What is Title IX?

A little history…
“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 educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

On June 23, 1972, President Nixon signed into law Title IX of the Educational Amendments, an unprecedented civil rights act prohibiting federally funded educational institutions from discriminating against students and employees based on sex. This landmark law changed the educational landscape across the country, and now, 42 years later, Title IX again has the country’s focus, as universities across the country are reporting cases of sexual harassment and sexual assault.

Title IX today
Although Title IX is most often associated with athletics, requiring that all educational institutions receiving federal aid provide girls with equal athletic opportunities, the law stretches far beyond the basketball courts and football fields. The law covers every aspect of a school’s educational system.

Title IX is a law that benefits both men and women and for the past 42 years, has been an anchor in securing gender equality in educational institutions across the country.

Title IX’s national news coverage has shifted focus from equal opportunities in athletics to the growing number of reported cases of sexual harassment and sexual assault across university campuses. Many universities are taking serious action to educate, provide resources and support to their university students, faculty and staff, as well as taking proactive measures to prevent these crimes against women and men in the first place—and UAA is no exception.

Title IX and UAA
The University of Alaska Anchorage is committed to creating a positive, welcoming and safe academic environment for all of its students, faculty and staff across all UAA campuses and affiliates.

Currently the university has implemented a systemwide mandatory Title IX training for all of its staff and faculty. UAA is focusing on educating its employees on sexual harassment and assault in the workplace, on campus and providing them with the tools and resources to handle these situations.

This focus is part of a larger national concern of sexual harassment and sexual assault on college campuses. UAA is committed to creating a safe and open environment where students, faculty and staff can educate, report and help prevent sexual harassment and sexual assault on our campus.