Penn State to implement sweeping new rules to combat sex harassment and assault

The president of Penn State University has signed off on a sweeping set of guidelines to combat sexual harassment and assault.

All 18 points from a task force are approved, President Eric Barron announced.

The stringent rules, to be put in place over the next 12 months, demand all 34,000 university employees, from janitors to professors and secretaries, report allegations of sexual misconduct, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

“I found that every recommendation has merit, and that when combined , those actions represent a strong and comprehensive response to sexual violence and harassment on our campuses,” Barron said.

The school will appoint a special czar to make sure all Title IX matters. Title IX is the U.S. law meant to curb sexual discrimination and harassment at schools receiving public funding.

Right now, only campus cops are required to report harassment and assault matters.

Under the task force rules, all workers will get training and, the Inquirer says, “students no longer will serve on panels that hear cases and decide on sanctions. Only trained faculty and staff will fill that role.”

“An investigator will interview victims, the accused, and witnesses, then prepare a report for the panel. Now, the victim and the accused go before the panel and tell their stories,” the paper notes.