One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.
Feds investigate whether Occidental College properly handled rape allegations
Attorney Gloria Allred and Occidental College students who say they have been victims of sexual abuse on campus announced a federal complaint against the small, liberal arts college last month.
Listen
0:43
Feds investigate whether Occidental College properly handled rape allegations
L.A.’s Occidental College confirmed Friday that the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights has opened an investigation this week into whether the private institution properly handled complaints of sexual harassment and rape.
The investigation was sparked by a complaint filed by the campus group Oxy Sexual Assault Coalition, a student and faculty group that alleges that dozens of female students have been sexually assaulted in the past four years and that college administrators have done little to address the complaints.
Occidental spokesman Jim Tranquada on Friday said federal investigators have requested documents, such as the college’s harassment policies. Occidental, he said, hired consultants last month to look into how administrators handled sexual assault complaints in the past two years.
He said the consultants were retained, “With the intent of trying to find out what we did well, what we did badly and what we might need to change to make sure that we are providing survivors with resources and the appropriate process that they need."
RELATED: 37 students, alumni file complaint against Occidental College over sexual assault victims (Video)
The consultants’ findings should be completed this summer, Tranquada said.
Tranquada said he doesn’t have this year’s tally of reported sexual assaults. There were 14 reports of sexual assault in the previous three years, he said. The Oxy Sexual Assault Coalition said the number is much higher.
Sponsored message
A statement on the group’s web site welcomed the federal probe:
“We are grateful to the original 37 (now 42) individuals who bravely shared their experiences of sexual harassment, sexual battery, sexual assault, rape, and retaliation at Occidental College with OSAC in order to seek justice when the institution failed them.”
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
