Two federal laws – the Clery Act and Title IX – are supposed to work together to protect students from campus sexual violence. But few students know about these laws or know their rights under them. The U.S. Department of Education is investigating more than 70 schools for Title IX violations related to sexual violence. The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, signed by the president in March 2013, included new campus safety provisions, and the Department of Education expects to finalize the regulation to implement the law this November. Until then, schools must still make a good-faith effort to comply with the new law, including updating their policies, providing new training and education programs as well as collecting additional statistics. Students, faculty, staff and my fellow advocates can use the Ending Campus Sexual Assault Tool Kit on www.aauw.org to learn more about the epidemic of campus sexual violence and access resources to help stop it.

Katherine Burgess, president, American Association of University Women, Durango branch

Durango