Kaine Urges Department Of Education To Provide Information On Sexual Assault Investigations

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine submitted a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan addressing the current issues associated with sexual violence on college campuses. In the letter, Kaine applauded the Department of Education (ED) for initiating its Title IX investigations into how campuses handle sexual assault but requested that ED disclose more information regarding the progress of these investigations.

“Sexual violence is a serious issue facing our nation, and we have concerns about the enforcement of sexual violence policies and the rights of survivors,” Kaine wrote. “While the specific details of these investigations are understandably confidential, there is a great deal that colleges and universities can learn from the findings to improve campus culture and campus sexual violence prevention policies. We request that the Department disclose best practices and consistent gaps that the Office of Civil Rights has found in school policy so that institutions can take proactive measures in their efforts to prevent sexual violence on campuses.”

In the letter, Kaine noted that many of the Title IX investigations have been open for years and while he is pleased thorough investigations are taking place, it is important that they are completed in a timely manner.

Senators Mark Warner, Dianne Feinstein, Al Franken, and Amy Klobuchar co-signed the letter.

The full text of Kaine’s letter to Secretary Duncan can be found here.

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