Message Regarding August 14, 2020 Changes to Title IX
Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,
Many of you may have seen information about new federal regulations around Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 that will take effect on August 14th. I am writing to you as Utica College’s Title IX Coordinator to make sure you have updated information about what this means for you at UC.
You have seen a great deal of information about Title IX throughout your time here. As a reminder, Title IX was the first comprehensive federal law to prohibit sex discrimination against students and employees of educational institutions. Specifically, it states that:
"No person in the U.S. shall, on the basis of sex be excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal aid."
Examples of the types of conduct that violate Title IX include, but are not limited to:
- sexual harassment and sexual misconduct (includes sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking)
- discrimination on the basis of sex in all student services and academic programs. This includes areas such as admissions, financial aid, academic advising, residence life and housing, health services, counseling, registration, and activities related to classroom requirements (such as class projects, grading, etc.)
- discrimination on the basis of sex in terms of employment and recruitment consideration or selection
- failure to provide equal opportunity in athletics
The August 14th updates to Title IX are focused on issues of sexual harassment and sexual misconduct and apply to all members of the Utica College community. They include the following, among other things:
- revised definitions of covered conduct (that take into account jurisdiction and the context of the complaint);
- requirements for a more formalized grievance process that includes live hearings with the ability for cross-examinations;
- the provision of non-punitive supportive measures to assist all parties involved;
- the presumption of innocence for the responding party until a grievance process is concluded;
- training and recordkeeping requirements; and
- the designation of key roles and responsibilities to see procedural items through for all involved parties.
These changes are captured in a revised Sexual Harassment and Sexual Misconduct policy that can be accessed at https://www.utica.edu/policies/policies.cfm?id=145. In addition, the Title IX web page has been updated to include relevant information, including confidential and non-confidential resources, for all members of our UC community.
Please note that any reports that are made on or after August 14, 2020, regardless of the date of the reported incident, will be adjudicated using the new regulations.
At its core, our process will continue to treat all individuals involved in reports with dignity, respect, and care. It is important for you to know that while we have amended our policies and procedures to the extent required by law, we remain committed to providing full support to any community member affected by sexual harassment or sexual misconduct. We will conduct prompt, fair, thorough, and equitable investigations that uphold our community standards and maintain the safety of our campus. And, we will continue to develop and implement evidence-based training and education designed to reduce incidents of sexual misconduct and discrimination.
Training is currently being developed to further educate students, faculty and staff on these changes. Stay tuned for more information and updates on training opportunities. Please note that annual mandatory training through Everfi will also be updated as these changes are implemented.
As always, please feel free to reach out to me with any questions as you learn more about the changes set forth in our revised policies and procedures. I can be reached at lcgreen@utica.edu or (315) 792-3276.
Many thanks for your attention to these updates, and for working with us to make Utica College a safe environment free from sexual harassment and sexual misconduct for all who live, learn and work here.
Sincerely,
Lisa Green
Vice President for Human Resources and Personnel Development/Title IX Coordinator