Postsecondary education: Equity in Higher Education Act.

Existing law, known as the Donahoe Higher Education Act, sets forth, among other things, the missions and functions of California's public and independent segments of higher education and their respective institutions of higher education. A provision of the act applies to the University of California only to the extent that the Regents of the University of California, by appropriate resolution, act to make the provision applicable. A portion of the Donahoe Education Act known as the Equity in Higher Education Act requires, among other things, each postsecondary educational institution in the State of California to have a written policy on sexual harassment. Existing law requires the postsecondary educational institution's written policy on sexual harassment to include information on where to obtain the specific rules and procedures for reporting charges of sexual harassment and for pursuing available remedies. This bill would require a postsecondary educational institution to post its written policy on sexual harassment on its Internet Web site. The bill would require the policy to include information on the complaint process and the timeline for the complaint process. The bill would require the policy to include information on where to obtain the specific rules and procedures for pursuing available remedies and resources, both on and off campus. By requiring community colleges to include additional information in their written policies on sexual harassment and to post the policies on their Internet Web sites, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.