The Office of Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education is leading an investigation of Harvard University’s revised sexual assault policy after complaints that the changes were in violation of the Title IX gender discrimination statute. Harvard’s new policy requires corroborating evidence before a university-sanctioned investigation into the alleged assault is initiated. This policy differs from most other sexual assault policies at peer institutions, including Georgetown.

Last fall, Georgetown became one of the few national universities to implement a stalking policy and also expanded its sexual misconduct policy to include voyeurism, exposure and sexually explicit communications.

A Harvard student filed a complaint on June 4, saying that the policy discriminates against sexual assault victims, the majority of whom are women, by denying them sufficient grievance procedures. The complaint argues that the preliminary evidence clause in the assault policy, which mandates specific testimony or evidence such as a harassing e-mail, will prevent many cases from ever being heard in front of Harvard College’s administrative board.

“The corroboration rule threatens a disproportionate impact on women . because the vast majority of sexual assaults are perpetrated against women,” the complaint states.

Harvard is cooperating with the civil rights probe but maintains the new policy is just and fair.

“The General Counsel’s office tells me that whatever the merits of the issue, in their judgment the Title IX complaint does not have legal validity,” Harvard University President Lawrence H. Summers said in The Harvard Crimson on Aug. 9.

Georgetown University’s sexual assault policy, written by the Disciplinary Review Committee, does not require a complainant to produce such evidence, Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence Services Coordinator Carolyn Hurwtiz said.

Current policy requires both the complainant and defendant to give a statement to the Department of Public Safety, which conducts a full investigation before sending the case to the Office of Student Conduct.

Unless the defendant agrees to disciplinary action at that point, both disputants must appear at adjudication before the Sexual Assault Hearing Board. Each panel consists of two staff members and two students who have been given special training and is usually gender balanced, Hurwitz said.

Disciplinary action can be as severe as suspension or expulsion, but complainants are always required to sign a confidentiality agreement to protect the defendant.

Georgetown records indicate four instances of forcible sexual offenses and four of non- forcible sexual offenses in the 2000 calendar year, according to the Department of Public Safety’s Crime Awareness and Campus Security Annual Report. The DPS numbers pertain only to specific on-campus jurisdictions, as is mandated by Department of Education federal law in order for any institution to receive federally funded aid, Hurwtiz said.

“I count everything that’s a Georgetown experience that happened this year,” she said in reference to her sexual assault incident count. “I saw 87 people last year . 22 of whom were specifically reporting sexual assault. I think the more cases that go forward the better the adjudication process will become.”

Harvard officials said their policy was implemented to prevent unnecessarily long and troublesome investigations in cases that ultimately lack a definitive conclusion. It was created upon recommendation of a faculty committee investigating sexual assault cases on campus.

Recent protests, however, have sanctioned the formation of another committee, composed of students, faculty and administrators, to examine support services for victims of all sexual crimes at Harvard.

“I’m very concerned that we have an overall system that properly balances the need to deter and punish those who perpetrate sexual assaults with proper due process,” Summers said. “I think the . committee report will make a very important contribution to getting us there.”

Georgetown students who feel they have been victims of sexually assault and are seeking treatment or counseling also have the option of going to the Student Primary Care Clinic counseling center, Campus Ministry or Residence Life. Additionally, all incoming freshman receive mandatory training about the topic at both New Student Orientation and throughout the year.