Letter to the Editor: The Bruin did not examine loss of due process in new Title IX policy

Dear Editor,

Your interview of Kathleen Salvaty, UCLA’s Title IX officer, on Monday, Jan. 11, neglected to answer significant questions about UCLA’s implementation of the new UC procedure that requires Title IX offices, rather than dean of students offices, to investigate reports of sexual assault.

UCLA’s Title IX office will now assign investigators to investigate accusations against students of gender discrimination, sexual harassment or sexual violence. After the office reports its findings and recommendation to the UCLA dean of students, the dean will decide whether the code of conduct was violated and issue the punishment (as needed). Previously, the dean of students’ office collected the information and submitted it to a student conduct committee, similar to other conduct violations such as plagiarism and alcohol violations.

Is the accused automatically granted a hearing after being accused of gender discrimination, sexual harassment or sexual violence by the dean of students?

Is the accused free to bring his or her attorney to the hearing to help the accused respond to the accusations?

When I served as a UC regent, a UCLA student I had met at a welcoming party approached me for help because she was about to be expelled: The dean of students had accused her of plagiarism. I intervened to ask that she be granted a hearing, and she hired a lawyer. After the hearing, the accusation was dismissed. The student went on to graduate with straight A’s, and is now a successful Southern California lawyer.

It should not require a regent to provide due process to an accused UCLA student.

Velma Montoya, Ph.D.

UC regent emerita