The University has changed its undergraduate regulations to follow clarified Title IX guidelines from the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.

According to the Yale College website, complainants will now have the right to request an appeal before the Yale College Executive Committee, or ExComm, in cases of sexual misconduct. Previously, petitions for appeals could come from either students who are punished by ExComm or from the Dean of Yale College.

In cases of sexual misconduct, ExComm will now require a “preponderance of the evidence” to find a person in violation of regulations instead of the former, higher level of proof, “clear preponderance of the evidence.”

The change comes after the DOE issued its clarifications April 4.

Read the notice posted on the Yale College website below.

Please note that important changes have been made to section C.4.(b) “Reconsiderations of Decisions of the Executive Committee” and section E.6. “Procedures for complaints of acts of violence or physical force, sexual misconduct, or harassment, intimidation, or coercion.” These changes have been implemented to conform the Disciplinary Procedures of the Yale College Executive Committee to recent guidance issued by the Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights. The changes apply only to cases involving charges of sexual misconduct. First, complainants shall have the same right of review offered to charged students; and second, the Committee will determine a violation has occurred when it is proven by a preponderance of the evidence.