Know Your Rights
As of 2021, only 18% of women workers have active careers in STEM, compared to the male population’s 30%. This disparity creates an environment for women that can be unpleasant, discouraging, or even harmful, with stereotypes and biases running rampant. Women’s concerns or ideas may be more frequently disregarded and, in the event of an emergency, may force women to abandon these career paths altogether.
Knowing your rights means understanding the paths that have been set down by the women before you to navigate these messy scenarios. Both in university and in your career, it’s important to know what your protections are, what to do when those protections fail or become untenable, and how to plan your next steps.
UCF
The University of Central Florida is a recipient of federal financial assistance. This makes them beholden to Title IX, a federal civil rights law that offers protection against gender-based discrimination.
Title IX
No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance[.]
The purpose of Title IX is to protect against cases of “sex-based harassment, sexual violence, pregnancy discrimination, failure to provide equal athletic opportunity, sex-based discrimination in a school’s science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses and programs, discriminatory application of dress code policies and/or enforcement, and retaliation.” (ed.gov)
Title IX History
Title IX in Action
Case Resolutions Regarding Sex Discrimination | U.S. Department of Education
July 14, 2021 Title IX Case Study #1 Plaintiff v. Orange University Plaintif
In response to anti-discrimination laws like this, UCF has several departments and resources available to students. Policies include:
- 2-004 Nondiscrimination Policy
- 2-012 Title IX Grievance Policy
- 3.001 Nondiscrimination; Affirmative Action Programs
- 5.006 Rules of Conduct
- 5.012 Organizational Rules of Conduct
- 2-014 Amorous Relationships Prohibition
- 2-015 Reporting Requirements Related to Nondiscrimination
- 2-016 Remedial Measures, Prevention, & Education Related to Nondiscrimination
While resources are all included under UCF’s Let’s be Clear program:
- Victim Services (Confidential)
- Counseling and Psychological Services
- Student Health Services
- Student Care Services/UCF Cares
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) (Confidential)
- Office of Institutional Equity (OIE)
References
- “The STEM Labor Forces.” National Science Foundation, Science & Engineering Indicators, https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsb20245/representation-of-demographic-groups-in-stem#:~:text=In%202021%2C%20while%2024%25%20of,(Figure%20LBR%2D4).&text=Downloads. .
- “Title IX and Sex Discrimination.” U.S. Department of Education, https://www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/civil-rights-laws/title-ix-and-sex-discrimination.