The California State University system will be required to develop clear policies and guidelines on how to investigate and track sexual harassment cases under a bill signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday.
The new law requires the 23-campus network to implement recommendations from a 2023 state audit that examines how officials investigate and track complaints at the nation’s largest public four-year college system, following concerns that multiple campuses failed to properly handle them Outcry over sexual misconduct cases.
Lawmakers are calling for a 2022 audit after a Los Angeles Times investigation revealed inconsistencies and problems in how officials responded to complaints of sexual misconduct and retaliation from students and staff. The audit found a lack of oversight from the chancellor’s office, which oversees the system, and said officials did not properly record or investigate sexual harassment claims. It also recommends that the Prime Minister’s Office implement about two dozen reforms by July this year. At hearings last year, lawmakers questioned whether the CSU would make changes without oversight from the legislature.
The CSU will now be asked to implement last year’s recommendations, including setting clear investigation guidelines, developing policies for tracking complaints and handling cases of misconduct that do not meet the threshold for sexual harassment. University officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Assembly Bill 1790 was introduced by Assemblymembers Damon Connolly (D-San Rafael) and Mike Fong (D-Alhambra).
“This legislation will ensure survivors’ voices are heard, perpetrators are held accountable, and our educational institutions uphold the highest standards of justice and support,” Connolly said in a statement. “By strengthening the focus on sexual assault and With sexual harassment protections, we can make California State University safer for students and faculty by ensuring sexual harassment claims are not wrongfully dismissed.”
A 2022 New York Times investigation found that the CSU paid $600,000 to settle a dispute with sonoma state The provost claims retaliation from the campus president after reporting sexual harassment allegations against the chancellor’s husband. The chancellor’s office has not investigated the claims. The president, who is no longer in college, and the president’s husband have previously denied wrongdoing.
Other investigations have found problems with the way Cal Maritime Academy handles sexual harassment allegations against female and transgender students on campus and at sea. The Times-Bulletin also found inconsistencies in the way the CSU records complaints.
The bill follows a law that took effect this year requiring Colorado State University to publicly disclose the results of sexual harassment complaints and investigations.
