Federal investigations are underway at 55 colleges and universities, looking into whether they illegally handled sexual violence and harassment complaints, according to the U.S. Department of Education. While these investigations are not new, this is the first time that the department has issued a list of all such probes currently underway, CNN reports.
“We are making this list available in an effort to bring more transparency to our enforcement work and to foster better public awareness of civil rights,” said Catherine E. Lhamon, the department’s assistant secretary for civil rights. She continued, clarifying that a college or university’s appearance on the list in no indicates that the colleges has violated the law.
“The investigations center on Title IX, under which a school must ensure that students are not denied or limited in the ability to participate in or benefit from its educational programs or activities on the basis of sex,” CNN reports.
