Office of Compliance and Civil Rights (Title IX and DHR)

Welcome to the 2023-2024 Civil Rights Survey for Fresno State

Fresno State, as part of the California State University (CSU) system, is proud to announce the launch of the 2023-2024 Civil Rights Survey. This year’s report marks a significant advancement in how Title IX and Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation (DHR) data is collected and shared across all CSU campuses. With a new standardized methodology and an accessible online dashboard, this report demonstrates our commitment to accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement in civil rights practices.

What’s New in 2024?

Consistent Data Collection Across CSU
For the first time, all 23 CSU universities, including Fresno State, have adopted a standardized method for collecting and reporting Title IX and DHR data. This consistency creates a reliable baseline for understanding trends and progress.
Public Dashboard
Explore Title IX and DHR data like never before through a new online dashboard. Designed to be user-friendly and accessible, this tool allows our campus community and the public to view and track important metrics related to reporting and investigations.
Collaborative Development
The survey methodology was developed with contributions from a wide range of CSU stakeholders, ensuring it meets the needs of our diverse audiences while capturing the unique characteristics of each campus.
Focus on Training and Support
The CSU emphasized robust education and training to ensure that campuses, including Fresno State, reported data consistently and accurately.

Understanding the Data for Fresno State

It’s important to interpret Fresno State’s data within the context of our campus’s specific characteristics. Factors such as:

Student population and campus size
Urban vs. rural setting
Residential or commuter environment
Presence of Greek life, athletics, or large-scale events

can influence reporting trends. These variables highlight why data from one campus cannot be directly compared to another but must instead be viewed individually.

Why This Data Matters to Fresno State

The Annual Report Survey is a crucial tool for Fresno State and the CSU system in identifying areas of strength and opportunities for growth. At Fresno State, this data will help us:

Recognize emerging trends and patterns specific to our campus.
Develop targeted prevention education and training initiatives.
Measure increased reporting as an indicator of greater awareness and trust in our processes.

Commitment to Accountability and Transparency

At Fresno State, we are committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment for all students, faculty, and staff. By participating in the CSU’s new online dashboard, we are taking a significant step toward greater transparency and accountability in Title IX and DHR reporting. This tool ensures that our campus community and the public can easily access critical data that informs our policies, programs, and prevention strategies.

Explore the Data: Interactive Dashboards and Insights

To provide even greater transparency and accessibility, we invite you to explore the Title IX and DHR Interactive Dashboards, where you can view detailed data specific to Fresno State and the entire CSU system. These dashboards allow users to navigate important metrics, trends, and reporting outcomes in a clear and user-friendly way.

We encourage you to explore the 2023-2024 Civil Rights Survey Title IX and Dashboard to learn more about how Fresno State and the CSU system are working together to uphold our commitment to equity and civil rights.

This report provides a concise overview of the cases reported to our office over the past year, offering insights into key trends, case outcomes, and the measures we’ve taken to address concerns and support our community. By sharing this information, we aim to foster transparency and accountability, demonstrating our commitment to creating a safer, more inclusive campus environment. It is important for our community to understand the challenges we face, the progress we’ve made, and the steps we are taking to continuously improve our response to discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Through this report, we hope to encourage ongoing dialogue, build trust, and reaffirm our dedication to equity and fairness for all members of our campus. View and download the 2023-2024 Fresno State Civil Rights Report or see the digital dashboards below.

2023-2024 Fresno State Civil Rights Survey Dashboard

Our campus community is made up of a diverse population, with a total of 23,832 students and an employee population of 3,024. As a commuter campus, the majority of our students live off-campus, with only 6% of the student population residing on campus. We are proud to be a Division I member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Mountain West (MW) Conference. This demographic overview provides important context for understanding the data in this report and underscores the unique needs of our vibrant and dynamic community.

Title IX Conduct refers to behaviors that fall under sexual harassment and discrimination based on sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation. It also includes concerns about prohibited consensual relationships as outlined in the Nondiscrimination Policy. Examples of Sexual Harassment under this policy include sexual misconduct, sexual assault (such as rape, fondling, statutory rape, and incest), dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, and sexual exploitation. These behaviors are prohibited regardless of the status of the individuals involved—whether they are students, staff, faculty, or third parties. The Nondiscrimination Policy provides detailed definitions for each of these terms to help clarify what constitutes a violation.

DHR Conduct refers to discrimination or harassment based on any Protected Status, excluding conduct related to sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation, which falls under Title IX. Protected Statuses include characteristics such as age, disability (physical or mental), genetic information, marital status, medical condition, nationality, race or ethnicity (including color, caste, or ancestry), religion (or religious creed), and veteran or military status. DHR Conduct also includes retaliation against someone for exercising their rights under the Nondiscrimination Policy, opposing discrimination or harassment in good faith, or participating in any investigation or proceeding related to such concerns. For the purposes of this report, all cases of retaliation are considered DHR Conduct, even if related to Title IX rights. Detailed definitions for each Protected Status and type of conduct are available in the Nondiscrimination Policy.

Incident refers to any report or information brought to our office, regardless of whether it falls under our jurisdiction or is ultimately handled by another office. Incidents can include concerns related to discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or other behaviors, but they may also involve issues outside the scope of our office. Each incident is documented, reviewed, and assessed to ensure it is directed to the appropriate resource or addressed in line with the Nondiscrimination Policy. This broad definition allows for accurate tracking of all matters reported to us throughout the year.

Concerns refer to matters received by the Title IX/DHR Office that, after review, do not fall under Title IX or DHR jurisdiction during the reporting period. All reports received by the office are initially categorized as incidents and undergo a thorough review to determine if they fall within the scope of the Nondiscrimination Policy. If the reported conduct does not meet the criteria for Title IX or DHR jurisdiction, the incident is reclassified as a concern. Concerns include issues that are either referred to other university units or personnel for resolution or cases where insufficient information is provided to assess whether the alleged conduct, if true, would constitute a policy violation. As part of the office’s procedure, outreach is conducted to the complainant or reporter for clarification before finalizing the classification. This process ensures that all reports are reviewed, documented, and appropriately addressed, even if they fall outside the office’s jurisdiction.

Reports refer to all matters related to the Nondiscrimination Policy that have been brought to the attention of the campus Title IX/DHR Office during the reporting period and are classified as falling within the office's jurisdiction. After an initial review of all received incidents, cases that do not fall under the Nondiscrimination Policy are classified as Concerns and excluded from this category. What remains are Reports, which include cases where the conduct, if true, potentially violates the Nondiscrimination Policy. This category encompasses cases that are open, pending, or closed, ensuring that only jurisdictional matters are tracked and managed under this designation. This process ensures clarity in distinguishing between cases that require further action under the policy.

Complaints include all Reports where an investigation or informal resolution has been initiated, either at the request of the impacted party or by the decision of the Title IX/DHR Office.

Investigations refer to the formal process of gathering facts after a Notice of Investigation has been issued. This involves collecting relevant evidence, interviewing involved parties, and reviewing information to determine whether a violation of the Nondiscrimination Policy has occurred.