The State of Oregon in 2023 passed legislation focused on sexual misconduct reporting and response at Oregon higher education institutions. This legislation is intended to increase information about sexual misconduct on campuses, to improve resources available to students who experience sexual misconduct, and to help inform institutional efforts for prevention and response. Here you can learn more and find public information on institutional reporting and the Sexual Misconduct Survey Council.
The Oregon Legislature established requirements related to campus sexual misconduct resources, reporting, and the Sexual Misconduct Survey Council through
House Bill 3456 (2023) and clarified the timing and scope of this work in
House Bill 4164 (2024). This includes requirements related to a Sexual Misconduct Survey, a legislatively-required biennial survey on higher education student sexual misconduct experiences and institutional responses. The Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) facilitates and monitors institutional compliance with this legislation.
The legislation is intended to increase awareness of incidences of sex and gender discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, and stalking on campuses, and help inform institutional efforts for prevention and response. For more information, see Oregon Revised Statutes and Administrative Rules pertaining to the HECC, specifically ORS 350.335-346.
HECC Responsibilities
The HECC collects information required by the legislation from institutions and prepares an annual report to the Oregon Legislature on institutional compliance with provisions of the sexual misconduct reporting legislation. The agency will also make available an online repository for summaries of the Sexual Misconduct Survey. The HECC will adopt rules for the dissemination and collection of sexual misconduct surveys. In addition, the HECC Executive Director appoints Sexual Misconduct Survey Council voting members and the agency provides support to the Council.
How to Stay Engaged
Institution Responsibilities
Institutions are responsible for administering the Sexual Misconduct Survey to all enrolled students at least once every two years, and posting summaries of the data collected on their website. They must also submit the summaries to the HECC. In addition to administering the Sexual Misconduct Survey, ORS 350.335-346 requires institutions of higher education to take steps to provide resources and annual prevention education to student and employees, to support students who have experienced sexual misconduct, and to annually report relevant data. These responsibilities include the following.
- Make confidential advocate services available to students.
- Enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with a domestic violence/sexual assault agency to provide advocacy and counseling to students and employees, and to advise on sexual misconduct training.
- Limit disciplinary actions against reporting parties and witnesses.
- Annually conduct prevention training for all students and employees.
- Make waivers for participation requirements for certain activities available to students who have experienced sexual misconduct.
- Annually report information about sexual misconduct from the previous academic year to the HECC, Secretary of State, legislative bodies, and Director of Human Services, including the number of reports of sexual misconduct and outcomes of reports, the number of supportive measures requested and granted, and the number of students who took a leave of absence, transferred, or withdrew.
Sexual Misconduct Survey Council
The Sexual Misconduct Survey Council is charged with developing a biennial survey on the students’ experiences of sexual misconduct and institutional response at Oregon public and private higher education institutions. The survey will be made available to institutions at the beginning of the 2025-26 academic year. The Sexual Misconduct Survey Council convenes public meetings to conduct its work. The
roster of current members of the Council is available here.
Sexual Misconduct Survey Council Public Meeting Materials
Public Comment and Accommodations Guidelines
- Contact the meeting administrator for Sexual Misconduct Survey Council meetings: kevin.kemper@hecc.oregon.gov
- Provide public comment: To sign up for public comment, submit written comment, or ask questions about the meeting, email the meeting administrator. All written comments received become part of the public record and will be shared publicly in meeting materials. You can also read an introduction to providing public comment here.
- Request accommodations: The HECC is committed to accessible services for all. Please send requests for alternative formats or accommodations for individuals with disabilities to the meeting administrator at least 72 hours in advance if possible.
Institution Reports Related to Sexual Misconduct
Institutions of higher education are required to annually submit information on sexual misconduct reports they received and how they responded (ORS 350.345). The reports received by the HECC for the 2023-24 academic year are available below. These reports are different from the Sexual Misconduct Survey, which has not yet been conducted.