August 1, 2024
On April 19, 2024, the U.S. Department of Education released its Final Rule under Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance. The final regulations are effective on August 1, 2024.
In summary, the final regulations:
- Provide full protection from sex-based harassment.
- Require schools to take prompt and effective action to end any sex discrimination in their education programs or activities—and to prevent its recurrence and remedy its effects.
- Require schools to provide supportive measures to complainants and respondents affected by conduct that may constitute sex discrimination, including sexual violence and other forms of sex-based harassment.
- Require schools to respond promptly and effectively to all complaints of sex discrimination with a fair, transparent, and reliable process that includes trained, unbiased decision makers to evaluate all relevant and not otherwise impermissible evidence.
- Provide schools with flexibility to adapt the regulations’ grievance procedure requirements to their educational communities so that all schools can implement Title IX’s promise of nondiscrimination fully and fairly in their educational environments.
- Protect students, employees, and applicants from discrimination based on pregnancy or related conditions.
- Prohibit discrimination against LGBTQI+ students, employees, and others.
- Protect people from harm when they are separated or treated differently based on sex in school.
- Protects students, employees, and others from retaliation.
- Ensure that schools communicate their nondiscrimination policies and procedures.
- Prohibit schools from sharing personal information.
For more information, please see the FACT SHEET: U.S. Department of Education’s 2024 Title IX Final Rule Overview
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sexual discrimination in any form to include any form of sexual harassment and gender discrimination.
Federal law states:
"No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."
Northampton Community College is committed to providing a learning, working and living environment that promotes personal integrity, civility and mutual respect in a place free of discrimination and harassment on the basis of sex which includes all forms of sexual misconduct.
If you feel that you have been a victim of discrimination or harassment it is important for you to know your rights and feel safe in reporting. You can find important information related to Title IX and report an incident using the resources below.
(This can be done anonymously)
