Naomi DeWinter (from left), Dean of Student Services at North Central Michigan College is pictured with Chris Krajewski, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Program Director with the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan and Cameron Burnet-Koch, President of North Central. DeWinter and Krajewski presented information to college staff and resident assistants on North Central’s Title IX policy and how to help provide a safe and respectful culture on campus.

Colleges across the country are gearing up for the start of school and the return of students. North Central Michigan College is ensuring staff and resident assistants are prepared under the terms of Title IX. Title IX is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs and activities. All public and private elementary and secondary schools, school districts, colleges and universities receiving any federal financial assistance must comply with Title IX.

In 2011, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in the U.S. Department of Education issued a ‘Dear Colleague Letter’ (DCL) regarding student-to-student sexual harassment and sexual violence. The DCL explains a school’s responsibility to respond promptly and effectively to sexual violence against students in accordance with the requirements of Title IX. Essentially, the DCL put schools on notice that failure to handle sexual assault properly could cost them their federal funding. According to Bernice Sandler, known as the godmother of Title IX, the DCL was a game-changer.

Sexual assault on college campuses is a critical issue. Nationally, 1 in 5 college women will experience a sexual assault by the time they graduate. According to an article on npr.org, the total number of U.S. colleges under investigation for potential Title IX sexual violence violations is 74.

North Central Michigan College is confronting the issue head on. Chris Krajewski, WRCNM Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Program Director and Naomi DeWinter, Dean of Student Services at North Central provided training to North Central staff and resident assistants at the college this week. The training covered:
– North Central’s Policy on Title IX and reporting
– Definition/types of sexual violence
– The role of staff as it relates to bystander intervention and reporting
– Scenarios to help staff understand their role and responsibilities

Over the years, Bernice Sandler has watched the Title IX legislation she pushed over 40 years ago evolve. In an interview on npr.org, Sandler described her perception of the advancements as, “The darkness is over.”