Written by Madeline Wall, Staff Reporter
In these past few weeks, longstanding issues among college campuses have been at the forefront of breaking news articles, social media posts, and conversations with family and friends. The topics at hand are sexual assault culture, women’s rights and safety and institutional responsibilities to hold perpetrators accountable. To contribute to these conversations, it is crucial to unpack the intricacies of Title IX policy and to bring further awareness to the “Cornell Seven” assault case.
Title IX laws exist to prevent sex-based discrimination in educational institutions that receive federal funding, including K-12 schools, community colleges and universities. Implemented in 1972, the Title IX civil rights laws emerged at a time when sexism kept women from enrolling in universities and kept female faculty and staff from receiving equal pay. It was not until the 1990s that federal courts expanded Title IX regulations to handle sexual misconduct. In 2011, the Obama administration made it clear that for schools to receive federal funding, they are liable to investigate sexual assault cases occurring on campus or within a school activity.
The 2011 guideline also created one of the most fundamental principles of Title IX: the preponderance of evidence standard. The term can be confusing, but its meaning is simple; contrary to criminal court hearings, in a Title IX hearing, if the evidence and testimonies prove that the incident has “more likely than not” occurred, disciplinary actions and sanctions will take place. In some cases, sexual misconduct is reported through both Title IX and criminal courts. It is possible that sanctions may occur after a Title IX hearing, but if a court system cannot find proof “beyond a reasonable doubt,” criminal sanctions will not place.
However, unlike in the court system, Title IX rules are subject to change with each presidential election. The law created in 1972 will stay consistent over time, but when a new president is elected, they have the responsibility to appoint leaders of the Department of Education. These leaders can outline policies for schools to handle Title IX incidences, and these rules are often reflective of the current presidents’ political standing.
Amid the conversation about the “Cornell Seven” case involving Jane Doe, the Department of Education formally reinstated the 2020 Title IX policies established in President Trump’s first term on Sept. 28. Under Trump’s Title IX policies, people are identified as either male or female, without consideration of gender-fluid bathrooms, sports teams, or locker rooms. In addition, Trump’s Department of Education team changed sexual harassment definitions to make it so that schools only need to investigate misconduct that meets the narrow definition. Lastly, the administration is requiring live cross-examinations during Title IX hearings, which could be re-traumatizing for sexual assault victims.
All guidelines discussed above have been in practice since Trump took office in January 2025, but the September 2026 paperwork made these guidelines federally mandated, and the news came at a time when sexual assault on college campuses were part of mainstream news and discourse.
A woman known as “Jane Doe” filed a lawsuit against the prestigious Cornell University and seven Cornell Chi Phi fraternity members on Sept. 16. After she was drugged and raped at the Chi Phi fraternity house by seven men in Oct. 2024, Jane Doe filed multiple Title IX complaints through Cornell University, and while two of the men were expelled, the other five continued their academic career after writing a “reflective essay.”
In addition, local New York law enforcement did not bring criminal charges toward the seven men, despite Jane Doe’s police interview. The state’s “voluntary intoxication” law makes it very difficult for non-consensual sexual acts to be criminalized if victims “willingly” become intoxicated.
The roles of women’s rights, men’s privilege and Title IX policy are at stake in this case. While five men received minor punishments, Jane Doe became so overwhelmed with shame and frustration that she dropped out of school at Cornell.
Now, after Jane Doe’s lawsuit has reached countless breaking news headlines, the “I am Jane Doe” movement started as an effort to prevent the doxxing of the Cornell Jane Doe and to bring awareness about the prevalence of sexual assault. The movement is happening across social media platforms and in the streets of college campuses. Protestors are calling for a change in the heavily normalized “rape culture,” and they want a restructuring of changed Title IX guidelines to take allegations seriously.
Approximately 1 in 4 women are sexually assaulted at some point during their college career, and approximately 90% of the assault cases go unreported. And as federal Title IX regulations continue to be changed against the interest of assault victims, individuals are understandably less likely to report their experiences.
However, the media attention from the “I am Jane Doe” movement could lead to structural change over time. In the meantime, if you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault or harassment, Title IX and counseling resources are supportive options on Roanoke College’s campus, and the “I am Jane Doe” movement encourages victims to realize that while sexual assault is unacceptable, they are not alone.
