Sexual Violence and Title IX Protections

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, including:

• sexual orientation
• gender identity
• pregnancy, parenting, and all related conditions, including false pregnancy and loss of pregnancy

Title IX prohibits discrimination in athletic programs, or activities that receive federal funding, regardless of real or perceived sex, gender identity, and/or gender expression.

Title IX protection applies to students, employees, and applicants for employment.

Source: US Department of Education Sex Discrimination Resources, 2021.

Sex-based harassment can take multiple forms. Harassers can be students, college staff, or even someone visiting the college or district, such as a student or employee from another college or district. Sexual harassment (including sexual violence) is a form of sex-based harassment.

Sexual harassment is behavior that happens because of a person's sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or parenting or pregnancy status. There are three types of harassment as defined in law:

• Quid pro quo – "this for that" sexual harassment – happens when someone offers something to someone else in exchange for sexual conduct. For example, a professor may offer a good grade if a student agrees to have sex with the professor.
• Unwelcome behavior, that a reasonable person would consider severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive, that effectively results in a person being denied equal access to an education program or activity. For example, an employee or student is harassed by a supervisor or professor to the point that the employee or student can no longer participate in work or school. The behavior is so severe and on-going that others who are not subject to the harassment see the behavior as clearly offensive.
• Sexual assault (as defined in the Clery Act) and dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking (as defined in the Violence Against Women Act).

Each of these categories of misconduct is a serious violation that endangers a victim's access to education or to a job.

Reference: US Department of Education Sex-based Harassment, 2024.

• Intent and Accountability for Equal Opportunity – Policy 2113: Intent and Accountability for Equal Opportunity / Regulation 2113: Intent and Accountability for Equal Opportunity
• Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Procedures – Policy 2423: Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Procedures / Regulation 2423: Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Procedures
• Interim Title IX Guidelines – Regulation 2423.5: Interim Title IX Guidelines
• Sexual Harassment – Policy 2424: Sexual Harassment
• Due Process – Policy 2442: Due Process / Regulation 2442: Due Process
• Standards of Conduct – Policy 2441: Standards of Conduct / Regulation 2441: Standards of Conduct
• Sexual Violence, Relationship Violence and Stalking – Policy 2541: Sexual Violence, Relationship Violence and Stalking

• Intent and Accountability for Equal Opportunity – Policy 5111: Intent and Accountability for Equal Opportunity
• Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Procedures – Policy 5172: Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Procedures / Regulation 5172: Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Procedures
• Sexual Harassment – Policy 5173: Sexual Harassment

• Intent and Accountability for Equal Opportunity – Policy 6111: Intent and Accountability for Equal Opportunity
• Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Procedures – Policy 6163: Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Procedures / Regulation 6163: Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Procedures
• Sexual Harassment – Policy 6161: Sexual Harassment
• Just Causes for Discipline – Policy 6912: Just Causes for Discipline
• Counseling Memo/Letter of Reprimand – Policy 6913: Counseling Memo/Letter of Reprimand / Regulation 6913: Counseling Memo/Letter of Reprimand
• Severe Disciplinary Action – Policy 6914: Severe Disciplinary Action / Regulation 6914: Severe Disciplinary Action
• Appeal Process – Policy 6915: Appeal Process

• Intent and Accountability for Equal Opportunity – Policy 9111: Intent and Accountability for Equal Opportunity
• Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Procedures – Policy 9152: Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Procedures / Regulation 9152: Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Procedures
• Sexual Harassment – Policy 9153: Sexual Harassment
• Discipline/Dismissal/Nonrenewal – Policy 9413: Discipline/Dismissal/Nonrenewal / Regulation 9413: Discipline/Dismissal/Nonrenewal