President Valerie Smith shared the following message with the community on Sept. 8, 2017:

To the Swarthmore Community,

Yesterday, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced plans to revisit Title IX guidelines. I write to assure you that Swarthmore College remains wholly committed to upholding equality and freedom from all forms of discrimination and harassment. No new guidance will change that.

The Department of Education’s 2011 Dear Colleague letter helped put the critical issue of sexual misconduct on the national radar, but it is far from the only guidance that informs our commitment to fostering an environment in which students and employees are able to realize their full potential. The College recognizes that all who live, work, and learn on our campus are responsible for ensuring that the community is free from discrimination based on sex or gender, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, and other forms of sexual misconduct. These behaviors threaten our learning, living, and work environments, and we are actively working towards fostering a violence-free community.

Please know that many people at Swarthmore are dedicated to responding to and addressing reports of sexual misconduct and concerns about gender equity that affect members of our community. Their role is to eliminate, prevent, and address all known instances of prohibited gender-based misconduct such as sexual assault, stalking, sexual harassment, and/or intimate partner violence. They do this by responding to individual incidents, providing support, adjudicating cases fairly and compassionately, and educating community members on how to create a safe and supportive campus that encourages healthy and respectful relationships. Please visit the SHARE website for more detailed information.

Earlier this week I informed the community that Michelle Ray will take on the role of Title IX coordinator on an interim basis in late September while we conduct a national search. Dean Braun will soon announce the plan for filling the role of case manager/grievance advisor that Michelle will vacate. The new case manager/grievance advisor will be in place when Michelle moves into the Title IX coordinator role.

Sincerely,

Valerie Smith

President