FIU BOT Approves Changes to Title IX and Student Conduct Code, Discusses Fall 2020 Modalities

By Valentina Palm/ Editor-in-Chief And Teresa Schuster/ Staff Writer 

The FIU Board of Trustees approved new Title IX regulations on sexual assault at today’s meeting, changing the student conduct and honor code.

Title IX is a civil rights law to students from gender discrimination and sexual harassment and assault. Betsy Devos, the current U.S. Secretary of Education appointed by President Trump, spearheaded the reforms, which will take effect August 14. 

General Council Carlos B. Castillo stressed three changes: sexual harassment now only applies to programs inside the United States, excluding study abroad; all student sexual allegations will be handled by the new Title IX office instead of the student conduct and academic department; victims and accusers must be represented by advisors during new live hearings. 

But, the 145-page policy also included changes in school jurisdiction for allegations outside of campus, the creation of a Title IX office, and new criteria for case dismissals.

PantherNOW summarized all the changes in this article. 

Trustee Marc Sarnoff questioned why the board members had such a short timeframe to review the document and made Castillo acknowledge the changes were “pervasive”.

Sarnoff said he wasn’t sure he could vote for the new Title IX regulations.

“There are changes as to sexual harassment versus sexual misconduct versus where they occur and how they occur,” said Sarnoff. “I always look at the terms of a person’s right to due process and I’m not sure confronting your accuser via zoom is due process.”

Castillo urged Sarnoff to vote as changes could be made to the regulation within the next 90 days.

The Academic Policy and Student Affairs Committee and the BOT approved the new Title IX regulations.

Changes to Title IX affected the student conduct and honor code as sexual harassment or assault allegations will be solely managed by the Title IX office.

Michelle R Horvath, Assistant Dean of Students, gave an example of the changes in the conduct and honor code.

“If there’s harassment at the recreation center, we might want to prevent a student from accessing that recreation center,” said Hovarth. “But, we wouldn’t remove them from campus,”

The Board of Trustees also approved an honorary graduation certificate for an honors student battling cancer who completed over 70 percent of his coursework and maintained a 3.97 GPA during chemotherapy. His last wish is to graduate, according to his appeal letter.

President Rosenberg said 45,000 students enrolled in classes this summer, the most in FIU history.

This fall, 17% of courses will be face to face, 5% to 6% will be hybrid, 27% will be online, and 48% will be remote, said Rosenberg. Labs will be mostly remote but a significant percentage will be face-to-face.

Provost Kenneth G. Furton said FIU’s 4-year graduation rate increased by five percent this year. He expects the university to have a 60 percent four-year graduation rate in five years.

FIU received over 20 million in new research awards in the last few months for several environmental projects and the university’s children’s center, said Rosenberg.

FIU has had a record-breaking year for licenses and patents, mostly from the engineering and computer science fields.

“This past year FIU generated $236,000 in income, surpassed the prior six years combined,” said Rosenberg. “Which again, is consistent with our mandate for us to have a greater sense of urgency about generating revenue from the, from the creativity the innovation in the patents.”