Six O’clock Series discusses Sandusky

The Six O’clock Series, to take place at 6 p.m. on Monday in the HUB’s Ohio Room, is titled “The Sandusky Case: Implications and Lessons for Higher Education and IUP.”

The presentation will feature a discussion between Gwendolyn Torges, political science faculty, and John W. Lowery, student affairs in higher education, regarding the lessons learned from the Sandusky incident and what they mean to institutions of higher education like IUP.

The discussion will feature talks about Title IX, a portion of the 1972 education amendments which states “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.”

Federal financial assistance means any form of federal money, such as financial aid to students. Almost all educational institutions in Pennsylvania fall under Title IX.

Title IX was initially passed with the intent of breaking down sex-based barriers to different academic programs, Lowery said. 

Much of its history, however, is based around gender equality in sports.

Issues of sexual harassment and sexual assault fall under Title IX because it is considered an offense of a sexual nature that prohibits an individual from participating in an educational activity at the institution receiving federal funding.

Sexual harassment can occur between a student and a faculty or staff member or between students under Title IX.

The intent is to ensure all IUP faculty are educated in Title IX procedures and will be able to assist any individual that approaches them with concerns regarding sexual harassment. 

Lowery has been teaching at IUP for five years in the student affairs in higher education program. 

Prior to IUP, he has taught at Oklahoma State University and the University of South Carolina as a student administrator working in the area of student conduct.