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The University of New Mexico

26/08/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 27/08/2024 21:02

Federal Title IX updates include changes to discrimination reporting and training at UNM

A series of updates to Title IX regulations include several significant changes for UNM faculty, students and staff. The new Title IX regulations, which prohibit sex-based discrimination, were approved by the U.S. Department of Education earlier this year and took effect Aug. 1, 2024.

According to UNM Title IX Coordinator Angela Catena, these new regulations better align with other federal discrimination laws, expand discrimination reporting requirements, and offer more protection to students for pregnancy or related conditions. Additionally, faculty and staff must now complete training on an annual basis.

Some of the key changes to know about are:

Expanded protections
Title IX is now better aligned with Title VII, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. Specifically, the new Title IX regulations now protect sexual orientation and gender identity and also expand the definition of sexual harassment.

New reporting requirements
The new regulations add to the list of people in academia who need to report disclosures of sex/gender harassment or discrimination. This now includes individuals with teaching and advising responsibilities. The new regulations also mean that disclosures of discrimination made in class discussions and assignments must be reported.

Expanded protections for pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions

The new changes take the regulations governing discrimination against pregnant and parenting employees and expands them to students.

When a student discloses that they are pregnant to any UNM employee, that employee must provide them with information about Title IX protections. CEEO has published a pregnancy manual to help pregnant students - alongside faculty and staff - navigate accommodations and adjustments that are required.

Annual training changes
The new regulations mandate that educational institutions that receive federal funding require completed annual Title IX compliance training for faculty and staff.

Under previous Title IX rules, educational institutions that receive federal funding have been required to offer annual training. UNM in the past has strongly encouraged completion of the training but did not have an enforcement mechanism like it does with the new regulations.

This requirement goes into effect in 2025, and all new employees must complete it within 30 days of being hired.

Twenty-six states - not including New Mexico - have injunctions against the changes. The changes are not retroactive and do not guide sex-separate sports teams and eligibility. While the Department of Education released proposed regulations for that last year, officials since have said they are unlikely to make changes in that area.

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