Please note that the Title IX Policy and Grievance Procedures apply solely to complaints involving conduct that occurred prior to August 1, 2024, and fall within the 2020 Title IX regulation's definition of sexual harassment. For any Title IX related complaints regarding conduct that took place on or after August 1, 2024, the University's Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment, and Related Interpersonal Violence, which encompasses all forms of prohibited misconduct, is controlling.
UMass Amherst prohibits sexual misconduct and other forms of discrimination and harassment as required by federal and state law, including Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, Sexual Assault, Sexual Exploitation, Intimate Partner Violence, Stalking, Complicity, and Retaliation.
Please note that the Title IX Policy and Grievance Procedures apply solely to complaints involving conduct that occurred prior to August 1, 2024, and fall within the 2020 Title IX regulation's definition of sexual harassment. For any complaints regarding conduct that took place on or after August 1, 2024, the University's Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment, and Related Interpersonal Violence, which encompasses all forms of prohibited misconduct, is controlling.
The university’s requirement to not discriminate on the basis of sex extends to employment, application for employment, and admission to its education programs or activities.
Related Federal Laws and Reporting Mandates
Like other campuses across the country, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is required to comply with a multitude of federal laws regarding sexual violence response:
The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (20 USC § 1092(f)) is the landmark federal law, originally known as the Campus Security Act, that requires colleges and universities across the United States to disclose information about crime on and around their campuses. The law is tied to an institution's participation in federal student financial aid programs and it applies to most institutions of higher education both public and private. The Act is enforced by the United States Department of Education.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level.
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any education program or activity that receives federal funding. Sex discrimination includes sexual harassment, sexual battery, sexual assault, and rape. Title IX applies to all public and private educational institutions receiving federal financial assistance.