KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The Western Michigan University Board of Trustees has updated their non-discrimination and sexual misconduct policies.
WMU general council Keith Hahn proposed the changes after working with university staff to make them comply with the latest updates to state and federal law in this area.
The Clery Campus Safety Act requires that universities be transparent about campus crime statistics. The updates require that they go further and enact hazing prevention programs.
The act is named for Jeanne Clery, a Lehigh University student who was raped and murdered. Her parents sued when they learned that accurate information about the crime rate on campus was not disclosed to avoid scaring potential students. They won their suit and this act followed. It mandates that colleges release annual security reports and timely warnings about campus crimes that pose a threat to the community.
The Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights act, which bans discrimination in Michigan, has been updated by the legislature to also apply to sexual orientation and gender identity or expression, and to also ban discrimination due to income sources, like veterans or other benefits.
Hahn says they will take effect with the beginning of summer term on May 11th.
The updates were approved unanimously.
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