Jul 04, 2014 02:54 PM EDT By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

Facing a federal investigation for how they handle sexual assault on campus, Harvard has announced a new set of policies and procedures.

According to USA Today, Harvard is the first of the 67 schools being probed by the U.S. Education Department (ED) to update its sexual assault policy. Chiefly among the changes at Harvard is the implementation of the Office for Sexual and Gender-Based Dispute Resolution (ODR).

The ODR will be an investigative office tasked with handling reports of sexual misconduct on campus. The ODR will also follow up on the complaints to ensure the new set of policies is being properly upheld.

"Harvard University is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy educational and work environment in which no member of the University community is, on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity, excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination in any University program or activity," the new policy states.

The ED's Office of Civil Rights (OCR) is currently probing 67 schools across the nation due to complaints that they violated Title IX and the Clery Act. Both laws require schools to properly investigate and adjudicate reports of sexual assault and violations can result in fines and loss of federal funding.

The Harvard Gazette reported that the new policy expands on the university's hiring of its first Title IX coordinator in March 2013.

"Harvard is deeply committed to fostering an educational environment free of gender-based discrimination, particularly sexual misconduct and sexual violence, to acting vigorously on reports of discrimination, and to supporting those who have experienced it," Harvard President Drew Faust said in the school's announcement. "This new, progressive policy - alongside the new, centralized procedures for investigating reports - will significantly enhance Harvard's ability to address these incidents when they occur.

"Separately, the prevention-focused task force has already begun recommending approaches that will increase access to services for those who have experienced sexual misconduct and, ultimately, will help us better understand how to prevent incidents before they occur."

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