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 United States Department of Education (ED) maintains an Office for Civil Rights, with 12 enforcement offices throughout the nation and a headquarters office in Washington, D.C., to enforce Title IX.

The JABSOM Office of Student Affairs (OSA) is a resource for all MD students (“medical students”). The OSA upholds the UH System-wide Executive policies and procedures and commitment to eliminate sexual harassment and sexual discrimination. It is the policy of the UH that harassment and discrimination based on sex, sexual preference, ethnicity, economic or other differences is prohibited.

Contact the Title IX Coordinator or the JABSOM Deputy Title IX Coordinator, Coco Seymour, via phone (692-1160) during business hours or through JABSOM Security on evenings, weekends or holidays, and/or by email (cseymour@hawaii.edu). Contact information for central offices are listed below.

The JABSOM Office of Student Affairs has created the following short videos on Title IX for medical students and/or those that work with medical students in some capacity:

• Video for JABSOM Medical Students (roughly 9 minutes): http://www.screencast.com/t/CyiPHZBwADp
• Video for individuals that work with JABSOM Medical Students (roughly 9 minutes): http://www.screencast.com/t/qzmgUaO4Hr

Residents can visit the Graduate Medical Education (GME) website for information on the Resident’s Conduct Code and Policies and Procedures. Refer to the GME Policies page for more information on Harassment, Discrimination, and Other Inappropriate Conduct.

2021: Highlights | Full Report

Online Title IX training modules (provided by Vector Solutions) are available to students and employees.

• Students (UH Username and Password Required)
• Employees (UH Username and Password Highly Recommended)

Title IX Coordinators have the primary responsibility for sexual harassment and sexual discrimination investigations, resolutions, trainings, remediation, resolution and prevention on the basis of sex. JABSOM’s dean, chairpersons, faculty, department administrators and supervisors and the Office of Human Resources have a duty to identify and promptly report all acts of or complaints made on sexual harassment or discrimination to the aforementioned offices.

For more information on the options and procedures for filing a complaint, please  see brochures below, contact the Title IX Coordinators, or visit the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Office of Title IX website.

• Title IX Brochure for Students
• Title IX Brochure for Faculty and Staff

The Deputy Title IX Coordinator for JABSOM is Coco Seymour, who can be reached at 692-1160 or cseymour@hawaii.edu

The JABSOM Title IX grievance procedure applies to all allegations of sexual discrimination involving students, faculty or staff members.

In accordance with the University of Hawaiʻi’s Executive Policy (EP) 1.204 – Sex and Gender Based Misconduct Policy, employees and applicants for admission or employment, and revisions of the Title IX 34 C.F.R. Part 106, the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its educational programs and activities.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities which receive Federal financial assistance.

An individual may file a complaint with the Title IX Coordinator if the he or she believes there was discrimination. To file the complaint, the individual may make a verbal statement to the Title IX Coordinator or make a written statement, detailing the violation of the policy. The complainant may also discuss what they would like to result from the resolution of the complaint. If the complainant wishes to speak with any of the confidential resources offered by the University, they can select from a list of offices who will protect their confidentiality.

If a student complains to a faculty or staff member of potential sexual harassment, the complaint MUST be reported to the Title IX Coordinator. For information and tips for first responders to sexual harassment and sexual violence, download our Tips for First Responders to Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence (pdf).