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March 26, 2021

Dear ASHE Members,

On May 6th, 2020, the U.S. Department of Education released new regulations regarding changes to the way Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is applied to redress for sexual harassment in educational contexts. Numerous members of ASHE conduct research on varied aspects of violence prevention, campus safety, law, policy, and procedure pertaining to Title IX and sexual harassment more broadly, and many have direct expertise in implementation of federal regulations on the hundreds of different college and university campuses in the United States where they serve. Advancing the safety, well-being, and bodily integrity of all students and employees in higher education is a fundamental purpose of any association pertaining to higher education and is a driving ethos of ASHE as well.

On March 22, 2021, at the recommendation of the ASHE Position Taking Committee, the ASHE Board of Directors unanimously approved the following research-informed position statement:
In the document, ASHE names areas of concern related to the issuance of the May 2020 regulations, as well as areas where the May 2020 regulations enhance opportunities for redress of sexual harassment, including sexual and domestic violence and stalking on campus. As the Biden administration revisits the May 2020 regulations, ASHE advances several recommendations, informed by research, for continued improved practice in the effort to end such harassment on all campuses in the United States.

On behalf of myself, the ASHE Board of Directors, and the entire ASHE membership, I express my gratitude to ASHE members Drs. Susan B. Marine (Merrimack College) and Sarah S. Hurtado (University of Denver) for their tremendous work on writing this statement. We are grateful for their labor and the research of our fellow ASHE members they have leveraged in developing this research-informed statement.

Sincerely,  
D-L Stewart
ASHE President
president@ashe.ws
About ASHE's Position Taking Policy and Process
The ASHE Position Taking Policy was adopted in July 2013.

Members of the Position Taking Committee committee are:
  • Joy Blanchard (Chair), Louisiana State University
  • Dominique Baker, Southern Methodist University
  • Joy Gaston Gayles, North Carolina State University
  • Susan Marine, Merrimack College
  • Samuel Snideman, Ball State University

Questions about the ASHE Position Taking process can be directed to ASHE Executive Director Jason P. Guilbeau at jason@ashe.ws.