Justice Department Investigating Sexual Assault Response by the University Of New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE – The Department of Justice is investigating multiple complaints regarding the University of New Mexico’s handling of reported sexual assaults and sexual harassment of students at the University.  As part of the review, the department will evaluate the University’s policies and practices for preventing sexual assault and sexual harassment, and for investigating and responding to student complaints of sexual violence, sexual harassment, and retaliation.  The investigation is being conducted under Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which both prohibit sex discrimination in education programs.

Attorneys from the Educational Opportunities Section of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico are conducting this investigation.  Anyone with information related to sexual assaults or sexual harassment at the University of New Mexico is encouraged to contact the Department of Justice at (855) 856-2048 or community.unm@usdoj.gov.

The enforcement of Title IV and Title IX are top priorities of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.  Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt. Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is available on its website at www.justice.gov/usao/nm.  For more information about the Administration’s efforts on prevention and response to sexual assault and sexual harassment on college and university campuses, please visit www.notalone.gov.