The U.S. Department of Education’s final regulations implementing Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, are posted in the Federal Register. The final regulations were published on April 19, 2024, and are effective as of August 1, 2024.
The new regulations include several specific training and reporting requirements for all employees of the University of Illinois System. You will receive annual training on these requirements during the Spring of 2025, but you must, at a minimum, be aware of and understand the requirements applicable to you. It is imperative that you read this email and reach out to your System Offices Title IX Coordinator using the contact information listed below if you have any questions.
Obligation to Address Sex Discrimination
The University of Illinois System Offices (“System Offices”) prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns or questions to the System Offices Title IX Coordinator. The university must respond promptly and effectively when it has knowledge of conduct that reasonably may constitute sex discrimination in its education program or activity. The Title IX notice of nondiscrimination is located at the University of Illinois System Statement on Sex Discrimination.
Conduct that Constitutes Sex Discrimination
System Offices has updated the Sex Discrimination Policy for System Offices, formerly known as the System Offices Sexual Misconduct Policy. All employees are required to review the policy for all definitions, including sex discrimination and sexual harassment. Discrimination on the basis of sex includes discrimination based on sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, and gender identity. This also encompasses a range of behaviors and situations, including sexual harassment, quid pro quo harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, hostile environment, and stalking.
Visit the Sex Discrimination Policy for System Offices to review the updated information.
Notification & Information Requirements: Information Sharing and Reporting Obligations
Responsible Employees
Within the University of Illinois System, ALL employees, unless specifically exempted, are considered “Responsible Employees.” This means you, as a Responsible Employee, must immediately report any information about conduct that reasonably may constitute sex discrimination you become aware of to the System Offices Title IX Coordinator.
All System Offices employees are considered Responsible Employees except Confidential Employees. Confidential Employees are employees of the university whose communications are privileged or confidential under Federal or State law. The employee’s confidential status, for purposes of this part, is only with respect to information received while the employee is functioning within the scope of their duties to which privilege or confidentiality applies. The following are examples of Confidential Employees:
- Professional counselors who provide university-related mental-health counseling and who are functioning within the scope of the counselor’s license or certification;
- Pastoral counselors who provide counseling and who are functioning within the scope of that recognition as a pastoral counselor;
- Campus advocates and/or specially trained advisors designated to provide confidential victim assistance;
- An employee the university has designated as confidential for the purpose of providing services to persons related to sex discrimination. If the employee also has a duty not associated with providing these services, the employee’s confidential status is only with respect to information received about sex discrimination in connection with providing those services; and
- An employee conducting an Institutional Review Board-approved human subjects research study designed to gather information about sex discrimination, but the employee’s confidential status is only with respect to information received while conducting the study.
Confidential employees are required to explain the following to any person who informs the confidential employee of conduct that reasonably may constitute sex discrimination under the policy:
- The employee’s status as confidential for purposes of this part, including the circumstances in which the employee is not required to notify the System Offices Title IX Coordinator about conduct that reasonably may constitute sex discrimination;
- How to contact the recipient’s System Offices Title IX Coordinator and how to make a complaint of sex discrimination; and
- That the System Offices Title IX Coordinator may be able to offer and coordinate supportive measures, as well as initiate an informal resolution process or an investigation under the grievance procedures.
When a student, or a person who has legal right to act on behalf of a student, informs any employee, Responsible or Confidential, of the student’s pregnancy or related conditions, the employee must promptly provide that person with the contact information for the Title IX Coordinator and inform the person that the Title IX Coordinator can coordinate specific actions to prevent sex discrimination and ensure the student’s equal access to the education program or activity.
Public Awareness Events
When the System Offices Title IX Coordinator is notified of information about conduct that reasonably may constitute sex discrimination under Title IX or the Sex Discrimination Policy that was provided by a person during a public event to raise awareness about sexual harassment that was held on campus or through an online platform sponsored by the university, the university is not obligated to act in response to the information, unless it indicates an imminent and serious threat to the health or safety of a complainant, any students, employees, or other persons. However, in all cases the university must use this information to inform its efforts to prevent sexual harassment, including by providing tailored training to address alleged sexual harassment in a particular part of its education program or activity or at a specific location when information indicates there may be multiple incidents of sexual harassment.
System Offices Title IX Coordinator
Inquiries about Title IX may be referred to the System Offices Title IX Coordinator listed below, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, or both. Please visit the System Offices Title IX website for more information. Individuals may report a violation of the Sex Discrimination Policy for System Offices regardless of where the incident occurred.
Alejandro Gomez
Associate Director – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging
System Offices Title IX Coordinator
452 Illini Union Bookstore Building, MC312
807 S. Wright St., Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 300-0237
systemofficetitleIX@uillinois.edu
Related Policies
Sex Discrimination Policy for System Offices
