Johns Hopkins University (JHU) will be placed under federal investigation as a result of complaints that the school did not properly handle sexual assault reports.

According to the Huffington Post, the school confirmed the U.S. Education Department's Office of Civil Rights (OCR) had notified JHU of the investigation. Ronald J. Daniels, the school's president, issued an open letter to the JHU community discussing the news.

"Nothing remains more important to Johns Hopkins than the welfare of our students, and although the OCR notification does not contain any specific details about the underlying allegations, we will continue to take strong action to improve and to lead in this evolving area of the law and practice," he wrote. "With this in mind, the university over the past year has undertaken a comprehensive self-assessment-reviewing policies and procedures on sexual violence and developing new initiatives to support our students and enhance the safety and security of our campuses."

The HP reported in May on the complaint filed against the school, obtaining documents that apparently proved the school knew of a police investigation of a gang rape at a campus fraternity house. The documents indicated JHU administration did not alert the campus community about he investigation.

In a separate Title IX complaint, one unidentified female student said a dean at JHU told her not to report her rape because her assailant was not likely to be expelled even if found responsible. One official at the Education Department said the official reason for the investigation at JHU is to determine if the school "discriminates on the basis of sex by failing to promptly and equitably respond to complaints of sexual assault and violence."

A spokesman at the Education Department said JHU is now the 75th school under investigation as a result of sexual assault complaints.

JHU launched a new website aimed at simplifying sexual assault reporting, offer support to victims and display relevant information.

Wrote Daniels, "These efforts speak to our university's firm commitment to meeting the challenges we face in protecting our students from sexual violence-offering support to victims, holding offenders accountable through fair and impartial processes, educating our community, and informing students, faculty, and staff of serious or continuing threats to campus safety."

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