October 2026
On September 29, 2026, the U.S. Department of Education formally rescinded 2024 amendments to the federal Title IX regulations and officially restored the 2020 Title IX regulations. This Q&A helps explain what this means for our campus.
Q: Does this affect the university or change the Policy on Sexual and Gender-Based Misconduct (SGBM)?
A: No. The Department of Education’s formal rescission of the 2024 regulations does not require a change to the university’s policy. Although this formal final rule was published in September 2026, a federal district court previously vacated the 2024 regulations in January 2025. Since that time, the Department of Education has enforced Title IX consistent with the 2020 regulations. Before that, U-M was one of many schools covered under a separate Court order that stopped the Department of Education from enforcing the 2024 regulations. Effectively, the 2024 regulations never took effect for U-M nor resulted in a policy change.
Q: Does the U-M prohibit discrimination and discriminatory harassment based on sex, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation?
A: Yes, university policies (Nondiscrimination Policy and SGBM) prohibit discrimination on these bases, and U-M has done so for more than 20 years. Below is a brief, non-exhaustive timeline relevant to this question.
- 1970: U-M Nondiscrimination Policy includes sex as a protected class
- 1971: Spectrum Center is established at U-M (the first center in U.S. higher education to support LGBTQIA2S+ students on campus)
- 1972: Congress passes Title IX prohibiting sex discrimination in certain education programs and activities
- 1980: U-M adopts an employment Sexual Harassment Policy
- 1985: Students raise awareness of the need, and U-M administration approves funding, for what will become the Sexual Assault Prevention & Awareness Center
- 1991: U-M Nondiscrimination Policy includes sexual orientation as a protected class
- 2005: U-M Nondiscrimination Policy includes gender identity and gender expression as protected classes
Q: What can I do if I believe I have experienced discrimination or harassment because of my sex, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation?
A: Report concerns to Equity, Civil Rights & Title IX (ECRT) at: ecrt.umich.edu/reporting/report-a-concern/.
Q: How does the university respond when someone reports sexual misconduct?
A: Once ECRT receives a report of possible sexual misconduct, the information is reviewed and assigned to a staff member for appropriate action. If the name of the Complainant (the person reported to have experienced misconduct) is known, ECRT will contact them, share information about resources and supportive measures that are available, and provide the opportunity to meet with ECRT. It is up to the person whether they want to meet with ECRT, provide more information, and/or request that ECRT take action. Depending on the concerns, ECRT may take further steps even if not requested to do so. There are formal and informal resolution processes that ECRT can take to address concerns.
Q: What are the formal resolution processes?
A: Among the many ways the university addresses reports of misconduct, there are two formal resolution processes under the policy: Investigative Resolution (an adjudicative, disciplinary process) and Adaptable Resolution (a voluntary, non-disciplinary, remedies-based process). Information about possible resolution processes can be found at: ecrt.umich.edu/resolution-options/.
Q: What steps does the University take to prevent sexual and gender-based misconduct?
A: The university provides extensive training throughout the community.
All employees are required to complete an online module, Preventing and Responding to Sexual Misconduct. ECRT’s Prevention, Education, Assistance & Resources unit provides remote and in-person training regarding sexual and gender-based misconduct to departments.
Incoming undergraduate students are provided with information about the Policy on Sexual and Gender-Based Misconduct and required to complete online training modules before arriving on campus. During their first year, they are required to attend in-person workshops, and additional training opportunities are available in subsequent years. Similarly, incoming graduate students complete required training and have access to additional training after their first year.
The Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center offers presentations, workshops, and events to students that cover a range of prevention topics including consent, healthy relationships, bystander intervention, and survivor support.
Students in key organizations such as intercollegiate athletes, Club Sports athletes, ROTC cadets and midshipmen, Michigan Marching Band members, and Fraternity & Sorority Life affiliated chapters’ new members and student leaders receive additional in-person training on policies (sexual and gender-based misconduct, hazing and discrimination/harassment) and bystander intervention skills. This training also includes information about reporting sexual and gender-based misconduct, hazing, and discrimination/harassment.
Additionally, sanctions imposed when a student is found to have engaged in conduct that violates the Policy on Sexual and Gender-Based Misconduct may involve a combination of disciplinary sanctions such as expulsion, suspension, disciplinary probation, etc., and sanctions designed to prevent further misconduct. For example, the Science-based Treatment, Accountability, and Risk Reduction for Sexual Assault (STARRSA) program is designed to address sexual harm in a college student population.