The organizers of the association that put an intent focus on Title IX, a key aspect of education law that prevents gender discrimination, have started another group to focus on the corporate world at large.

The Title VII Administrators Association (VIIAA) aims to take the successes from helping manage the Association of Title IX Administrators (ATIXA) to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination by employers on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, or national origin. The new group, announced last week, puts a strong focus on the issue of sexual harassment, which has become a major issue in workplaces in recent years due in part to the rise of the #MeToo movement, something VIIAA says ATIXA grappled with long before the larger corporate world.

As stated on the VIIAA website, ATIXA members are already very familiar with Title VII.

“Are colleges and corporations the same? Heck no, but colleges are employers, and they’re subject to Title VII and Title IX, making their compliance issues even more complex,” the VIIAA about page explains. “Our team is equal parts education attorneys, employment attorneys, and corporate attorneys. With some savvy HR and D&I professionals thrown in, even if they’re not lawyers.”

Over nearly a decade of existence, ATIXA has put a strong focus on building out educational resources for its community, including by launching a clearinghouse for Title IX-related information. Additionally, the association has been willing to experiment with its membership structure, including by offering a high-end “Super Member” tier for colleges and universities.

The new association, which is offering discounts to existing ATIXA members and those who sign up for a year of membership in 2019, plans to offer similar educational features, including strategies for building a “Title VII Plan,” certification courses, and an “Investigation-in-a-Box” kit for managing civil rights investigations.

“VIIAA serves as a centralized hub for all of the subject matter expertise and professional tools you need to assure your boards and executives that ‘you’ve got this,’” VIIAA said in a news release. “It’s a big job. VIIAA is here to help.”

(Cn0ra/iStock/Getty Images Plus)