President Dave Frohnmayer signed an agreement with the federal Office for Civil Rights on Oct. 25 to make University transportation services available to both men and women by March 29, 2002.
The agreement concluded a nine-month long investigation of a gender discrimination complaint filed against Project Saferide with the OCR, a division of the U.S. Department of Education.
Saferide is a free shuttle service intended to provide transportation to female students as an alternative to walking alone at night and risking sexual assault. The program is recognized by the ASUO and receives funding from student incidental fees. Only women are allowed to drive or ride in Saferide vans.
The complaint was filed under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits sex discrimination in programs and activities receiving federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education.
According to the agreement, “the University agrees to modify, as necessary, the eligibility criteria for using transportation services and for participating as a volunteer driver of such services to ensure such criteria do not include gender.”
University General Counsel Melinda Grier said although she was disappointed with OCR’s conclusions, she would work with Saferide coordinators and members of the ASUO to make the changes needed to comply with Title IX.
When asked whether the agreement would mean Saferide would be open to both genders, or if an alternative service offering rides to men would be started, Grier said she did not want to speculate on any possible outcome before discussing it with students.
“I was hoping that when the OCR looked at it, they would be satisfied with the program (as it is),” she said. “We’ll just work to get something that keeps both the spirit of the program and what students want, but is consistent with Title IX.”
Saferide coordinators and ASUO Executives Nilda Brooklyn and Joy Nair said they were aware of the agreement but declined to comment.