Because the purpose of Title IX is to ensure that sexual assault (or any other form of sex discrimination) does not impede a student’s educational opportunity, schools must often take action before, during, and after the Title IX complaint process to ensure that the student victim is safe on campus and can continue with their education. Which accommodations are necessary to make sure that a student can continue with their education depends entirely on that student and the particulars of their victimization.

Some examples of accommodations that schools can put in place so that student victims can continue their education unimpeded include:

• Changing victims’ or respondents’ residence rooms or buildings;
• Changing class schedules to avoid being in classes or in the same hallway/buildings as the perpetrator;
• A “no contact” order in place on campus that prohibits the perpetrator from having any contact with the victim;
• Access to physical and mental health services;
• Permission to take an exam at a different time;
• Permission to withdraw from class(es) without penalty.

It is important to note that schools must not force any accommodations on a student victim and the onus of an accommodation must not fall on the student victim. For example,

• a school cannot force a student victim to move their residence hall but may offer it as an available accommodation
• a school cannot force a student victim to change their class schedule to avoid being in a room with their perpetrator but should instead require the perpetrator to change their schedule.