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Page 1 of 20

 

Page 2 - OCR Complaint No. 11-16-2295
retaliation allegation under Section 108 ofOCR ' s Case Processing Manual because you did not
provide sufficient details (i.e., who, what, where, when, how) for OCR to infer that retaliation
may have occurred or is occurring. For example, you did not provide information concerning
what protected activity (that is, filing a complaint or asserting a right under a law OCR enforces)
provoked the University's retaliation , or what materially adverse action the University took
against you as a result.
On October 4, 20 16, OCR sent you an email explaining the information we needed to open an
investigation of your complaint and attempting to schedule a phone interview with you on
October 12 or 13, 2016. \\'hen you failed to respond, we attempted to contact you by phone on
October 25 , 2016 and Novem ber 4, 2016. However, you failed to respond lo thcsL:requt::sts. On
December 6, 20 16, OCR sent you another emai l explaining that because your complaint
references retaliation, we need to know the specific actions by the University that yo u allege are
retaliatory , the dates of those actions, and the reasons you believe those actions constitute
retaliation. We notified you that your complaint might be dismissed if we did not receive the
required information within 20 calendar days (by December 26, 20 16). On December 27, 2016,
you responded by email stating that you wer~(b;) ; (bJ(7(CJ
!(b)(6); (b)(7(C) ~nd that you would "fo llowrl up w1~this
issue at a later date .... " On February 24,
2017, you emailed OCR in connection with your complaint. We offered you the opportunity to
provide any additional information in response to our October 4, 2016 and December 6, 2016
email s by February 27, 2017, but you did not do so. Because you did not provide the
information we requested concerning your allegation of retaliation , we are dismissing that
allt:gation as of the date of this letter and will take no further action on it. However , as noted
above , we are opening an investigation of your sex discrimination allegation .

!

Thi s Jetter sets forth OCR's determination in an individual OCR case. This letter is not a formal
statement of OCR policy and should not be relied upon, cited , or construed as such. OCR' s
formal policy statement s are approved by a duly authorized OCR official and made ava ilabl e to
the public. The complainant may have the right to file a private suit in federal coun whether or
not OCR finds a violation.
Please be advised that the University must not harass, coerce , intimidate, discriminate , or
otherwise retaliate against an individual because that individual asserts a right or privilege under
a law enforced by OCR or files a complaint, testifies, or participates in an OCR proceeding. If
this happens , the individual may file a retaliation complaint with OCR.
Under the Freedom of Information Act, it may be necessary to release this documen t and related
correspondence and record s upon reque st. If OCR receives such a request , we will see k to
protect personally identifiable information that could reasonably be expected to constitute an
unwarranted invasion of personal privacy if released, to the extent provided by law.

Page 2 of 20

D'(

J( .

l

 Page 3 · · OCR Comp1aint No . 11-16-2295

lf you have any que!".tions, please contact Kathr)ine Love, the OCR attorney assigned to this
complaint, at 202-453-6948 or Kathryne .Love@ed.gov.

Sincerely ,

,./ .)1,;4- ..
[ .

l

.,_ "-../ ·--._...

David Hensel
Supervbory Attorney

District of Columbia Office
Office for Civil Rights

Page 3 of 20

 L '.\JTED ST,\ l'ES DEPt\RT!\-1E\JT OF EDL'CATIO'.\
0 ff1 Ct: H..Jl< CIV IL RIC I-! I:,
\.IARYL.;\.O ,w 1;;-..:
u 1::.SI'\'
/\~H I " l , I UI\, LX.' 211202- 1-175

..j( (I

1\

~ : L,I, ' '

\
' ·• 'I< 111c., n •!..I'.\
"'L il (. .,\1{111 JI\, , \
\ JJ, 4....Jl~lA

1,·,\~ I !11\:l,J ( :~. Lil.

Ylarch 28 , 2017

Via Facsimile to (21)2) H85-J279

Neil Kerwin
Office of the Preside nt
American Uni versi ty
4400 Massm:husetts A ven ue, NW
Washington . OC 20016 -8060
Re:

OC R Com plaint No. 11-16-2295
Notificati on/Da ra Requt;:stLener

Dear President Kerwin :
The Office for Civil Kights (OC R) of the l1.S. Department of Education (the Department)
rccciv~d a complaint on August 29. 20 16 against American Universit y (th~ University). The
. . ct1scnmmate
· . . d again
. st h'1111on t he bas1.s o t' sex w hen .11 Db)(
.
Cump Iamant
a II eges t hat tI1e urnversny
· ;( ( ( )
wht:n it failed to romptly aml equitabl y invcstigalt: a complaint of sexual violence tiled against
him in (b)(6); (b)(7(C)
OC R will contact the Unive rsity to provide tht: name of the Compla inant.

