October 22, 2020
Dear UW Students:
Title IX is a federal gender equity law that prohibits discrimination based on sex or gender. New Title IX regulations from the U.S. Department of Education went into effect on August 14, 2020, which govern how educational institutions must respond to particular instances of sexual assault, sexual harassment and other forms of sexual misconduct.
Despite our concerns regarding these new rules, nothing they require will deter us from our commitment to inclusion, equity and accountability.
We invite you to join the Office of the Title IX Coordinator and other members of the UW community in a Title IX Community Conversation on October 28 or 29. The sessions will cover UW’s two-pathway approach to implementing the new regulations and how you as students can be involved as we move forward. We will then broaden the conversation beyond compliance to discuss initiatives and strategies that prioritize equity in all spaces, for everyone.
As we shared in August, the federal regulations do not apply to all sexual misconduct, but when they do, specific procedures including a live (virtual) hearing and direct cross-examination of all parties and witnesses are required. For more information, see the Title IX website, which includes:
- FAQs for all students and employees
- Support resources for any member of our community who has experienced unwanted conduct or harm
- Information about how to make a formal complaint
- Emergency and interim policies that outline the grievance procedures for complaints
Thank you for your commitment to working together to build an inclusive community that treats every member with dignity, fairness and respect.
Sincerely,
Valery Richardson
Title IX Coordinator – University of Washington
Denzil Suite
Vice President for Student Life – Seattle Campus
Tim Wilson
Dean of Student Affairs – Bothell Campus
Mentha Hynes-Wilson
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs – Tacoma Campus