Title IX of the Educational Amendments Act of 1972 is the federal law that prohibits sex discrimination by any educational institution that receives federal funding. This law has been interpreted by courts and the U.S. Department of Education to require colleges and universities to take certain steps to prevent and respond to sexual harassment, sexual assault and other gender-based misconduct.
In May 2020 the Department of Education issued new regulations that changed Title IX’s application to gender-based misconduct cases in colleges and universities. In New York State, the “Enough is Enough'' legislation requires all colleges to adopt procedures and guidelines. These include a uniform definition of affirmative consent, a statewide amnesty policy and expanded access to law enforcement.