Jan 21: “The Vanishing Enforcement of Title IX ”
Tammi Walker, PhD: Associate Professor of Law and Psychology
Wednesday, January 21, 2026, 3:00-4:00 pm, Koffler Great Room at ASA and zoom
Title IX is often treated as a settled civil rights law, especially when it comes to sexual harassment and sexual assault in schools and universities. But in practice, what Title IX requires—and what students can realistically expect—depends heavily on whether the federal government is actively enforcing it. Tammi Walker will explain how recent efforts to weaken or dismantle the U.S. Department of Education change how Title IX operates on the ground, particularly in cases involving sexual misconduct. She’ll walk through what enforcement has historically done, why courts alone cannot easily fill that gap, and what it means when civil rights protections exist largely without an agency to implement them. Her presentation focuses on how administrative shifts affect schools, students, and survivors—and what this moment reveals about the limits of relying on law without enforcement.
Summary: Dr. Tammi Walker will explain how recent efforts to weaken or dismantle the U.S. Department of Education change how Title IX operates, particularly in cases involving sexual misconduct.