Thursday, June 23, 2022, marks the 50th anniversary of the passage into law of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The 37 words of this law, more commonly known as “Title IX,” have immeasurably changed the educational experience for all Americans:
“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.”
This landmark legislation, pioneered by Dr. Bernice Sandler and U.S. Representatives Patsy Mink and Edith Green, was signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1972 and prohibits sex-based discrimination at all levels of education. Though the impetus behind the enactment of Title IX was to enable women and girls to have equal access in admissions to elite institutions of higher education, programs within those institutions, and scholarships and other forms of financial aid, the law also re-shaped gender equity in sports across the country, offering women and girls at all levels of education opportunities to participate in sports that they had not previously had. Over the past 50 years, Title IX’s reach has continued to grow.
Starting in the 1980s and 1990s with a series of Supreme Court decisions, and further cemented by U.S. Department of Education guidance, Title IX continues to address sex discrimination in all facets of education, including higher education. Vanderbilt’s Title IX Office is proud to support this mission by working to address all forms of sex-based discrimination, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, and related forms of gender-based violence that may occur within the Vanderbilt community.
Title IX trainings offered
In celebration of the anniversary, the Title IX Office will offer training aimed at highlighting the history of the law while providing relevant instruction to all campus partners on sexual misconduct prevention and Vanderbilt’s process for addressing claims of sexual misconduct. Interested offices are encouraged to complete this sign-up form to request a training date.
Trainings are available to all staff, faculty and students and can take place over the summer or during the upcoming academic year. Please email the Title IX Office (TitleIX@vanderbilt.edu) if you have any questions about your responsibilities under the law or what the trainings entail.