Title IX is a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on sex in any federally funded education program or activity. Title IX protects all members of AOMA’s campus community who experience sex discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault, interpersonal violence (including dating, domestic, and intimate partner violence), stalking, or discrimination based on pregnancy. These protections apply to students, faculty, staff, contractors, applicants, and campus visitors. AOMA is committed to creating and fostering a campus environment free from all forms of discrimination and harassment.

The AOMA Title IX Office seeks to provide leadership pertaining to the Title IX regulations, state laws, and institutional policies, as well as develop and implement best practices for prevention, training, resources, and support services at AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine.

A person who believes that he or she has been subjected to prohibited conduct should report the incident to any AOMA official, administrator, or supervisor. Students, employees, and campus visitors are encouraged to report such incidents to the Title IX coordinator.

Incidents should be reported as soon as possible after the time of their occurrence; however, Title IX has no statute of limitations. No person is required to report sex discrimination or sexual harassment to the alleged offender.

Stephanee Owenby
Title IX Coordinator/Senior Director of Operations
4701 Westgate Blvd. Bldg. C
Austin, TX 78745
512-492-3076
sowenby@aoma.edu
titleix@aoma.edu

Lora Bowers
Title IX Deputy/HR Contractor
Lora.bowers@h2r-solutions.com
titleix@aoma.edu

Directives from the United States Department of Education and SACS-COC principles 4.5 and 3.13.3 require institutions of higher education to establish procedures for resolving student complaints. Compliance requires the maintenance of records related to all written complaints from students along with a log recording a summary of the complaint, the person or office charged to resolve the complaint, and the resolution or actions taken in response to the complaint. A written complaint from a student received by an office for redirection to another appropriate office becomes the responsibility of the receiving office. 

 Records associated with the written complaint along with the information included in the log that contain personally identifiable information about students may be subject to the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) and should be protected against improper disclosure. 

 The records and logs are subject to examination by the United States Department of Education, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, and the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine.  AOMA encourages individuals with complaints regarding compliance with ACAHM standards to come forward to academic and/or administrative leadership for resolution of the issue(s). For such matters that remain unresolved, the individual may contact the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (ACAHM) at 8941 Aztec Drive, Eden Prairie, MN 55347 and (952)-212-2434.

Definition of written student complaint 

 Complaints are expressions of dissatisfaction or formal allegations against AOMA, its units, its faculty, and its students. Examples would include grade appeals, academic dishonesty, sexual misconduct, harassment and discrimination, disability, financial aid, and those issues specifically identified in the policies listed below. 

Grievance policies and complaint resolution 

 The various grievance policies include methods for resolving complaints. The nature of the student’s complaint will follow the resolution procedures of the appropriate grievance policy. The following offices are required to maintain logs: 

• Senior Director of Student Services (includes student services, registrar, academic advising, financial aid)
• Academic program directors (includes library and clinical education)
• Senior Director of Operations, (includes operations, admissions, facilities, finance, veterans’ affairs, clinic and retail operations, information technology)