SOUTHBEND, Ind. — The University of Notre Dame has agreed to change its process of handling sexual misconduct allegations following a seven-month investigation of the university by the U.S. Department of Education.
Among other modifications, the nine-page agreement calls for Notre Dame to finish administrative reviews within 60 days and to have a written policy stating that sexual misconduct allegations are evaluated by university administrators using a lower burden of proof than in criminal courts, the Chicago Tribune reports.
The investigation was in response to the case of Lizzy Seeberg, who committed suicide after accusing a Notre Dame football player of sexual battery. Seeberg’s family questioned the 15-day delay in the university’s interviewing of the accused.
The investigation did not address any specific incidents that the university failed to respond to correctly, the Associated Press reports. The Department of Education found that while the university had many preventive measures in place, it did not properly inform students and staff of the steps that would be taken after a complaint was made.
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