Step in. Speak up., Ball State SGA host Title IX panel

<p>Katie Slabaugh, associate dean of students and Title IX coordinator, talks about presumption of innocence changes to Title IX by the Department of Education Wednesday, Jan. 16 in the L.A. Pittenger Student Center. The panel featured talks from three different Ball State faculty members. <strong>Andrew Harp, DN</strong></p>

Katie Slabaugh, associate dean of students and Title IX coordinator, talks about presumption of innocence changes to Title IX by the Department of Education Wednesday, Jan. 16 in the L.A. Pittenger Student Center. The panel featured talks from three different Ball State faculty members. Andrew Harp, DN

Recent Title IX changes awakened plenty of questions for faculty experts from Ball State students.

Step in. Speak up. along with Student Government Association hosted a Title IX presentation Wednesday, Jan. 16 in the L.A. Pittenger Student Center. 

University officials broke down changes proposed by the Department of Education including but not limited to presumption of innocence, school response and the definition of sexual harassment. 

Panel members include Katie Slabaugh, associate dean of students and Title IX coordinator, Mike Gillilan, director of student rights and community standards and Elizabeth Peeler, health educator. All three covered specific subjects of the proposed changes.

Slabaugh said it is key for students to receive awareness and education on topics and regulations like Title IX.

“It brought into the same room, in terms of a university response, the appropriate people,” Slabaugh said about the panel.

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos introduced new regulations to Title IX in November with some controversy

According to the Department of Education, Title IX, enacted in 1972, “protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive Federal financial assistance.” 

Those that receive federal financial assistance include state and local agencies like schools, libraries and museums.

Currently, the Title IX changes are open for public comment until Jan. 28, with more than 50,000 comments made so far. During the panel, Peeler talked about writing effective comments to ensure a person’s comment is heard. 

“It’s an opportunity that hadn’t come around in a long time for there to be public input,” Slabaugh said.

Jenna Risacher, vice president of Step In. Speak Up., said the panel gives students the opportunities to ask questions and learn more about Title IX.

“I think it was a really good event to have. I hope everyone left here with some new knowledge and maybe feels inspired to write a comment,” Risacher said.

Contact Andrew Harp with comments at adharp@bsu.edu or on Twitter @adharp24.

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