COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Texas A&M announced a host of changes to its Title IX policies Monday, changes that are intended to strengthen sanctions on those found responsible for sexual assault and to better serve survivors after a group of current and former female students who reported being sexually assaulted expressed disappointment with the school's handling of their complaints earlier this summer.
The changes, which are the result of months-long internal and external reviews of the school's current policies, include establishment of a minimum one-year suspension for students found responsible for acts of sexual abuse (absent significant mitigating factors), new guidelines to determine when a student may return to extracurricular activities, including athletics, by taking decisions off the hands of the club, organization, coach or team and adding four additional Title IX officers to its current staff.