UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, REGION XV 9 REGIONXV 1350 EUCLID AVERUE, SUITE 3-5 MICHIGAN CLEVELAND, OH 44115 0qu team 2015 (C),Nonresponsive Re: OCR Docket #15-16?2039 Dear On November 23, 2015., the US. Department of Education?s Of?ce for Civil Rights (OCR) received a complaint you ?led against the University of Cincinnati (the University). The complaint alleges that the University discriminated against you on the basis of sex and I Speci?cally, your complaint alleges that the University failet to and equitably respond to complaints, reports and/or incidents of sexual violence of which it had I and, as a result, students, including you, were subjected to a sexual] hostile environment. The complaint ?lrther alleges that the I OCR is responsible for enforcing Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 .S.C. 1681 et seq, and its implementing regulation, at 34 CPR. Part 106, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities operated by recipients of Federal ?nancial assistance from the Department. Persons who seek to enforce their rights under Title IX are also protected from retaliation. As a recipient of such ?nancial assistance, the University is subject to Title IX. Because OCR has determined that we have jurisdiction over your complaint and that your complaint was ?led timely, we are Opening your complaint for investigation. Based on the complaint, we will investigate the following legal issues: 1. Whether the University provided prompt and equitable responses to sexual vioience complaints, reports, and/or other incidents of which it had notice (knew about or should have known about) as required by the Title IX implementing regulation at 34 CPR. 106.8 and 106.31. The Department of Education ?3 mission is to promote student achievement analpreparationfor global competitiveness by fostering educational and ensuring equal access. uwwedgov Page 2 a. Whether the University complied with the requirements of the Title IX regulation at 34 CPR. 106.9 regarding notice of nondiscrimination. b. Whether the University complied with the requirements of the Title IX regulation at 34 CF .R. 106.8 and 106.9(a) regarding the designation and notice of a Title IX coordinator. 2. Whether any failure by the University to provide a prompt and equitable response allowed a student or Students and/or the campus, generally, to continue to be subjected to a sexually hostile environment that denied or limited a student or students? ability to participate in or bene?t from the University?s programs, in violation of the Title IX implementing regulation at 34 C.F.R. 106.8 and 106.31. 3. Whether the University intimidated, threatened, coerced or discriminated against an individual for the purpose of interfering with any right or privilege secured by Title IX, or because she made a complaint, testi?ed, assisted or participated in any manner in an investigation, proceeding or hearing under Title IX, in violation of Title implementing regulation at 34 C.F.R. 106.71. Please note that Opening an allegation for investigation in no way implies that OCR has made a determination with regard to its merits. During the investigation, OCR is a neutral fact-?nder, collecting and analyzing relevant evidence from the complainant, the recipient, and other sources as appropriate. OCR will ensure that the investigation is legally su?icient and is dispositive of the allegations in accordance with the provisions of Article of Case Processing Manual. OCR works to resolve allegations of discrimination and appropriately. We will communicate with you periodically during our investigation. When contacting our of?ce about your case, please refer to OCR Docket Number 15-16-2039. If you have any questions, please contact Allison Beach, the OCR attorney who has been assigned to investigate this complaint, by telephone at (21 6) 522-2666 or by e-mail at Allison. Beaeh@ed . gov. Sincerely, Sacara Mattin Supervisory Attomey/Team Leader