With the DePaul community getting back into school-year routines, the staff of the Office of Gender Equity, also called the Title IX Office, has this reminder about the support and resources we offer students, faculty and staff.
DePaul Policies
Our primary objective is to support and enforce DePaul policies and state and federal laws that ensure no one is discriminated against on the basis of sex in the university's educational programs or activities. This includes gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, parental status and family relationship status. Below are the DePaul policies our team enforces:
Annual Reporting
Under Illinois' Higher Education Act, our office is required to share information with the DePaul community on how to report a sexual harassment incident and to annually report the number of sexual harassment incidents that occur on campus related to students. Since each report and case is unique, the office's process differs on a case-by-case basis to ensure each person is cared for in a respectful and safe manner.
Federal Title IX
Our team also is responsible for ensuring the university complies with federal Title IX law, which outlines how DePaul must investigate and appropriately respond to reports of specific sex-based misconduct. Students, faculty and staff can report concerns or possible violations using this DePaul form.
Furthermore, did you know that federal Title IX law outlines more than investigating and responding to reports? It also mandates that DePaul support students who are pregnant or actively parenting so that they can continue their DePaul education. We work with faculty and staff to help empower students to manage their coursework and other academic expectations on a temporary basis. For more information about pregnant or parenting students' rights, visit the office's website.
Training
Our office is also available to facilitate trainings for DePaul departments and functional areas. Trainings can be a great way for teams to get a refresher course on what it means to be a responsible employee. To learn more about trainings, email titleixcoordinator@depaul.edu.
We Are Here For You
While this is just a sampling of our responsibilities, we are here to help every student, faculty member or staff member. We are located in the Lincoln Park Student Center's Dean of Students suite on the third floor. You can email or call our office at (312) 362-8970.
We wish you a terrific year ahead and remember to Take Care, DePaul.
Kathryn Statz is director of the Office of Gender Equity and Title IX coordinator.