please share any suggestions and ideas you have. We’ve created an email address and will regularly review what has been submitted, titleix@randolphcollege.edu.