Katie Meyer’s Law
Katie Meyer’s Law would require institutions of higher education to adopt a policy that provides an adviser to students who are notified of alleged violations of the institution’s code of conduct. To receive funds under an applicable federal program, an institution must implement this adviser policy. The policy allows a student to choose an outside adviser or request an independent adviser, who must be trained by the institution, receive bi-weekly adjudication updates with the student’s written consent, and participate in the adjudication process as an advocate for the student or as permitted by state law and Title IX. The bill also expands campus crime and security disclosures to include incidents of suicide reported to campus security or local police. The intent appears to be to bolster student protections and ensure fairer disciplinary proceedings, with funding eligibility tied to compliance.
Key Points
- 1Adviser policy is a condition for eligibility for funds under an applicable federal program; institutions must adopt the policy to receive funds.
- 2Students notified of alleged code-of-conduct violations may have the option to be assisted by an adviser; options include outside advisers or independent advisers provided through campus resources or partnerships.
- 3Independent/outside advisers must be trained on the institution’s adjudication procedures, obtain the student’s written consent to receive updates, and participate in the process as an advocate or as otherwise allowed by state law and Title IX.
- 4The policy defines how advisers can be provided (via confidential respondent services coordinator, peer support programs, or alumni-based programs) and outlines training and engagement requirements.
- 5The bill adds suicides that are reported to campus security authorities or local police to the list of incidents that must be disclosed in campus security policy and statistics.