Union College has, in the past half a century, remained committed to the importance of Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, which states: “No person in the U.S. shall, on the basis of sex be excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal aid.” This extends to gender-based violence, misconduct, and harassment, all of which falls under the oversight of the Title IX office.
“Title IX has seen some significant changes in the past couple months,” Ann Ciancia, Union’s Title IX Coordinator and Director of Equal Opportunity, explained to the Concordiensis. “Union was in a unique position of being under an injunction and did not transition to Biden’s 2024 Regulations – due to this injunction, Union continued under Trump’s 2020 regulations since the beginning of the Fall term. As of January 9, 2025, all colleges in the US had to revert back to the 2020 Rule.”
“It can be a very troubling and unwavering time for many,” Ciancia said. “I always reiterate during my in-person trainings to the community the importance of receiving yearly trainings as the interpretation of the law can change depending on who is in office. The federal law itself has not changed, but the implementation, interpretation, and perception change.”
Additionally, the office is currently working on some of its policies. The college currently has multiple policies to address gender based misconduct and sexual assault. “The Office of Title IX is undergoing some major policy review and revisions and is working with campus partners for feedback and input. I not only oversee the Title IX policy, but the Gender-Based Misconduct policy, and the Policy on Prohibiting Discrimination, Harassment, Bias, and Retaliation in Employment,” Ciancia said. “Title IX misconduct has a very high threshold to meet – the sexual harassment has to be so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive – it effectively denies someone equal access to their educational opportunities. If it does not meet that standard, it does not mean we don’t address the conduct, it means it is adjudicated under our GBM policy.”
April is the month of sexual assault and sexual violence awareness, and It’s Up to U in conjunction with Planned Parenthood and other student groups as well as the Title IX office have created initiatives and programs to spread awareness about these crucial issues. One such program was It’s Up to U’s seven-part “Reel Talk” series analyzing sexual violence in media. This series featured Michaela Coel’s Emmy-winning show “I May Destroy You,” and Dick Wolf’s Law and Order, Special Victims Unit, and helped expand upon exactly what role violence plays in the work and how it is depicted.
Another initiative taken in solidarity of victims of sexual violence and abuse was the Clothesline Project. Done every year at the beginning of the month, It’s Up to U invited students to write their most supportive messages for survivors on shirts, which were then hung in clothesline-fashion in the McClean Family Atrium in the Peter Irving Wold Center.
The month culminates with It’s Up to U’s Sexapalooza in Old Chapel, where Planned Parenthood members will join up with group organizers to provide an interactive and informative experience. Games and prizes are included in order to teach participants about the importance of consent, sexual health, and sex positivity.
In all, the office and faculty of Title IX at Union College work, through the month of April and throughout the year, to educate students about the importance of sexual violence awareness and acceptance, and encourages those who may be struggling to reach out to both themselves and the resources available at the Eppler-Wolff Counseling Center in the Wicker Wellness Center. Wicker Wellness can be reached at (518) 388-6120 and the Office of Title IX can be contacted at (518) 388-6865 or by email at [email protected].
