The Final State of the Union
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Summary:
The White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault releases a sample memorandum of understanding (MOU), created to improve communication and coordination between campuses and local law enforcement.
Last week marked the first anniversary of the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault (the Task Force), established by President Obama on January 22, 2014. Since its inception, the Task Force has worked to explore the scope of this serious problem, foster the development of best practices, and improve the federal government’s efforts to prevent and effectively respond to sexual assault on our nation’s campuses.
On April 29, 2014, Vice President Biden released the Task Force’s first report – Not Alone – which included recommendations, action steps, and sample policy language to help colleges and universities better address the problem. Three additional resources with sample policy language – Definitions of key terms in sexual misconduct policies, Role of the Title IX Coordinator, and Interim and supportive measures for victims – were released on September 19, 2014, in conjunction with the White House’s announcement of It’s On Us – a new public awareness campaign and cultural movement aimed at fundamentally shifting the way we think about sexual assault.
The Task Force recognizes that developing strong partnerships between law enforcement agencies, campus administrations, and other community stakeholders is important to sexual assault prevention and response efforts. To that end, the Task Force is pleased to share a sample memorandum of understanding (MOU), created to improve communication and coordination between campuses and local law enforcement. The MOU is a tool that colleges and universities can use and adapt as they seek to strengthen collaborations, enhance prevention efforts, and address the needs and choices of survivors of sexual assault.
As the Task Force enters its second year, we look forward to working with people across the spectrum of campus life in the fight to end sexual assault on our nation’s college campuses. We know that it’s on us – all of us – to step up, take action, and protect our nation’s students.
More information on the sample MOU can be found here.
Tina Tchen is the Executive Director of the White House Council on Women and Girls.
