(l-r) Katie M. Shipp, Helene M. Weiss, and Daniel Pollack. Courtesy photos (l-r) Katie M. Shipp, Helene M. Weiss, and Daniel Pollack. Courtesy photos

Students entering school in the fall must be fully equipped with knowledge of what Title IX is and what to do if they, or one of their peers, ever experience, or are accused of, a sexual assault on campus. Over the last several years, Title IX procedures at schools have morphed into a court-like process that requires students and their advocates to be fully prepared well before a sexual assault takes place. Failing to do so can lead to the derailing of a student survivor's education and unraveling of the college experience.

Title IX is a federal law that protects people from sex discrimination in educational programs and activities at colleges and universities that receive federal financial assistance. Among others, sexual assault is a form of discrimination prohibited by Title IX. The law reads, in part: