Sexual Misconduct/Title IX

Title IX is a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on sex in educational programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance. All forms of sexual or gender-based harassment, including but not limited to, dating and domestic violence, stalking, and sexual assault are violations of Title IX. Title IX protects individuals of all genders and sexual orientations and applies to students, faculty, staff, independent contractors, campus visitors, and other participants in University educational programs and activities. Please understand that Kent State University takes all reports of Title IX harassment seriously, and so should you. The elaborate TIX process, and the serious sanctions that can result if someone is determined to be responsible for the behavior alleged in a complaint - trigger this serious and elaborate process against the identified party in the complaint. While this elaborate and serious process does not always result in formal resolutions and may be potentially resolved through educational conversations or informal resolution options at times, individuals should remind themselves this when considering telling inappropriate comments in the future or committing inappropriate behaviors.

Our diverse community sets our campus apart, which we love. While at Kent State, you will be in close quarters with people from different backgrounds - or who may offer different perspectives, beliefs, or opinions. Meeting new people is exciting, but you should always be cautious when interacting with someone you do not know. While you cannot control the actions of others, there are things you can do to help you stay safe while at Kent State and Title IX helps to ensure compliance with this. To make our reporting process even more effective, we need everyone to know when you should report to someone and when you should not. Things to consider - receiving a bad grade does not constitute harassment, lack of understanding or communication does not equate discrimination, context is key to understanding the scope and root of the behavior(s); massage your egos by getting the time to listen to understand as opposed to listening to respond.