BETHESDA, Md. — In order to comply with Title IX — the landmark civil rights law that barred gender discrimination in education and vastly expanded athletic opportunities for women — college and university administrators shouldn’t assume everything is okay as long as no one has filed a complaint.
That was the heart of the message that a U.S. Department of Education official delivered Tuesday at the NCAA Gender Equity Forum.
“Contrary to what some schools have argued, that if you don’t get a complaint you’re in compliance, that’s just not true,” Jacqueline Michaels, Title IX Team Leader at the U.S. Department of Education, told attendees at the forum.
“Schools have to be regularly and continually monitoring athletics programs to make sure you’re in compliance.”
Michaels was one of several speakers at the three-day conference, which drew 270 registrants from colleges and universities and featured a variety of topics from fundraising strategies to dealing with student substance use and hazing.
Among the attendees was China Jude, director of athletics at Cheyney University, the nation’s first HBCU.
Though Jude was busy attending a session on fundraising when Michaels spoke, she said Michaels’ message was still one that resonated with her.
