Title IX is part of a federal law introduced in 1972 as an amendment to the Higher Education Act of 1965.  It states, “no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”  This means that every student has the right to an educational environment free from sex discrimination and harassment.  As a college, our responsibility to you is the following:  We must take prompt and effective steps to end the sexual violence, prevent its recurrence, and remedy its effects, whether or not the sexual violence is the subject of a criminal investigation.