Multiple colleges in the Springfield area are looking to improve their ability to process and investigate cases of misconduct related to sex. The University of Missouri’s hiring of a staff to investigate such cases full-time has prompted some other area schools to look into their own programs.
Ozarks Technical Community College, Missouri State University, Evangel University, and Drury University all have staff member, administrators, and faculty that supervise the compliance of their school with Title IX part time. Title IX is a Federal law that covers sex-based discrimination and assaults of a sexual or sex-related nature.
Karla Gregg, of OTC, says that while their system is managing, it could definitely be better and would, should the funding be available, like to follow suit with MU to establish a full-time solution.
The decision to employ dedicated staff to handle such cases at MU came following the suicide of of a student who had, prior to her death, told healthcare professionals that multiple football players had sexually assaulted her.
Reports of sex-related misconduct and harassment are up, according to local schools, but this should not be taken as evidence of an increasing amount of incidents. They believe the rising amount of reports is the result of greater awareness of Title IX and its procedures.