Dive Brief:
- Three bills working their way through the California state legislature propose major changes to the way higher education institutions respond to and track sexual assault.
- KRCR News reports that one bill would require institutions to annotate student transcripts with information about sexual assault convictions and another would mandate disciplinary action if a student is found guilty — a two-year, minimum, suspension.
- The third bill would, for the first time, require colleges to ask whether students have been convicted of sexual assault on admissions applications, KRCR News reports.
Dive Insight:
A massive spotlight has been pointed at colleges and universities in recent years when it comes to the incidence of sexual assault on campus. Legislators have increasingly taken it upon themselves to address the issue, attempting to increase campus safety with new regulation. California last year became the first state in the nation to require affirmative consent, shifting the burden onto the initiator of sexual activity. Instead of having to hear a no before stopping, the initiator would have to hear a yes to begin and at each successive stage of sexual activity. This year’s legislation would create a potentially large record-keeping burden for public institutions and it surely will face criticism from those protecting the rights of the accused.