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BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana has no statewide policy for handling allegations of sexual assault on college and university campuses, leaving students open to varied experiences depending on which school they attend, according to a report the state Board of Regents released Monday.
State Sen. J.P. Morrell, a New Orleans Democrat who had asked for the statewide look, tells The Advocate (http://bit.ly/1qILzQs ) legislation likely will be proposed during the Louisiana Legislature's 2015 session to address sexual assault on college campuses and possibly make policies more uniform.
"I appreciate that the systems are taking some proactive steps, such as a joint Title IX seminar this November, but it will likely require legislation to direct focus and specific responsibility in crafting statewide policy in regards to sexual assault on college campuses," Morrell said.
Campus sexual assault has seen a recent spike in attention nationally, with several high-profile inquiries on the federal level.
None of Louisiana's colleges are among the 76 schools under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights over how they handle sexual assault allegations, but a national survey that U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., released this summer found lax policies on campuses across the country.
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Information from: The Advocate, http://theadvocate.com
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