NSF. Specifically, many students and staff suggested that their peers 

 would be unlikely to file a complaint because of a lack of awareness that 

 Title IX covers academics. For example, scientists and students at most 

 schools we visited told us that they thought Title EX covered only sports 

 and did not Imow the law also encompassed academic issues. Also, others 

 suggested they would be unlikely to file a complaint for fear of retribution 

 from supervisors or colleagues. For examiple, some women faculty 

 members we spoke with said that although they perceive that 

 discrimination exists in their department, fiUng a complaint could hinder 

 their ability to attain tenure. In addition, filing a sex discrimination 

 complaint would take time away from their research. 



Federal Agencies Required 

 Statements of Assurance 

 from Grantees and 

 Provided Technical 

 Assistance to Promote 

 Compliance with Title IX 



Officials at federal agencies told us that they required statements of 

 assurance from grantees and provided technical assistance to grantees 

 upon request. Each agency required grantees to submit a statement of 

 assurance that their education programs or activities are operated in 

 compliance with Title IX, as well as with other civil rights laws, as part of 

 their grant apphcation. (See table 1.) Ln addition to obtaining these 

 statements, agencies provide outreach materials or techrucal assistance to 

 grantees. We foimd that each agency provided materials to grantees to 

 help them better understand Title IX and its requirements. At Education, 

 officials sometimes issue "dear colleague" letters to better iivform grantees 

 about how to fuLflll Title IX requirements. 



Required Compliance 

 Reviews Have Largely 

 Been Neglected 



We found that compUance reviews, which are required by Title IX 

 regulations, have been largely neglected by agencies. Officials at three of 

 the four agencies told us that they have not conducted any Title IX 

 compUance reviews of their grantees. Education has conducted 17 

 compUance reviews of academic programs' adherence to Title IX at 

 institutions of higher education since 1993, 3 of which have dealt with the 

 sciences. Education officials told us that each year they plan to conduct a 

 number of reviews of compUance based on available funding remaining 

 after they conduct complaint investigations and provide technical 

 assistance to grantees. Officials reported that their goal is to use 20 

 percent of their budget for both outreach and reviews of compliance with 

 federal laws, but in reality only about 15 percent of their budget goes 

 toward these activities. When choosing which reviews would be 

 conducted, officials reported that they identify compUance issues based 

 on Education's priorities and issues raised by Congress or interest groups. 

 Specifically, Education officials told us that the three compUance reviews 

 of science grantees — conducted in 1994 and 1995 — were initiated because 



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GAO-04-639 Gender Issues 



