Peer leaders are responsible for mentoring other students. Resident Assistants have access to nearly every building and know the exact room where a large portion of campus lives. But, they aren’t asked whether they’ve been found responsible for sexual misconduct or other Title IX violations.
In Fall Term 2024, the Carletonian published an article about this subject. After a series of interviews, the Carletonian learned that there might be changes to this policy. “This topic was brought up this week at the Peer Leader Committee and we plan to have a thorough discussion and review of what we do, or need to do, for student conduct checks for Peer Leaders,” said Amy Sillanpa on Nov. 13.
Six months and one peer leader hiring cycle later, little has changed.
“There is something called a conduct record, and findings of responsibility under Title IX are not considered as part of the conduct record,” said Dean of Students Carolyn Livingston at the faculty meeting on March 3, according to the meeting minutes. “The peer leader committee is looking at this right now, whether conduct records should preclude students from certain types of employment.”
“In my experience, having an abrasive RA was alienating,” said one student whose RA has had misconduct allegations, although to the Carletonian’s knowledge a Title IX process was never initiated. “It discouraged community building as our RA would be a constant presence in shared / community spaces. Especially because they would speak poorly of other Carleton students and residents sometimes in person or when they were not present, putting me [in] an awkward position. For example in heated political ‘discussions’ I was called deluded.”
According to Kari Hohn, Carleton’s interim Title IX coordinator, Carleton cannot, under Title IX law, take disciplinary action for certain types of misconduct except through the Title IX process. However, the above student’s experience still shows the effect that having an uncomfortable relationship with one’s RA can have.
“I had an interpersonal issue with an RA and didn’t feel comfortable being one of their residents,” said another student who asked to remain anonymous. “I spoke with the area director about the situation and was told that Title IX and CCFs aren’t considered when hiring or disciplining RAs because the school’s policy separates the student from the employee.”
“[Students] haven’t named the peer leaders but multiple students have come to me and told me that they’re worried about this,” said a professor who asked to remain anonymous, speaking about Carleton’s policy of not asking about sexual misconduct when hiring peer leaders.
“They’re very worried about it because they’re locked into a disciplinary structure where the person above them may have been found responsible for misconduct,” said the professor. “It’s insane to me that the college could so quickly clamp down on peer leader employment when it came to the students who occupied Laird last year because of Palestine protests…. but then when it’s a Title IX matter, all of a sudden the college is dragging its feet. I’ve been really disappointed with how slow the Division of Student Life is on things that students feel are urgent.”
“The Dean of Students Office regularly conducts checks on students, including for offices hiring Peer Leaders,” said Livingston. “We have done several of those in this peer leader hiring cycle. Our office can play a meaningful role in helping ensure a placement is a good fit for the student and the college office or department.”
“If a formal Title IX investigation is conducted on a student, and that student is found responsible for violating the policy, that finding becomes a part of the student’s conduct record,” she continued. “In the vast majority of cases, Title IX reports that follow an informal process or those only seeking resources and supportive measures do not become part of a respondent’s conduct record. Due process is a fundamental principle, and we cannot limit someone from an opportunity due to an allegation that didn’t go through a full investigation and hearing.”
Based on the faculty meeting minutes and what the Carletonian was told in the fall, it is clear that whether to consider Title IX violations when hiring peer leaders has been a topic of discussion at the Peer Leader Committee, which is the committee that oversees the peer leader program. It is not clear, however, what the content of those discussions were or what was behind the college’s decision not to change the policy.
