Texas Wesleyan offers a Title IX policy for students to ensure an environment free of discrimination and sexual misconduct.
Title IX is a civil rights law implemented by the U.S. Department of Education that prohibits discrimination based on sex, gender, and pregnancy. It also prohibits sexual misconduct such as sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, sexual exploitation, and sexual violence.
Francyenne Maynard, division of student affairs and director for Title IX and ADA Compliance, said Title IX provides protection for students.
“We as an institution have to give leave that is equivalent to what the doctor sees as necessary, so when students come back, they have to be reinstated where they were when you left. Because of Title IX, there have been more women graduating from universities,” Maynard said.
Ensuring safety for students is important as well, Maynard said. Title IX has safety measures in place to keep students safe.
“[Examples include] a no contact order, institutional restraining order that limits contact between a person and the respondent,” she said. “If they go to this school, we can work with the person reporting and we help them with that. If the person is off campus, we can work with campus security to do criminal trespass where the person is prohibited from coming to the campus if they are not a student.”
Maynard said Title IX is a gender equity that works to ensure that students get supportive matters. She said it is important for students to understand the statistics at a local and national level.
“Something may happen to you or someone you know and so it’s nice to know all the resources that are available to you should something happen,” she said. “It’s important to know your rights, it’s also good to know what’s in place for you for support and to know that this office is here.”
Maynard said she noticed sometimes students are hesitant to check in with the Title IX office. She suggests students come in and see what resources are available.
“Students can come in and ask questions and there is no statute of limitations with Title IX. You can come in and take in this information,” Maynard said.
Senior psychology major Savannah Miller said she was familiar with Title IX and thinks it’s important for students on campus to know about safety and reporting,
“Students should be educated so that they know their measures created and used to help,” Miller said. “The less people know of any resources, the more fearful they will be to seek help,” Miller said.
Damian Sanchez, senior criminal justice major, is currently an intern in the office of Title IX.
“I actually didn’t know about it until I started my internship here, after I learned about it. I was like wow, students should know about it because it can really be helpful if students need help with relationships or if they need some type of accommodation in school,” Sanchez said. “Interning here is interesting. I am learning a lot of things here and being educated about the resources we have available.”
