2024 Title IX Changes

February 6, 2025

Dear Western Community, 

We would like to update you on recent developments concerning the implementation of Title IX.  As you may have heard in the news, the US Department of Education recently issued a Dear Colleague Letter in response to a recent court decision, Tennessee v. Cardona. Consistent with that court’s ruling, the United States Department of Education’s (ED) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) intends to enforce Title IX under the provisions of the 2020 Title IX Rule, rather than the 2024 Title IX Rule. 

We recognize that the Dear Colleague Letter, as well as other federal directives, has a disproportionate impact on members of our LGBTQ+ community. We also understand there are questions about how this decision by OCR might impact members of our campus community. We want to assure you that Western remains committed to protecting our students, faculty, and staff, regardless of shifts in federal policy.

Washington’s Law Against Discrimination (WLAD) expressly prohibits discrimination based on “gender expression or identity,” including actual or perceived identity. This includes protection from discrimination in places of public accommodation such as public schools, as well as in housing, and employment. Washington law also protects people from violence and threats motivated by gender expression or actual or perceived gender identity.  

In addition to the protections provided under Washington state law, Western has adopted Policy U-1600.04, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, sex-based characteristics, sex-based stereotypes, pregnancy and related conditions, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Discrimination and discriminatory harassment based on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression are also a violation of Western’s Student Code of Conduct.

Western remains steadfast in protecting the rights and dignity of members of our community who are directly and indirectly impacted by these changes. We will continue to pursue equity in our policies, practices, and impacts as we work to create an environment where individuals are treated fairly, and where learning, living, and working are free from discrimination and harassment. 

If you have questions about WWU’s policy, we encourage you to contact Western’s Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance (CRTC) in Old Main Room126, via email at crtc@wwu.edu or by phone at (360) 650-3307. For further student resources and support, we encourage you to contact LGBTQ+ Western at lgbtq@wwu.edu, and for WWU employees in need of assistance, the WWU Employee Assistance Program is always available.         

We appreciate your commitment to equity and inclusion as we navigate these changes together.

Warmly,

Jacqueline Hughes, Chief Diversity Officer, Office of Equity