Broken trust: Cal State system is mending how it handles sexual discrimination cases

Months-long delays. Lack of trust. Failure. These are just a few ways in which investigators a year ago described the inadequate responses to sexual assault and discrimination across the 23-campus California State University system. 

Now, the system says it is meeting this month’s deadline for implementing 12 fixes for problems reported in a July 2023 state audit and a law firm review of how its universities have mishandled cases reported under Title IX, the federal prohibition against discrimination on the basis of sex. Cal State spokesperson Amy Bentley-Smith says the university system is on track to meet all 16 fixes outlined in the audit by July 2026. Lawmakers are not taking the system at its word, however. Last week Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill requiring Cal State to implement the state auditor’s recommendations and provide the Legislature a progress report by next summer.