Title IX/ SMART
What is Title IX?
Contact Information
Caraline Sommervlile
Title IX/SMART Coordinator
Somerville_caraline@wheatoncollege.edu
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Zachary Irish
Assistant VP of Student Affairs
The federal government provides clear guidelines for colleges and universities to follow when responding to reports of sexual and gender-based misconduct. These guidelines come from Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX). Sexual and gender-based misconduct is prohibited under Title IX as it is a form of discrimination on the basis of sex.
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 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 education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.
The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) is the federal agency that oversees and enforces Title IX compliance. OCR requires colleges and universities to carry out the following responsibilities:
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A school has the responsibility to respond promptly and effectively to charges of sexual and gender-based misconduct. If a school knows or reasonably should know about sexual and gender-based misconduct that creates a hostile environment, the school must take immediate action to address the misconduct, prevent its reoccurrence, and remedy its effects.
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Even if a reporting party does not want to file a complaint or does not request that the school take action on the reporting party’s behalf, the school must make an effort to investigate the charge to determine what has occurred and
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​​then take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of the reporting party and the campus community.
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A school must take action to prevent and remediate retaliation against a reporting party of third party for their involvement in any process under Title IX.
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Every school must have and distribute a policy against sex discrimination (including sexual and gender-based misconduct). Title IX requires that the policy include the following:
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Every party has the right to present their case. This includes the right to thorough, reliable and impartial investigation of complaints, the right to have an equal opportunity to present witnesses and other evidence, and the right to the same appeal processes.
• The school must follow its policy.
Wheaton’s Sexual and Gender-based Misconduct Policy is consistent with these guidelines.
None of these guidelines preclude or affect a complainant’s right to pursue criminal charges against another individual