Marist College : Athletic Equality Index

Marist College

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Marist College is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York. Founded in 1905, Marist was formed by the Marist Brothers, a Catholic religious institute, to prepare brothers for their vocations as educators. In 1929, Marist became accredited by the state to offer a wider range of degrees in the arts and sciences. Today, Marist offers 56 undergraduate and graduate degree programs and 21 certificate programs. Marist's 180-acre main campus overlooks the Hudson River and is situated along its east banks. A member of the NCAA's Division I, Marist sponsors 23 collegiate sports.

Eligible for Title IX Exemption

Title IX prohibits educational institutions that receive any form of federal funding from excluding, separating, or denying benefits to students on the basis of sex in its educational programs or activities. However, in the 1975 explanation of Title IX released by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), there is no explanation of or definition for sex . This has led to confusion in recent years over who, exactly, is protected by Title IX. Some, including institutional representatives, interpret sex as a gender assigned at birth, legally allowing them to dismiss and discriminate against students based on due to their gender identity, gender expression, and/or sexual orientation . Institutions may claim a religious exemption to Title IX regulations by submitting a written statement to the US Office of Civil Rights (OCR). As of January 15, 2020, an institution’s exempt status is “not dependent upon its submission of a written statement to OCR”; Rather, writing in to the office and proving that an institution is controlled by a religious institution and that their religious tenets conflict with Title IX, is an assurance of exemption, implying that religious institutions are already exempt. (Click here for Athlete Ally's Addendum on Religiously Affiliated Institutions.)