Title IX

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. § 1681) provides that no person shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. Educational institutions that receive federal financial assistance are covered by Title IX. If only one of the institution’s programs or activities receives federal funding, all of the programs within the institution must comply with Title IX regulations. In compliance with Title IX, Georgia College prohibits discrimination in employment as well as in all programs and activities on the basis of sex.

Sexual discrimination includes, but is not limited to, sexual harassment and acts of sexual violence such as sexual assault (including rape), sexual battery, sexual exploitation, physical abuse (dating violence and domestic violence), and stalking.

Examples of sex-based discrimination prohibited by Title IX:

  1. Sexual harassment, including sexual assault, occurring in connection with any academic, athletic, extracurricular or other university program, regardless of the location;
  2. Discriminatory decision-making by a supervisor of an employee based on the employee's sex;
  3. Failure to provide equitable opportunity for participation in intercollegiate sports; or
  4. Disproportionate awards of athletic scholarships.

REMINDER OF EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITY

In the interest of complying with our responsibilities under Title IX, Board of Regents and GCSU policies, any report of sexual misconduct to a responsible employee must be reported to the Title IX Coordinator as soon as practically possible. This immediate and direct reporting to the Title IX Coordinator ensures complaints are being addressed promptly and adequately, and most importantly, that parties are receiving essential resources.

Title IX Announcements

September 11, 2024

Dear Bobcat Community,  

Welcome [back] to the start of the Fall Semester. As the school year gets underway, I wanted to take a few moments to remind everyone about the protections and rights afforded to them under Title IX.  

It is the goal of GCSU to provide students, faculty, staff, and guests with an environment free from sex discrimination, which includes all forms of sexual misconduct. GCSU’s Title IX Policy outlines the definition of sexual misconduct including, sexual harassment, sexual offenses, dating/domestic violence, stalking, reporting procedures, procedures for the resolution, provisions for students who have been subjected to sexual misconduct and resources for impacted parties. GCSU’s Sexual Misconduct/Title IX Policy can be found here. 

In order to take prompt and equitable corrective action, GCSU must be aware of sexual misconduct in any form or related retaliation. Therefore, members of the GCSU community who believe that they have been victim of such incidents or know someone who may be a victim by a student, faculty, staff, or vendor/supplier are advised to bring the matter to the attention of the Title IX Coordinator listed below. Additionally, members of the community may contact Public Safety to report such allegations, especially if someone is in imminent danger.  

Title IX complaints can be made at any time (even during non-business hours) through one of the following methods: 

Faculty and staff members are considered responsible employees and so, if information regarding an incident of sexual misconduct is shared with you, you are required to report the incident to the Title IX Coordinator, Jackie Watts, at 478-445-8292 or Jackie.watts@gcsu.edu as soon as possible after receiving the report (ideally within 24 hours).  

You can learn more about Title IX at GCSU here. 

For emergencies or to report a crime in progress at GCSU, call GCSU Public Safety at (478) 445-4400.  

For off campus emergencies call 9-1-1. Always make sure you are in a safe place before contacting Public Safety or the local police. For additional help, you can also contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (1- 800-656-4673).