Title IX Regulation Updates

K-State Today Article - 4/22/2024

Title IX Regulations Release Update Article

U.S. Department of Education's 2024 Title IX Final Rule Overview

Title IX is part of the Education Amendments of 1972 and is enforced by the U.S. Department of Education. This federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities operated by recipients of federal financial assistance. Title IX applies to all participants of such programs, including students, parents and faculty/staff members.

Title IX helps to foster safe and respectful university environments that better protect students, faculty and staff from incidents of sex-based discrimination and sexual harassment, including sexual violence, and sex-based dating violence and stalking. In addition to knowing who K-State's Title IX Coordinator is, you should also review additional information about why Title IX is important and protects all university community members.

Title IX requires that the university not discriminate on the basis of sex under the education programs or activities it operates, subject to certain exceptions. To that end, it requires that the university adopt procedures that provide for a prompt and equitable resolution of student and employee complaints that allege actions prohibited by Title IX. The university does so through its PPM 3010 Policy, which provides a fair, prompt and equitable process through which the university processes all complaints of discrimination, including (but not limited to) discrimination in violation of Title IX, and investigates those complaints when warranted under that policy.

Title IX's prohibition against sex discrimination applies to persons under any education program or activity operated by the university. Title IX is not just for athletes—it applies to all students, employees, visitors, vendors, guests, and persons seeking employment or enrollment. It applies without regard to sexual orientation, or whether the discrimination is perpetrated by individuals of the same or opposite sex.

For Faculty and Staff:

• • You are required to report violations of PPM Chapter 3010, Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Harassment, and Procedure for Reviewing Complaints to the Office of Civil Rights & Title IX.

• • Reporting Process: While the University encourages all campus community members to report incidents of harassment or discrimination, several classifications of employees have been identified as "responsible employees" for Title IX purposes. These employees have authority and responsibility to take action to remedy harassment by reporting to the OCR & TIX.
  • Faculty and staff who wish to report Title IX incidents may do so online or in person to the Title IX Coordinator or Deputy Title IX Coordinators.

For Parents:

Finding out that your child has been sexually assaulted can be a parent’s worst nightmare, and the situation can be much harder to deal with when your child is away at college and you can’t physically be there for him or her. But if your child turns to you for help, there are many ways that you can show your support, even from afar. You can contact the Center for Advocacy, Response, and Education (CARE) for more information about resources for you and your child, but first be sure that your child is comfortable with that. It is important to respect your child’s privacy.

• • For parents of students who have been accused of sexual assault

It can be confusing and overwhelming when your child is accused of a crime, especially a crime as serious and difficult to talk about as sexual assault.

• • Trained Student Support Persons are available through Student Support & Accountability (SSA) to assist students who are accused of sexual assault learn about resources and navigate any disciplinary process.