Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX), 20 U.S.C. §1681, et seq., a federal law, prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities:
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.
Any recipient of federal financial assistance for education activities is required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 to create an environment free from sex-based discrimination and harassment for all community members. As such, sex-based harassment, sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, and stalking, all of which are forms of sex discrimination, are prohibited under Title IX and this Policy. Discrimination on the basis of sex includes discrimination on the basis of sex, gender, sex stereotypes, gender identity, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, and pregnancy or related conditions.
Under Title IX, the Institute is prohibited from separating or treating any person differently based on sex in a manner that subjects that person to more than de minimis harm, except in the limited circumstances where Title IX regulations allow otherwise, such as in the context of sex-separate living facilities and sex-separate athletic teams. Policies and practices that prevent a student from participating in an institution’s education program or activity consistent with their gender identity impose more than de minimis harm on that student on the basis of sex, and therefore generally violate Title IX’s nondiscrimination mandate.
The Institute has obligations under Title IX to provide certain supports and modifications to applicants, students, and employees experiencing pregnancy or related conditions in order to ensure their equal access to its programs or activities. For example, the College must treat pregnancy or related conditions in the same manner and under the same policies as any other temporary medical conditions and must allow voluntary leaves of absence. Students, employees, or applicants should contact the Title IX Coordinator for more information about resources, supports, or accommodations relating to pregnancy or related conditions. Employees or employment applicants may also contact Human Resources for more information because additional workplace laws and policies apply.
