Joshua Wright, a former law professor at George Mason University, has resigned after accusations of sexual harassment by two former students. “Wright denies any misconduct but acknowledges having what he described as consensual sexual relationships” with the alleged victims, The Post reports.
The Biden administration has announced plans to implement new Title IX regulations in October. The plans have sparked concerns among some higher education faculty and experts who fear the implications of wrongful accusations assessed without due process. Though many have celebrated the additional regulations as protective measures for students and victims of sexual harassment and assault, Professor KC Johnson of Brooklyn College and the CUNY Gradute Center writes in his op-ed for The Chronicle that “the regulations strip from accused students virtually all of the procedural protections they currently have under Title IX, unless a local court ruling requires their college or university to employ a fairer process.” According to Higher Ed Dive, however, policy experts are doubtful that the regulations will be released in October as scheduled, as the Department of Education has yet to send its proposal to the Office of Management and Budget for review, a process that will take up to 120 days.
Under a bill passed by California state legislature last week, the California State University system would be required to increase transparency in its investigations of sexual harassment cases on campus. The bill follows findings of a July audit that Cal State institutions have improperly handled reports and closed cases prematurely, according to a Higher Ed Dive report.