The Association of Title IX Administrators (ATIXA) recently renamed its research grant program in honor of the late Dr. Bernice “Bunny” Sandler (1928-2019), one of the most influential figures in the history of Title IX, the federal statute prohibiting sex-based discrimination in education programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance.
In the 1960s, Dr. Sandler, who is known as the “Godmother of Title IX,” uncovered existing federal rules that prohibited federal contracts, including many higher education institutions, from discriminating on the basis of sex. Over the next several years, she filed hundreds of administrative complaints documenting inequities for female employees. Her work prompted Representative Edith Green (D-Oregon) to hold her landmark 1970 hearings that led to the 1972 passage of Title IX, which also barred sex discrimination against students, as well as employees. Dr. Sandler went on to advise multiple presidential administrations, published groundbreaking reports on gender bias in academia, and served as an expert witness for numerous discrimination and harassment cases.
“Funding opportunities to study issues surrounding Title IX have been reduced or eliminated under the current administration, which we view as punitive and exclusionary,” said Brett A. Sokolow, chair of the ATIXA Advisory Board. “ATIXA remains steadfast in its support for research that deepens understanding, strengthens fair practices, and preserves the law’s foundational promise of equity. We pay tribute to Dr. Sandler’s legacy by extending her lifelong commitment to equity in education.”
First established in 2015, ATIXA’s research grant program will now be known as The Dr. Bernice Sandler Title IX Research Grant. The program provides $2,500 awards to individuals or research teams conducting important studies that contribute to carrying out the sex-equity intent of Title IX.