The Title IX risk landscape: What you need to know

Title IX, the landmark civil rights law passed in 1972 prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex in federally assisted educational programs and activities, is receiving increased attention relative to how sexual assault cases are handled on campuses around the country. Title IX is no longer known only for its role in gender equity in athletics or employment, but also in how it defines a college or university’s responsibility to prevent and respond to alleged sexual assaults in campus communities. 

With the 2013 Violence Against Women Act and a 2011 Dear Colleague Letter from the Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (OCR), the complexities of interpreting Title IX continue to increase. Earlier this year, the White House created a Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault. Most recently, the Task Force published new resources, while OCR issued new guidance and made public the names of 60 institutions that are currently under investigation related to sexual assault. 

In this period of heightened awareness, how can colleges and universities proactively address the myriad of regulations and guidance? In this webinar, we discuss the changing risk landscape of Title IX and address the following:

• Practical approaches for proactively assessing an institution’s policies, procedures, practices, and roles and responsibilities relative to Title IX
• Questions that governing bodies should be asking about Title IX compliance
• Steps for internal auditors and senior leaders to take in order to provide responses to those questions
• A case study of one institution’s recent Title IX internal assessment approach; the challenges that were identified in the institution's organizational structure, communication, and procedures; and the involvement of the institution’s governing board

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the elements of Title IX and major associated compliance risks
• Describe practical steps to consider in addressing compliance with Title IX
• Provide examples of universities roles and responsibilities related to Title IX processes and procedures related to sexual assault

For more information on this topic, or to learn how Baker Tilly higher education specialists can help, contact our team.