‘SPIDERMAN’ 2 SWINGS INTO THEATERS | Page 10 University of Denver student newspaper since 1899
Vol. 121, Issue 14
May 7, 2014
www.duclarion.com
DU faces federal inquiry Trans Pioneers DU is one of 55 schools under federal Title IX investigation related to sexual assault complaints by sarah ford Managing Editor
DU is under federal investigation for possible violations in the handling of sexual assault complaints, one of 55 schools nationwide named in a list released last Thursday by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The possible violation falls under Title IX, a 1972 Education Amendment banning discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance. “The University takes each claim seriously and works to ensure that all claims involving Title IX or similar laws are handled fairly, judicially and
expeditiously,” said a DU press release. “The University of Denver follows the guidelines for incidents of sexual assault and provides for the prompt and equitable resolution of sexual discrimination complaints.” Under Title IX, campus community members hold a right to file a complaint on the outcome of a sexual assault investigation with the OCR if dissatisfied. In the statement, the University said this investigation comes because one person chose to file a complaint on the outcome of an investigation, and that DU responded to the OCR several months ago. DU is one of four Colorado colleges on the list of investigations, along with the University of Colorado at Boulder, University of Colorado at Denver and Regis University. “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,” Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine Lhamon said in the OCR press release. Women’s Council Co-President Aly Higgins, a sophomore international relations major, said she saw the announcement of the investigation as both a negative and as an opportunity. “It’s always concerning when you see your school in that framework,” said Higgins. “But I’m happy that it’s in the news and that we have a public push to work on the issue.” Higgins said the Women’s Council intends to allow women on campus to discuss personal experiences, campus legislation and promote education on sexual assault. “I hate to see DU’s name associated with this issue,” Higgins said. “But I think it can reunify campus to think about the way we handle sexual assault and be more diligent about the way these issues are handled.”
world to stop investing their endowment funds in companies that produce or profit from fossil fuel, according to junior environmental science major Evan Swaak, a member of Divest DU. “We are one part of the divestment movement, which is an international movement happening at hundreds of colleges and schools across the country,”
said Swaak. “We want our school to stop investing its endowment in fossil fuels.” The group’s petition states that, “It is unethical for our university to invest in companies that will condemn the planet to climate disaster.”
Divest DU delivers petition by alex johnson Editor-in-Chief
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Last Wednesday, April 30, Divest DU organized an event called “Stand Up for Climate Justice” on the Carnegie Green. The event included music, speakers and the signing of a divestment petition. The goal of the event was to show student interest SEE students, PAGE 2 about divestment, and to that end, the group delivered their signed petition to DU Chancellor Robert Coombe. About 50 students attended Stand Up for Climate Justice, which lasted from 4-5 p.m. The goal of the divestment movement is to force u n i v e r s it i e s photo courtesy of erin smith across the Students present a petition with around 1,000 signatures to DU Chancellor Robert Coombe.
confront barriers This story is part two of a three-part series. Some identities have been altered to protect privacy. by sarah ford Managing Editor
At the beginning of the school year, Kristen Powell, a Resident Assistant (RA) in Johnson-McFarlane Hall, received an email from one of her residents who would be arriving at DU in a couple of weeks. In the email, the student explained that they are genderneutral, meaning they do not identify with a specific gender, preferring to be referenced using pronouns such as “them” and “they.” Concerned about the provisions for the student in the residence hall, particularly around the bathrooms, Powell spoke to the building’s Resident Director, who told her the process would be “a lot of conversation.” “What upset me about that response is that we had weeks before the residents came in and we weren’t prepared like we should have been,” said Powell. “To have this resident come in with needs that aren’t being met isn’t fair, particularly when it’s such a major part of your identity, to not be able to express that or participate in the way that you want is really hard.” As Powell found, bathroom use is one of the most common difficulties faced by transgender students. According to the Transgender Law Center, over 50 percent of gender-variant people report harassment or intimidation in using the bathroom, often because they do not have the gendered appearance of the bathroom they are using or are using the bathroom of a sex they do not identify as. There are now over 150 schools that have genderneutral bathrooms, according to the Transgender Law Report. While DU has nearly 20 bathrooms open for use by
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both genders, they can be difficult to find. “There is a lot of fear around going into a bathroom, especially if you’re not totally dressed as what the other gender dresses as, or have fears about whether or not you can pass successfully or not,” said Kerr. “That breeds a lot of stress and anxiety.” Each time a transgender person enters a bathroom labeled with a specific gender, DU female to male transgender student Mike says, they face an uncomfortable choice. It is one he’s battled with himself many times. “You have to choose between affirming your own identity and feeling safe. And I feel like nobody should have to give up feeling safe to validate themselves,” he said. Campus bathroom use stands as one of the most discussed concerns for transgender students on campuses across the country, and just one of many concerns that create feelings of discomfort for these students. According to the most recent National School Climate Survey, only four percent of transgender students nationwide reported feeling safe at their school. Recently, there has been more action both on the federal and state level to attempt to address some of these concerns. In April, the Department of Education released guidelines clarifying that transgender students are also protected under Title IX, a federal law protecting against discrimination based on sex in schools. The announcement was received as a major victory for the community, and a mark that there is still work to do. DU is also under investigation by federal authorities for alleged Title IX violations. Like DU, schools nationwide are beginning to look at barriers within their own policies. There are now more than 623 schools that have non-discrimination policies that address gender identity and expression, including DU. SEE contention, PAGE 6
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Men’s Lacrosse seed in the NCAA tournament