About CWRU’s Agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice
During the summer of 2020, an anonymous account was launched on social media that shared allegations of sexual misconduct at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU). Our campus was one of more than two dozen higher education institutions throughout the United States and United Kingdom where such accounts appeared.
In response to these posts, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) began an investigation into potential Title IX violations on the CWRU campus. Over the past two-and-a-half years, the university cooperated fully and in good faith with the DOJ, and entered into a voluntary agreement with the department to, in part, help reassure stakeholders of our continuous focus on the safety and well-being of our students.
While the DOJ’s findings are not in alignment with our records or a third-party review, CWRU has a moral responsibility to protect the members of our campus community. We understand that we always have room for improvement in our efforts to enhance the safety and well-being of our campus.
Prior to this agreement, CWRU had already implemented several of the justice department’s
recommendations and increased investment in the Office of Equity, which provides assistance to any student, faculty or staff member. The university will also continue to incorporate best practices from other universities and always strive to exceed the standards established by others.
As part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring safety on campus, CWRU has retained Jones Day—one of the nation’s most prominent law firms—to provide an independent review of our processes. The firm has established an email address, CWRUTitleIXReview@JonesDay.com for individuals to use if they feel the university did not meet expectations when they reported incidents that took place between July 2017 and May 2021.
In addition, if you or someone you know has experienced harassment, violence or other types of discrimination, the university’s Office of Equity is available to help. Services are free and confidential for all members of the university community. Please call 216.368.3066 or email equity@case.edu.
Given that this topic may evoke strong feelings for some members of the community, CWRU reminds students that they can contact University Health and Counseling Services to access free, 24/7 support. Faculty and staff can reach IMPACT Solutions any time by calling 1.800.227.6007.