Title VI Of The Civil Rights Act Of 1964
President Lyndon Baines Johnson signs the 1964 Civil Rights Act while Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and others observe: July 2, 1964.
Title VI, 42 U.S.C. § 2000d et seq., was enacted as part of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. As President John F. Kennedy said in 1963:
“Simple justice requires that public funds, to which all taxpayers of all races [colors, and national origins] contribute, not be spent in any fashion which encourages, entrenches, subsidizes or results in racial [color or national origin] discrimination.”
Discrimination can be defined as “making a difference in treatment or to favor on a basis other than individual merit.” The role of the Office of Institutional Equity is to create awareness through training and other communication methods, investigate complaints and ensure compliance across campus.
Your Rights Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
"No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the-benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."
What is Title VI?
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the Federal law that protects individuals from discrimination on the basis of their race, color, or national origin in programs that receive Federal financial assistance.
What programs are covered by Title VI?
Approximately 30 Federal agencies provide Federal financial assistance in the form of funds, training, and technical and other assistance to State and local governments, and non-profit and private organizations. These recipients of Federal assistance, in turn, operate programs and deliver benefits and services to individuals (known as "beneficiaries") to achieve the goals of the Federal legislation that authorizes the programs.
Federally assisted programs address such broad and diverse areas as:
- Elementary, secondary, and higher education.
- Health care, social services, and public welfare.
- Public transportation.
- Parks and recreation.
- Natural resources and the environment.
- Employment and job training.
- Housing and community development.
- Law enforcement and the administration of justice.
- Agriculture and nutrition.
What discrimination is prohibited by Title VI?
There are many forms of illegal discrimination based on race, color, or national origin that can limit the opportunity of minorities to gain equal access to services and programs. Among other things, in operating a federally assisted program, a recipient cannot, on the basis of race, color, or national origin, either directly or through contractual means:
- Deny program services, aids, or benefits
- Provide a different service, aid, or benefit, or provide services in a manner different than they are provided to others
- Segregate or separately treat individuals in any matter related to the receipt of any service, aid, or benefit
How can I file a Title VI discrimination complaint?
Each agency that receives or provides Federal financial assistance is responsible for investigating complaints of discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in the use of its funds. If you believe that you or others protected by Title VI have been discriminated against, you should file a complaint with the Office of Institutional Equity.
UT Austin has a complaint procedure and the Title VI Coordinator is responsible for investigating all Title VI complaints. If you or someone you know believes he/she has been discriminated against, please contact firstname.lastname@example.org. The complaint procedures for the University of Texas at Austin are as follows: Title VI complaints must be filed with the Office of Institutional Equity within 180 days of the alleged discriminatory act. A written complaint should include:
- Your name, address, telephone number, and signature.
- The name and ad