Title IX

Amarillo College is committed to providing a learning and working environment enriching the lives of our students and our community in an environment free of sexual misconduct and discrimination. Sexual discrimination not only violates an individual's fundamental rights and personal dignity, it is also a violation of federal and state law. Amarillo College considers sexual discrimination in all its forms to be a serious offense. This policy refers to all forms of sex discrimination, including but not limited to: sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, and sexual violence by employees, students, and third parties. This website is a resource on sexual misconduct for students, faculty, staff and visitors who are part of the Amarillo College community.

What is Title IX?Title 9

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enforces Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Title IX states that 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 of activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

Title IX also provides for equal educational opportunities for pregnant and parenting students. It prohibits educational institutions from discriminating against students based on pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery from any of these conditions. It also prohibits schools from applying any rule related to a student's parental, family or marital status that treats students differently based on their sex.

Mission Statement

The HR department works to build and maintain a safe, gender-equitable environment for students, faculty, and staff in all aspects of educational programming and employment.  HR is committed to ensuring each member of the college community has the opportunity to participate fully in the process of education and development.  When incidents such as rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, sexual coercion, unwanted touching, dating violence and sexually motivated stalking occur, the college is committed to respond in a manner which provides safety, privacy, and support to those affected.

Reporting Violations

A complainant or witness has many reporting options. An individual may simultaneously pursue a Title IX complaint and a criminal complaint. When initiating a complaint, an individual need not know whether they wish to request any particular course of action, nor how to label what happened. Choosing to make a complaint and deciding how to proceed after making the complaint can be a process that unfolds over time.

The college recognizes that deciding among these options can be difficult. Complainants and witnesses are encouraged to seek assistance from a confidential resource, such as the Title IX Coordinator before deciding how to proceed. A non-faculty employee, student or third party entity/individual who believes that he or she has been subjected to discrimination, sexual harassment and/or related retaliation should promptly report the incident(s) to her/his supervisor, the Director of Human Resources or his/her designee.

A Faculty member who believes that he or she has been subjected to discrimination, sexual harassment and/or related retaliation should promptly report the incident(s) to her/his department head, dean, or the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

All Amarillo College employees including your supervisor, area coordinators, faculty members, student organization advisors, career services staff, admissions officers, and student activities personnel are required to share information reported to them. However, if confidentiality is requested Amarillo  College will make every effort to respect this request in the context of providing a safe and non-discriminatory environment for all employees, students and visitors.

If you are unsure of someone's duties and ability to maintain your privacy, ask them before you talk to them. They will be able to tell you, and help make decisions about who can help you best.

Evaluation of Requests for Confidentiality Pertaining to Title IX

If the complainant requests confidentiality or asks that the complaint not be pursued, the college will take all reasonable steps to investigate and respond to the complaint consistent with the request for confidentiality or request not to pursue an investigation. If the complainant insists that his/her name or other identifiable information not be disclosed to the alleged perpetrator, the Title IX Coordinator will inform the complainant that honoring the request may limit its ability to respond fully to the incident, including pursuing disciplinary action against the accused. The Title IX Coordinator shall notify the complainant of the information that will be disclosed, to whom it will be disclosed, and why. The Title IX Coordinator shall also explain that Title IX includes protections against retaliation, and that university officials will not only take steps to prevent retaliation but also take strong responsive action if it occurs. If the complainant still requests that his/her name not be disclosed to the accused or that the recipient not investigate or seek action against the accused, the Title IX Coordinator will need to determine whether or not it can honor such a request while still providing a safe and non-discriminatory environment for all students, including the complainant who reported the harassment.

Pregnant and Parenting Students

A pregnant student should be granted a leave of absence for as long as it is deemed medically necessary for her to be absent. Prompt and appropriate communication by the student is necessary to ensure appropriate accommodations are provided. While retroactive requests will be considered, making arrangements in advance is preferred, and requests that are untimely may be denied on that basis. At the conclusion of her leave, she must be allowed to resume the academic and extracurricular status she held when the leave began.

If you have any questions regarding your rights as a pregnant or parenting student, please contact AC's Title IX Coordinator.

For further guidance, see the U.S. Department of Education's "Supporting the Academic Success of Pregnant and Parenting Students" brochure. Although this brochure focuses on secondary schools, the legal principles apply to all recipients of federal financial assistance, including postsecondary institutions.

If you have any questions regarding your rights as a pregnant or parenting student, please contact the Amarillo College Title IX Coordinator:

Cheryl Jones, Vice President of Human Resources
Office Location: Washington Street Campus, Student Services Center, room 260
Phone: (806) 371-5040
E-mail: titleIX@actx.edu