The University of Memphis (U of M) still has the most Title IX complaints of any state university, despite the number of complaints dropping by nearly half from last year.
Title IX bans discrimination on the basis of sex for “any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.” This includes admission consideration, employment, “treatment of students,” “access to programs and courses,” and more.
For fiscal year 2024, the university reported 65 Title IX complaints, according to a new report from the Tennessee State Comptroller’s Office. Last year, the school reported 125. Other schools included in the report were Austin Peay State University (36 complaints), East Tennessee State University (24 complaints), Tennessee State University (17 complaints), and the University of Tennessee (15 complaints.)
When asked about the nature of the complaints and why the school saw such decline in reports, Jennifer Godwin, the school’s director of media and public relations, refused to give any details.
“The U of M has no additional comment on the Title IX report,” Godwin said in a statement.
The U.S. Department of Education mandates that for all Title IX reporting there is written assurance, an employee-regulated investigation, efforts to make sure that applicants, students, and employees are aware of the policy, and a grievance procedure for complaints.
U of M policy holds that these complaints are handled through the school’s Office for Institutional Equity. According to the U of M, the Title Coordinator tracks and monitors incidents, makes sure the university responds to each complaint, conducts investigations where appropriate, and provides and oversees training related to sex discrimination and sexual misconduct.
They assure that every complainant “has the right to the complaint being handled as confidentially as reasonably possible.”
