Ethics and Politics Reflection Paper:
Title IX in Higher Education
Jamie Taylor
Georgia Southern University
There are many different hoops to jump through when you think about
entering the world of Higher Education. A lot of times, we fail to think about
the interworking of the discipline system. According to the United States
Department of Education, Office For Civil Rights, Lhamon (2014) states that,
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal law that prohibits
discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs
and activities. All public and private elementary and secondary schools,
school districts, colleges, and universities receiving and federal financial
assistance must comply with the Title IX. In April of 20ll, the Office for Civil
Rights added the component of sexual violence into the overall explanation
of Title IX. (pp. 1)
Summary
Title IX in Higher Education is a big topic across the nations education
system. According to Wilson (2014), Title IX was enacted in 1972 without
controversy or even much debate, a stealth law aimed at helping women
get through the doors of higher education. (pp. 2) Higher Education is more
accessible for women today but Title IX has taken a turn. Wilson (2014) also
stated, But the law is now being interpreted to require colleges to
investigate and resolve students reports of rape, determining whether their
classmates are responsible for assault and, if so, what the punishment
should be. That is the case whether or not an alleged victim decides to
report the incident to the police. (pp. 2) Title IX in higher education
institutions has turned in to a sexual assault prevention and method of
handling sexual assault on our campuses. There can be serious implications
if these cases are not handled in a timely manner. Wilson (2014) stated, If
colleges dont handle such reports (of sexual assault) promptly and fairly,
they may be blamed for violating the rights of alleged victims and creating a
hostile environment for learning, according to the U.S. Department of
Education, who is charged with enforcing the law. (pp. 3) Iune (2014) stated
that, The pressure on colleges to prevent sexual assault and handle cases
has grown steadily since 2011, when the U.S. Department of Education
indicated stricter enforcement of Title IX, which compels campus officials to
investigate and resolve students reports of rape, whether or not the police
were involved. (pp. 4) Both articles presented above stress the importance
of handling all sexual assault cases promptly and thoroughly.
Reflection
Working in Residence Life has quickly allowed me to see the importance of a
Title IX Coordinator or someone who is solely responsible for keeping up with
these cases. When a student reports a sexual assault of any type or degree,
they need to know who their resources are and what kind of
accommodations can be offered to them. I agree with both Wilson and Jane
and their perspectives on Title IX. It is interesting to see how things have
changed, even just over the last 4 years. The presentation of the material
was well written, easy to read and applicable to any job in Higher Education.
Implications
There are many implications that could stem from the information presented
in the articles listed above. For instance, if an institution fails to report or
sweeps a sexual assault case under the rug they could face the U.S.
Department of Education with charges of creating a hostile environment for
learning. These articles have demonstrated the importance of being
thorough with any investigation dealing with anything, but more so, sexual
assault.
Bibliography
June, W. J. (2014). Overseeing Sex-Assault Cases Is Now A Full-Time Job.
Chronicle Of
Higher Education. 61(9). Retrieved November 14, 2014, from
http://chronicle.com.libproxy.ung.edu/article/Overseeing-Sex-AssaultCases/149739/
Lhamon, C. (2014). Questions and Answers on Title IX and Sexual Violence.
Retrieved
November 14, 2014, from
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/qa-201404-title-ix.pdf
Wilson, R. (2014). Why Colleges are on the Hook for Sexual Assault.
Chronicle Of
Higher Education. 60(39). Retrieved November 14, 2014, from
http://chronicle.com/article/Why-Colleges-Are-on-the-Hook/146943/
