Title IX nondiscrimination statement...

On April 4, 2011, the US Department of Education and the Office of Civil Rights forwarded information to campuses addressing how universities are required to comply with Title IX regulations. Specifically, "recipients of Federal Financial Assistance must comply with procedural requirements outlined in title IX implementing regulations. Specifically, a recipient must:

1. Disseminate a notice for nondiscrimination;
2. Designate at least one employee to coordinate its efforts to comply with and carry out its responsibilities under Title IX; and
3. Adopt and publish grievance procedures for prompt and equitable resolution of student and employee sex discrimination complaints."

These requirements apply to all forms of sexual misconduct including, but not limited to sexual harassment, sexual contact without consent, bullying and stalking, and are important for preventing and effectively responding to sex discrimination.

In order to address these regulations, the Northern Kentucky University Division of Student Affairs has appointed Ann James, associate director of university housing, to be the Title IX coordinator for NKU. James will continue her role as associate director and will be coordinating the Title IX efforts on a part-time basis. Through the next several months, her responsibilities will be to:

- Develop the necessary programming and needed educational services to students, faculty and staff regarding gender discrimination (per Title IX) and sexual misconduct on campus
- Research Title IX federal mandates to ensure the university is in compliance
- Review the Student Code of Rights and Responsibilities and recommend changes as appropriate.
- Develop internal and external partnerships with service providers for victims of sexual violence
- Develop university advocacy procedures for students who are victims of sexual violence and sexual harassment
- Respond to students who are victims of sexual misconduct.

If a staff or faculty member would like to file a complaint related to gender discrimination on campus, they should bring that complaint to the deputy Title IX coordinator in Human Resources. That person is being identified and will be announced at a later date.

James was recently certified at the National Center for Higher Education Risk Management (NCHERM) and Association for Title IX Administrators (ATIXA) Title IX Training and Certification Conference.

Every member of the university community should be aware that NKU does not tolerate sexual harassment and misconduct and that such behavior is prohibited by both federal and state law and by university policy. It is the intention of the university to take whatever action may be needed to prevent, correct and, if necessary, discipline behavior that violates its policy. For further information on Title IX and the university’s Sexual Misconduct Policy, please visit the dean of students website at http://deanofstudents.nku.edu/titleIX.php.

Please contact Ann James at jamesa3@nku.edu if you have any questions or are aware of students, faculty or staff who are victims of sexual misconduct.

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