GAO: How Colleges Can Help Sexual Assault Survivors Continue College

Higher ed institutions can better support survivors of sexual assault by providing individualized safety and academic accommodations, according to an October report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Colleges can offer trauma survivors escorts around campus and changes to their housing. They can also tailor services available to the broader student population, such as mental health counseling and referrals. Academic adaptations can also be provided, in the form of flexible grading, extensions on assignments and leaves of absence. The GAO found that colleges’ Title IX offices were generally responsible for connecting survivors to these services.