On April 19, 2024, the U.S. Department of Education released its Final Rule under Title IX, replacing the rules amended in 2020 (2020 Title IX Final Rule). The final regulations promote educational equity and opportunity for students across the country, as well as accountability and fairness, while empowering and supporting students and families. The final regulations advance Title IX's promise of ensuring that no person experiences sex discrimination, including sex-based harassment or sexual violence, in federally funded education.

Read the 2024 Title IX Regulations here.

According to the Department of Education, the final regulations:

Protect against all sex-based harassment and discrimination. The final rule protects all students and employees from all sex discrimination prohibited under Title IX, including by restoring and strengthening full protection from sexual violence and other sex-based harassment. The rule clarifies the steps a school must take to protect students, employees, and applicants from discrimination based on pregnancy or related conditions. And the rule protects against discrimination based on sex stereotypes, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics.

Promote accountability and fairness. The final rule promotes accountability by requiring schools to take prompt and effective action to end any sex discrimination in their education programs or activities, prevent its recurrence, and remedy its effects. The final rule requires schools to respond promptly to all complaints of sex discrimination with a fair, transparent, and reliable process that includes trained, unbiased decisionmakers to evaluate all relevant and not otherwise impermissible evidence.

Empower and support students and families. The final rule protects against retaliation for students, employees, and others who exercise their Title IX rights. The rule requires schools to communicate their nondiscrimination policies and procedures to all students, employees, and other participants in their education programs so that students and families understand their rights. The rule supports the right of parents and guardians to act on behalf of their elementary school and secondary school children. And the rule protects student privacy by prohibiting schools from making disclosures of personally identifiable information with limited exceptions.

The main changes from the 2020 Rule are that the new rules provides the following:

New definition of sexual harassment

• 2020: "unwelcomed verbal, visual or physical sexual conduct".
• 2024: "unwelcomed sex-based conduct".

New protections for the LGBTQ+ students

• 2020: No protections specified.
• 2024: LGBTQ+ students cannot be discriminated against based on sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics.

Expanded protections and provide reasonable opportunities for employees and students who are pregnant, or related conditions.

• Pregnant students will have more reasonable opportunities to make up classwork due to medically related absences.
• Employers must allow for reasonable break times for lactation. Students and employees are both entitled to clean, private spaces for lactation.

Live Hearings and cross-examinations

• 2020: Complainants must complete a live hearing and cross-examination section as part of the formal resolution process.
• 2024: Complainants are no longer required to complete a live hearing and cross-examination section as part of the formal resolution process.

Actionable complaints

• 2020: Title IX offices require formal written complaints to take action.
• 2024: Title IX offices can take action without a formal written complaint.

The final regulations are effective August 1, 2024, and apply to complaints of sex discrimination regarding conduct that occurs on or after that date. The Department is committed to supporting schools in implementing the final regulations and will provide technical assistance and additional resources to schools to support implementation and compliance. As of July 31, 2024, pursuant to Federal court orders, the Department is currently enjoined from enforcing the 2024 Final Rule in the states of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming; the Department is also currently enjoined from enforcing the 2024 Final Rule at the schools on the list located here. Per Court order, this list of schools may be supplemented in the future.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972:

Title IX protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance. Title IX states:

No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

Title IX at Rice

Rice University is a diverse community guided by the values of responsibility, integrity, community, and excellence. These values can only thrive in an environment that is free from sexual harassment and sexual misconduct. Rice is committed to maintaining and strengthening educational, working and living environments where students, faculty, staff, and visitors are free from sexual harassment or misconduct of any kind.

Title IX Coordinator

The person who has been designated at Rice to coordinate efforts to comply with and implement this policy is called the Title IX Coordinator. The Title IX Coordinator at Rice is Richard Anthony Baker and the Deputy Title IX Coordinators are Allison Vogt and Stacy Mosely. These Title IX Coordinators are available to discuss options, provide support, explain University policies and procedures, and provide education on relevant issues. To contact a Title IX Coordinator, please email: titleix@rice.edu.

Title IX Support

Supportive measures are actions or services offered by Rice to aid or comfort a reporter, Respondent, or witness. Supportive measures are non-disciplinary and non-punitive, and will be as appropriate, as reasonably available, and without fee or charge to the individual. Supportive measures are available before or after the filing of a formal complaint, or where no formal complaint has been filed. To learn more about supportive measures, please contact titleix@rice.edu or the SAFE Office. The SAFE Office provides interpersonal misconduct prevention and support services to students who are reporting an incident of interpersonal violence perpetrated against them, and to students who have been accused of perpetrating interpersonal violence. The SAFE Office also provides prevention education to the Rice community on sexual and domestic violence, sexual harassment, stalking and Title IX and Clery Act requirements.