Title IX and Athletics
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities at universities receiving federal funds.
Under Title IX, discrimination on the basis of sex can include sexual violence, such as rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, or sexual coercion. It can also include sexual harassment, such as:
- unwelcome sexual advances
- requests for sexual favors
- other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature
Sexual harassment can occur on its own or as part of abuse.
Sexual Misconduct Examples
- sexual assault, battery, or coercion
- attempted or completed rape
- inappropriate touching
- physical and/or aggressive sexual advances
Sexual Harassment Examples
- stalking or obscene phone calls, texts, emails, or gestures
- sexually suggestive jokes, whistles, catcalls, or innuendos
- inappropriate touching
- intimidation
Student-Athlete Attestation of Serious Misconduct
In April 2020, the NCAA Board of Governors updated its Policy on Campus Sexual Violence to include additional measures around individual accountability. Beginning in the 2022-23 academic year, all member schools must complete their annual attestation that they have met the new policy requirements. Among those requirements is collection and review of Student-Athlete Attestation of Serious Misconduct (“SAASM”) forms. These forms require all incoming, continuing, and transfer student-athletes to disclose conduct that resulted in discipline through a campus misconduct proceeding or in a criminal conviction for prior serious misconduct. All transfer student-athletes must also disclose whether a campus misconduct proceeding for serious misconduct was incomplete or pending at the time of transfer.
SAASM forms were distributed on October 4, 2022 to Queens College student-athletes who are participating on Knights teams during the 2022-23 school year. If you are participating or plan to participate and have not received your form, please contact Campus Attestation Designee (“CAD”) Jaime Browne in the Athletics Department.
CUNY is hosting two informational sessions for student-athletes:
- October 7, 2022: 10AM-11:30AM – Click here to register for Session I
- October 11, 2022: 6PM-7:30PM – Click here to register for Session II
The Queens College Athletic Department is also available in its offices inside the Fitzgerald Gym building to answer your questions about completing the attestation form.
What Student-Athletes Must Disclose
- Whether you have ever been disciplined through a campus misconduct proceeding for serious misconduct
- Whether you have been convicted of, pled guilty to, or pled no contest to any crime of serious misconduct
- (If you are a transfer student-athlete) whether you have been respondent to a campus misconduct proceeding involving serious misconduct and that proceeding is incomplete or pending at the time of transfer and when the Attestation is completed
Want to speak to someone confidentially before you submit your SAASM form? Contact the QC Confidential Resource Designee.
What Student-Athletes Should Not Disclose
- That you are currently under investigation for serious misconduct (unless you are transferring in)
- That you have been found “not responsible” or “not in violation” through a campus misconduct proceeding for serious misconduct
- That you are currently under investigation, or have ever been named a suspect, for a criminal matter involving serious misconduct
- That you have been found “not guilty” or otherwise had charges dismissed without a conviction in a criminal investigation involving serious misconduct
- Convictions that are sealed
- Conduct which has been previously disclosed in a prior Attestation