Legal Context
Everybody deserves an education and a workplace free of bias and discrimination. In the United States there have been several laws put in to place to protect these rights and ensure just practice of these rights by federally funded institutions. These include Title IX, the Clery Act, Title VI, and Title VII.
Title IX
Title IX is a United States Federal Law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education. Under our current administration, guidance materials are fluctuating but can be found within the U.S. Department of Education.
Title IX reports are to be made to your campus Title IX Coordinator. These coordinators can be housed in a variety of offices. Some examples of such offices are:
- The Office of Compliance at the University of Wisconsin - Madison
- The Title IX Office at Brown University
- The Office for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Cal State Los Angeles
Different institutions have different homes for their Title IX coordinators and it often may be very difficult to locate. A search for "Title IX" on your institution's homepage will hopefully give you the name and contact information of your coordinator.
For more information on your rights as a student under Title IX visit Know Your IX, a project of advocates for youth. Other information about Title IX can be found within the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education.
The Clery Act
The Clery Act is named after Jeanne Clery, a former college student who was raped and murdered in 1986. Because of the activism following her tragedy, federal law now requires institutions that participate in any federal aid programs to have transparent crime notifications and statistics.
For more information on the Clery Act visit the Clery Center's Webpage.
Title VI
Title VI of the Civil Rights act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. For more information on title VI visit the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education.
Title VII
Title VII of the Civil Rights act of 1964 is a federal law that prohibits discrimination in the workplace. This law prohibits discrimination in any aspect of employment. More information can be found within the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The American Association of University Women (AAUW) also has detailed information on what the law is and what your rights and resources entail.
It shall be an unlawful employment practice for an employer ... to discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of such individual's race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.