On April 19, the Biden administration updated Title IX — a 1972 law that “prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities,” according to the U.S. Department of Education. The administration’s changes will increase harassment standards for gender and identity expression and expand protections for LGBTQ+ students, according to The New York Times.
Dartmouth’s Title IX Office works to support students and “promote an environment of sexual respect, safety and well-being,” according to the office’s website. In an email statement to The Dartmouth, Title IX coordinator Kristi Clemens wrote that her team at Dartmouth is reviewing and updating its current regulations and definitions to ensure they align with the more than 1,500-page document of new regulations.
Student and Presidential Committee on Sexual Assault executive chair Ann Tran ’25 said she is hopeful that the federal updates will allow the Title IX Office to “provide students with a much more restorative” approach toward resolutions.
One update to the Title IX policy removes mandated in-person hearings. Under the Trump administration’s 2020 changes to Title IX, students filing a Title IX complaint were mandated to appear in live hearings, “in which students accused of sexual assault could confront and question accusers in a courtroom-like setting,” according to The New York Times.
Clemens wrote that those regulation changes impacted Dartmouth’s procedures.
“Since we adopted our first sexual misconduct policy applying to students in 2014, there has always been a live hearing element to our resolution procedures,” Clemens wrote. “The 2020 update did require live cross-examination in Title IX Prohibited Conduct hearings, which expanded the role.”
Tran added that the 2020 Title IX updates were “not survivor-centric.”
“My sense is that the 2020 regulations were just very damaging and very harmful,” Tran said.
Tran said she is hopeful that the Biden administration’s policy adjustments will better support college students.
“These new regulations and their more expansive definition of sexual assault will be a lot more beneficial for students, especially as the definitions and norms surrounding sexual assault and sexual violence have changed,” she said.
The Title IX updates do not address transgender rights, amid the current debate regarding whether transgender athletes should be allowed to compete in sports that align with their gender identity. The Department of Education will address this in a “second rule dealing with sex-related eligibility for male and female sports teams,” according to The Times.
Clemens wrote that the College currently works to protect transgender student athletes.
“The Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy as well as the Sexual Misconduct Policy provide protections based on gender identity, gender expression, sex and sexual orientation,” Clemens wrote. “Transgender athletes and transgender members of our Dartmouth community are protected from harassment and discrimination under these policies.”
In response to the Title IX changes, Sexual Assault Peer Alliance co-presidents Matt Koff ’25 and Ella Laurent ’25 explained that they are working with the Tile IX Office to implement the policy adjustments.
“SAPA is currently working with the Title IX Office to better understand these recent updates and how they will affect both survivors of gender-based violence and our role as peer supporters,” Koff and Laurent wrote in an email statement.
Clemens wrote that the Title IX Office will implement its own changes over the next few months as well.
“[We will] dive deep into the details and confer with campus stakeholders to make updates that align with the needs of the Dartmouth community,” Clemens wrote. “I appreciate these updates because I think they are closely aligned with the realities of doing this work on a college campus.”
In the meantime, the office remains committed to being a resource for students seeking support after incidents of harassment, Clemens said.
“If any members of the Dartmouth community believe they are experiencing harassment or discrimination based on protected class, they should contact the office of Equal Opportunity, Accessibility and Title IX to receive support and guidance on their rights under the policies,” Clemens wrote. “Title IX has served to protect the rights of students for over 50 years, and will continue to do so.”
