Resident Assistants Find Themselves on the Front Lines of Title IX Compliance
When Rachel Nelson, a biochemistry major at Hamline University, became a resident assistant, in August 2014, she went through training on the federal gender-discrimination law known as Title IX. As an RA, she was told, she was a mandatory reporter, a designation given to some staff and faculty members who are obligated to report any potential Title IX violations brought to their attention. Sometimes the violation takes the form of a harassing remark or concern about another student’s relationship; often, it’s unwanted sexual contact. "It’s an interesting dynamic," Ms. Nelson said. That’s because you’re called to be "a peer and a friend" to residents, she said, but also bound to report anything possibly under the purview of Title IX, even against students’ wishes.