Loyola reaffirms commitment to Title IX
On September 22, 2017, the Department of Education formally withdrew the 2011 Dear Colleague Letter and 2014 guidance on sexual misconduct on campus and released a Q&A document regarding the interim approach while new regulations are being developed.
The Office of the Dean of Students wants to affirm that Loyola’s current policies and procedures related to gender-based misconduct are not impacted by these developments and remain in effect.
- Loyola’s Student Code of Conduct prohibits sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, dating and domestic violence, and stalking. For more information about the expectations the University has for our students, please review the Community Standards.
- The University will continue to fulfill its obligation to respond to reports of gender-based misconduct in order to ensure the safety of our community and well-being of our students.
While the 2011 and 2014 guidance has been withdrawn, it is important to note that Title IX itself, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and the Illinois Preventing Sexual Assault in Higher Education Act remain in effect and continue to regulate the way institutions respond to and prevent gender-based misconduct.
Moreover, the Office of the Dean of Students has been and remains committed to demonstrating care for all students and responding to gender-based misconduct in a way that honors the dignity and rights of all parties, rooted in our values of equity, justice, and cura personalis.
The Department of Education sought input on the current federal policies and regulations. When that process was open, Loyola offered a comprehensive statement highlighting what we believe is working and what could be improved about Title IX regulations and guidance.
We would like to remind our community of several resources:
- Anyone may report gender-based misconduct through the Center for Student Assistance and Advocacy, the Office for Equity and Compliance.
- If you are seeking information about resources for gender-based misconduct, please review the information on our website.
- If you would like to speak to a confidential advocate, the Wellness Center's Sexual Assault Advocacy Line is staffed Monday–Thursday, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. and 24 hours on the weekend and can be reached at 773.494.3810.
Very sincerely,
Office of the Dean of Students