Many of you may have seen the email that was sent out a few weeks ago explaining that Title IX was going to change. After seeing it, I decided to contact Saher Khan, the LGBTQIA+ Coordinator, and Dan Kelly, the Title IX Coordinator. I, like many others, was confused by what this change meant and how it would affect students.
Notably, the changing of the Title IX rule will limit what constitutes harassment. This means that trans individuals will receive less protection under Title IX than before. Dan Kelly also offered insight into the specifics, stating, “The main substantive difference is the 2020 Final Rule mandated a grievance process that required cross-examination.” This means that a person who files for harassment under Title IX will have to be cross-examined for the charge to continue. Cross-examination was not something that was required in the 2024 ruling, but it will be required after the new ruling.
In reference to what could be done and how trans and non-binary students on campus could be helped, Khan said, “As with all forms of discrimination on campus, we encourage students to report and to be active bystanders. If you witness an act of discrimination, intervene. Make it known that discriminatory and hateful behavior is not okay and let us know it is happening.” There are a multitude of different ways to report harassment through Title IX. These avenues include: contacting campus safety by phone, emailing the Title IX office directly by using the email address titleix@ursinus.edu, or by emailing Dan Kelly or Saher Khan directly. Khan also mentioned that they have had students report and file Title IX paperwork in their office so that the process is not as overwhelming or daunting. “I consider my office in the Institute for Inclusion and Equity to be a safe space,” Khan said. “Many trans students come to my office so we can discuss accessing gender-affirming care, so we can navigate the ever-growing hostile nature of our country together, and talk about our lived experiences as trans people without having to be questioned, without having to explain ourselves, and without fear of judgment or transphobia. It is deeply important [that] my office, and the Institute for Inclusion and Equity, remains a safe space.”
Both Kelly and Khan are aware of how frightening the idea of filing a harassment claim can be, which is why Kelly speaks passionately about how cross-examination during a Title IX proceeding can be so harmful to the victim: “As an institution, we believe that subjecting students to being directly cross-examined is not trauma-informed. As stated in our handbook, ‘The campus student conduct process is an educational and administrative process.’ It is not designed to mirror a court of law.” This being said, Kelly believes Ursinus can find a solution in line with the ruling and also consistent with the school’s core values. Both Kelly and Khan greatly appreciate trans and non-binary students on campus and want to remind them that they care and are doing everything in their power to keep the Ursinus community safe for everyone.