Dear Colleagues,

In early May, I reached out to inform you of upcoming policy and procedure changes in response to the U.S. Department of Education’s final regulations implementing Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972. The final regulations were published on April 19, 2024, and are effective as of August 1, 2024. 

Today, I am reaching out to inform you of the University’s progress in implementing these regulations, provide notice of new policy and procedures, and inform you of important compliance requirements. 

The UIS Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, Including Harassment and Sex-Based Misconduct will replace the previous Sexual Misconduct Policy and Nondiscrimination Statement and Procedures. This change will centralize our nondiscrimination processes in order to make the rights and options of individuals experiencing any form of discrimination easier to locate and identify. The new Policy and associated procedures also implement important changes that impact you as an Employee of UIS.

The new regulations include several specific training and reporting requirements for all employees of the University of Illinois. You will receive annual training on these requirements during the Spring 2025 semester, but you must, at a minimum, be aware of and understand the requirements applicable to you. It is imperative that you read this email and reach out to your Title IX Coordinator using the contact information listed below if you have any questions.

Obligation to Address Sex Discrimination

The University of Illinois Springfield prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns or questions to the Title IX Coordinator. The university must respond promptly and effectively when it has knowledge of conduct that reasonably may constitute sex discrimination in its education program or activity. The Title IX notice of nondiscrimination is located at University of Illinois System Statement on Sex Discrimination.

Conduct that Constitutes Sex Discrimination

The university has updated the Sex-Based Misconduct Policy. All employees are required to review the policy for all definitions, including Sex Discrimination and Sex-Based Harassment. Discrimination on the basis of sex includes discrimination on the basis of sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, and gender identity.   

Visit the Comprehensive Policy and Procedure to Address Sex Discrimination, Including Harassment and Sex-Based Misconduct to review the updated information.

Notification & Information Requirements: Information Sharing and Reporting Obligations

Responsible Employees

With the exception of Confidential Employees, all staff, faculty, and certain student employees (as outlined below) are Responsible Employees. Responsible Employees are university employees who must promptly report all known details of actual or suspected Prohibited Conduct under this policy to the Title IX Coordinator. A Responsible Employee who is themselves a target of Prohibited Conduct under this Policy is not required to report their own experience, though they are encouraged to do so.

The following groups of student employees are also Responsible Employees: All graduate student employees and undergraduate student employees who are Residential Advisors, Teaching Assistants, and Graduate Student Employees Categories may be added based on responsibility and will be added to this procedure.

Confidential Employees

Confidential Employees are university employees who are not required to report actual or suspected Prohibited Conduct under this policy to the Title IX Coordinator. They must, however, let the Complainant know their status as confidential, provide contact information of the Title IX Coordinator and information about how to make a report, and let them know the Title IX Office may be able to offer and coordinate supportive measures, as well as review options such as an informal resolution process or an investigation under the grievance procedures. Confidential Employees must also complete training requirements. Pursuant to state law, Confidential Employees are required to use a form issued by the Access & Equity Office to track reports (in an anonymized manner) of sex discrimination made to them by students. As required for reporting, Confidential Employees will provide this information to the Title IX Coordinator.

Confidential Employees fall into three categories. (1) An employee of the university whose communications are privileged or confidential under Federal or State law, provided, however, the employee’s confidential status, for purposes of this policy, is only with respect to information received while the employee is functioning within the scope of their duties to which privilege or confidentiality applies; or (2) An employee of the university who is conducting an Institutional Review Board-approved human-subjects research study designed to gather information about sex discrimination—but the employee’s confidential status is only with respect to information received while conducting the study.

Only the Title IX Coordinator can designate additional Confidential Employees that do not fall under No. 1. All employees who believe they are considered a Confidential Employee should confirm their status and training requirements with the Title IX Coordinator.

Currently, the counselors within the Counseling Center are designated as Confidential Employees for UIS.

Public Awareness Events

When the university’s Title IX Coordinator is notified of information about conduct that reasonably may constitute sex-based harassment under Title IX or the Comprehensive Policy and Procedure to Address Sex Discrimination, Including Harassment and Sex-Based Misconduct that was provided by a person during a public event to raise awareness about sex-based harassment that was held on campus or through an online platform sponsored by the university, the university is not obligated to act in response to the information, unless it indicates an imminent and serious threat to the health or safety of a complainant, any students, employees, or other persons. However, in all cases the university must use this information to inform its efforts to prevent sex-based harassment, including by providing tailored training to address alleged sex-based harassment in a particular part of its education program or activity or at a specific location when information indicates there may be multiple incidents of sex-based harassment.

Employees Informed of Student Pregnancy or Related Conditions

Any employee who becomes aware of a student experiencing pregnancy or related conditions must refer the student to the Office of Disability Services so that appropriate accommodations or supportive measures can be implemented as required by Title IX and UIS Policy. Concerns of harassment or discrimination on the basis of pregnancy or related conditions are addressed through the UIS Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, including Harassment and Sex-Based Misconduct and should be referred to the Title IX Coordinator.

Title IX Coordinator

Inquiries about Title IX may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator listed below, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, or both. Please visit your campus website for more information, including how to report an incident. In addition, the University of Illinois Springfield sex-based misconduct grievance procedures can be located on AEO’s Title IX webpage. Individuals may report a violation of this policy regardless of where the incident occurred.

Thank you for your time and cooperation. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at AEO@uis.edu or 217-206-6222. 

Shelby Bedford
Title IX Coordinator
Access & Equity Office
One University Plaza, MS HRB 30
Human Resources Building Room 20
217.206.6222
TitleIX@uis.edu