UF is the latest of 225 colleges and universities under federal investigation for possibly mishandling a sexual violence complaint.
The Office of Civil Rights in the U.S. Education Department announced Thursday that a January report from UF is one of 306 sexual violence complaints being investigated, The Washington Post reported.
On Jan. 20, the office began its investigation into UF — making it one of six cases to open in 2017.
Inclusion on the list doesn’t indicate that federal law has been violated, according to The Washington Post. The list, started under President Barack Obama’s administration in 2014, first listed 55 universities. It has since quadrupled.
UF spokesperson Janine Sikes confirmed Friday that the UF investigation is ongoing. She said while the investigation is open, the complaint and any other relevant documents aren’t public.
“The University of Florida is committed to Title IX compliance, including clear standards of student conduct and a fair student conduct process for all students involved,” Sikes wrote in an email. “We are fully cooperating with OCR in its investigation.”
The other Florida universities under investigation include Florida State University, Full Sail University, Stetson University, the University of Miami and the University of South Florida, according to The Washington Post.
@paigexfry
pfry@alligator.org