OCR enforce s ·1itle IX of the l:.ducation Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) and its implement ing
regulatio n at 34 C.F.R . Pa.rt I 06, which prohibit discrimin ation on the basis of sex in any
program or ac tivity rece iving Federal financial ass istance from the Department. Because th e
Uni, ers ity receives Federal financial ass istance from the Department , OCR has juri sdiction ovcr
it pursuant to Title IX .
Becau se OCR determined that it has j urisdiction and that the compl aint ,..-as timely filed. OCR is
opening the comp laint for investigati on. Please note that opening the comp laint for investigation
in no way implie s tha t OCR has made a determination on the merits of the complaint. During
the inve stigation, OCR is a neutral fact-finde r, collect ing and analyzing rele vant evidence from
the Complainant , the Univer sity, and other sources, as appropriate . OCR will ensure that its
investigation is legall y s ufficient and fully responds to the allegation in accordance with the
provis ions of the Case Processing Manual. availab le at http:,l wW\\ .L!d.go, oL'rlJu <.:
:, n~n..{!.!Il-ngJ.
Our goa l is lhe prompt. appropriate resolution of the cum plaint . lnfom,a tion on OCR 's
compl aint process ing procedures is ava ilable at [lrtp. h N \\ '\.\ . ...:J.go, ·. ocr ·rnmrlai nb -ho ,, .ht mJ.
Anac hed is a reque st tor data necessary to investigate thi s complain t. OCR requests that the
University submit this info rmati on within 30 calendar days of the date of th is letter (i.e .. by April
'27, 2017 ). \V..:prefer lhal you subm it information dectronically. if feasible . If any item in our
fi i r'

O rptrrhnntl

,,f 1=.t
Jttcntzou '.. 11u
ss1011:s / (' prmnote s ttulenl t1dueoi.:
me11tand preJmrcltw u (o, ti lf1ult ,1m1'Ptrlr..•t·11(·~~
i1yfosler111
g edur.al:lonal cxcelle11
c('anti c11sun1:g equal aae ss.

Page 4 of 20

 Page 2 · ·OCR Complaint No. 1J-16-2295
request is unclear, or if you experience any difficulty complying with this request, please contact
us as provided below prior to the expirationof the 30-day period. Pleasebe aware that OCR
anticipates conducting an on-site investigation of the complaint. We willnotify you in advance
of our proposed plans to visit the University.
Please be advised that the University must not harass, coerce, intimidate, discriminate, or
otherwise retaliate against an individual because that individual asserts a right or privilege under
a law enforced by OCR or files ;:i.complaint, testifies,or participates in an OCR proceeding. If
this happens, the individual may file a retaliation complaint wLthOCR.
Under the freedom of Information Act, it may be necessary to release this document and related
correspondence and n:cords upon request. If OCR receives ~uch a request, we will seek to
protect personally identifiable information that could reasonably be expected to constitute an
unwarranted invasion of personal privacy if released, to the extent provided by law.
We look forward to your cooperati.onduring the resolution of this complaint. lf you have any
questions. please contact Kathryne Love, the OCR attorney assigned to this complaint, at 202453 -6948 or Kathryne.Love@ed.gov.
Sincerely,

_

4ft/-l~- DavidHensel
Supervisory Attorney
District of Columbia Office

Office for Civi! Rights

Page 5 of 20

 Page 3 · OC R Complaint No. 11-16-2295
Ameri~an University
OCR Comp laint No. 11-16-2295
Data Request

Please provide the following data by April 27. 2017. The Department' s regulation implementing
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , at 34 C.F. R. § I 00.6(c) , whkh is incorporated by
reference in the Title IX regulation at 34 C.F.R. § 106.71, gives OCR the authori ty to reque st thi s
1
inform ation . OCR hereb y notifies the University that OCR will consider the University ' s
response to this dat a request to be its full and complete response pursuant to OCR's right of
access to informati on under the regulation s cited above , unJess the University notifie s OCR
otherwi se. If the University obtain s any additional information or documents responsive to this
data request or otherwi se relevant to the allegation in this case , the University must promptly
inform OCR of its exi stence and supplement the data respon se within 15 days of its discover y.
OCR remind s the University that a failure to provide requested information may be con sider ed a
denial of au ::ess in violation of the regulations cited abo ve.

Unless otherwise noted, please pro vide the following inforrnation for the 2014-2015, 20l5-2016 ,
and 2016 -201 7 academic year s.2 In this data request , sexual haras sment is defined to includ e
.
.

1

Pka se note that OCR ha s the right of acce ss to record s that are nece ssary for OCR ' s investigatio n, even if th ose
recor ds cont ain name s or othe r per sonally identifiable informat ion . See 2 0 U.S.C. §§ l 23 2g(b)( I) and l 232g (b )(3 )
regard ing the appli cable provi sions of the Family Educationa l Right s and Priva cy Act ; see also 34 C. F. R. § I00 .6( c )
and 34 C. F.R. § 99 .31 (a) (3 )(iii) .
2
Plea se indicate in writing if any o f the requ ested material s do not exi st. If availab le, please prov ide the informati o n
in e lectroni c fonnat.

Page 6 of 20

  

 



 

Page 7 of 20

 

 

Page08 of 20
Vv1thne1a
pursuantto exemption
(b)(7)(A ).( b)(7)(E)

or tne Freedomor Information and Pnvacy Act

 Page09 of 20
wrtnneldpursuantto exemption
(tl)(7)(A) .(t>)(7)(E)

of tne Freeoomof lnformauon ana PrivacyAct