§ 76.500 - Constitutional rights, freedom of inquiry, and Federal statutes and regulations on nondiscrimination.

§ 76.500 Constitutional rights, freedom of inquiry, and Federal statutes and regulations on nondiscrimination.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 89 FR 70337, Aug. 29, 2024.

(a) A State and a subgrantee shall must comply with the following statutes and regulations:

Table 1 to § 76.500(a)

Subject	Statute	Regulation
Discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin	Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d through 2000d-4)	34 CFR part 100.
Discrimination on the basis of sex	Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681-1683)	34 CFR part 106.
Discrimination on the basis of handicap	Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794)	34 CFR part 104.
Discrimination on the basis of age	The Age Discrimination Act (42 U.S.C. 6101 et seq.)	34 CFR part 110.

(b)

(1) Each State or subgrantee that is an institution of higher education, as defined in 20 U.S.C. 1002(a), that is public and that is legally required to abide by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (hereinafter “public institution”), must also comply with the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, including protections for freedom of speech, association, press, religion, assembly, petition, and academic freedom, as a material condition of the Department's grant. The Department will determine that a public institution has not complied with the First Amendment only if there is a final, non-default judgment by a State or Federal court that the public institution or an employee of the public institution, acting in his or her official capacity, violated the First Amendment. A final judgment is a judgment that the public institution chooses not to appeal or that is not subject to further appeal. Absent such a final, non-default judgment, the Department will deem the public institution to be in compliance with the First Amendment.

(2) Each State or subgrantee that is a public institution also must submit to the Secretary a copy of the final, non-default judgment by that State or Federal court to conclude the lawsuit no later than 45 calendar days after such final, non-default judgment is entered.

(c)

(1) Each State or subgrantee that is an institution of higher education, as defined in 20 U.S.C. 1002(a), that is private (hereinafter “private institution”) must comply with its stated institutional policies regarding freedom of speech, including academic freedom. The Department will determine that a private institution has not complied with these stated institutional policies only if there is a final, non-default judgment by a State or Federal court to the effect that the private institution or an employee of the private institution, acting on behalf of the private institution, violated its stated institutional policy regarding freedom of speech or academic freedom, as a material condition of the Department's grant. A final judgment is a judgment that the private institution chooses not to appeal or that is not subject to further appeal. Absent such a final, non-default judgment, the Department will deem the private institution to be in compliance with its stated institutional policies.

(2) Each State or subgrantee that is a private institution also must submit to the Secretary a copy of the final, non-default judgment by that State or Federal court to conclude the lawsuit no later than 45 calendar days after such final, non-default judgment is entered.

(d) As a material condition of the Department's grant, each State or subgrantee that is a public institution shall not deny to any student organization whose stated mission is religious in nature and that is at the public institution any right, benefit, or privilege that is otherwise afforded to other student organizations at the public institution (including but not limited to full access to the facilities of the public institution, distribution of student fee funds, and official recognition of the student organization by the public institution) because of the religious student organization's beliefs, practices, policies, speech, membership standards, or leadership standards, which are informed by sincerely held religious beliefs.

(e) A State or subgrantee that is a covered entity as defined in 34 CFR 108.3 shall comply with the nondiscrimination requirements of the Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act, 20 U.S.C. 7905, 34 CFR part 108.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474)

[85 FR 59979, Sept. 23, 2020, as amended at 89 FR 70337, Aug. 29, 2024]

Editorial Note

Editorial Note:

At 89 FR 70337, Aug. 29, 2024, § 76.500 was amended; however, the amendment could not be incorporated because the table to paragraph (a) was missing.