VRLC Statement – Biden Administration Issues Proposed Title IX Regulations on the 50th Anniversary of Title IX
June 23, 2022
VRLC Statement – Biden Administration Issues Proposed Title IX Regulations on the 50th Anniversary of Title IX
Today – June 23, 2022 – on the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the Department of Education released new proposed regulations that seek to restore protections to survivors. Victim Rights Law Center has represented student survivors of sexual assault for almost two decades. In that time, we have weathered many regulatory changes and experienced how those changes directly affect our clients. The 2020 Title IX Regulations narrowed protections and created monumental barriers to reporting. Survivors who went through a Title IX process at their institution often experienced a grueling process that ended with a multi-day live hearing with cross-examination. Our clients showed tremendous courage in the face of these regulatory changes, but they came at a cost and took a toll.
While not final, these proposed regulations address some of the most insidious aspects of the previous regulatory scheme, including ignoring off-campus conduct and the drastic narrowing of what constitutes actionable sexual harassment. We eagerly await the day when our clients are able to access their education freely and equally and we are heartened that these proposed regulations are a step in that direction.