San Jose State University to settle sexual harassment charges
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San Jose State University in San Jose, California, will pay $1.6 million to settle federal charges it failed to adequately respond to reports of sexual harassment, including sexual assault, against its female students by a university athletic trainer.
The university was charged with violating Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 in a statement issued by the Justice Department’s civil rights division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the northern district of California.
According to their statement, beginning in 2009, the trainer subjected the women to repeated, unwelcome sexual touching of their breasts, groins, buttocks and/or pubic areas during treatment in the campus training facilities.
It said the Justice Department concluded that for years, the university’s ineffective response exposed additional student-athletics to harm, and that it also retaliated against two university employees who had objected to the situation.
Under terms of the agreement, in addition to paying the $1.6 million to individuals who were sexually harassed and those who participated in the Justice Department and university investigations, the university will improve its process for responding to sexual harassment complaints, among other provisions.
“With this agreement, San Jose State University will provide relief to survivors and transform its Title IX process to ensure accountability in its athletics program and create a safer campus for all its students,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, in the statement.
The university said in a statement it had “cooperated fully” with the Department of Justice’s review and looks forward to partnering with it “to build a stronger Title IX program.” It said also the findings released by the department are similar to those of the university’s external investigation into the allegations.
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