Colleges, Buffeted by Courts and Washington, Navigate Sexual Assault

Article here. Excerpt:

'Colleges and universities are wrestling with a rise in sexual-assault claims, lawsuits brought by those accused of assault and conflicting directions from courts and the federal government on how to handle them.

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers four Midwestern states, recently ruled that those accused of sexual assault must be allowed to face their accusers—a right they don’t have in other states. State appeals courts in Texas and California are also weighing in with different standards.

Meanwhile, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is preparing to release new rules strengthening protections for students accused of sexual assault and lightening the burden placed on schools. The rules will narrow the definition of sexual assault that schools are required to adjudicate and will restrict eligible cases to those that occur on campus.'