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Wash U Title IX Office discusses investigation policy

"The goal is for that process to be fair and thorough and timely," Wash U Title IX Director Jessica Kennedy explained. "In the past, the timeliness piece has been difficult to achieve."
Washington University in St. Louis

ST. LOUIS – The Washington University Title IX Office sat down with us to talk about how it works with students who report incidents of sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking. This comes after one student opened up about her violent assault in the campus newspaper, concerned that it took too long for the University to act.

Even before a student decides to file a formal complaint, he or she can come to the Title IX office in-person or reach out by phone or email. The office will talk to them about resources, both on and off-campus, that are available to them. The office will also explain the steps for reporting the attack to its local police department.

When a student files a formal complaint, it goes to Jessica Kennedy, the Director of Title IX Office and the Title IX Coordinator at Washington University.

“The goal is for that process to be fair and thorough and timely,” Kennedy explained. “In the past, the timeliness piece has been difficult to achieve because it is a highly complex process and is highly dependent on the schedules of those involved,” she said.

Right now, Kennedy explained that the investigation process takes between seven and nine months. But, her office has hired more staff to shorten the timeline.

Last week, we talked to a student who described a violent attack by another student, who has since been suspended. The woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, felt it took too long for her school to act on her report.

“I tried doing it the right way,” the student said. “I tried to do it the way this administration tells you to deal with these kinds of issues. I filed with every department that I could think,” she explained.

A Facebook group shows that students are planning to organize Thursday afternoon at 3:45 PM to make their concerns known.

Kennedy said she is always happy to hear from students and welcomes their feedback on how the University can continue to improve its own system.

“I think it’s a wonderful opportunity for all of us at the university to listen to the students en masse about what their concerns are,” Kennedy said.

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