There have been several Title IX incidents on the SUNY Cortland campus since students arrived for the fall semester.
What is Title IX?
The Title IX office states, “Title IX provides federal civil rights that prohibit sex discrimination in education programs and activities including, but not limited to:
- Admissions
- Financial aid
- Housing facilities
- Courses, academic research, and other educational activities
- Career guidance, counseling or other education support services
- Athletics — scholastic, intercollegiate, club or intramural
- Employment, training for employment or advancement in employment”
“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.”
Campus Reports
As early as September 6th, incidents were being reported and a notice was sent out to the entire campus, stating, “A campus community member reported a rape incident that occurred on September 6, 2022, in the early morning hours. The incident took place in a residence hall on campus.” This same exact message has gone out several times after this message. This exact message came out September 7th . The title IX office states in the letter, “Remember, sexual assault is never the fault of the victim. While nothing is failsafe, here are some suggestions everyone may want to consider.”
ADVICE FROM TITLE IX OFFICE
- Make sure you have consent. Consent is a clear and freely given yes, not the absence of a no.
- People who are incapacitated by alcohol or drugs cannot give consent.
- Be active in supporting a safe and respectful community. If you see others engaging in disrespectful or inappropriate actions, speak up and get involved, or contact someone else to assist.
If you have been sexually assaulted, there are resources available to help you. Please visit our Reporting Options page and our Title IX Resource page for more information.”
The president of the school also sent out an important email after these incidents occurred. “
Words from President Erik J. Bitterbaum
“Over the course of three days this week, you have been notified of four incidents of sexual assault in campus residence halls. A single incident is too many, but to see four in such a short period of time is truly disturbing.
Please know that SUNY Cortland takes this issue very seriously. Anyone found to have had sexual contact without the other person’s consent could face criminal charges, university sanctions, or both.
Sexual assault is a widespread problem that all students need to be aware of. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center.
The campus did hold a Title IX presentation titled “Its on Us.” This was for all executive boards in sororities and fraternities and selected positions on clubs and sports teams. This presentation was all about what consent is, what it looks like, and what it looks like when someone actually gives you consent. Than a kahoot was played with questions about sexual assault.