A federal judge dismissed with prejudice a sexual assault lawsuit against Hillsdale College on Sept. 13.

U.S. District Judge Jane Beckering granted Hillsdale’s motion to dismiss. The plaintiffs have filed an appeal.

The lawsuit, filed in October 2023, claimed students at Hillsdale face “an unusually high risk of sexual assault.” It also argued that the college’s tax-exempt status makes it subject to Title IX, a federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities that receive federal funding.

“​​The Fourth Circuit concluded that tax exemption does not mean ‘Federal financial assistance’ for Title IX purposes,” Beckering said in her opinion. “Plaintiffs do not offer any significantly novel argument that would undercut the Fourth Circuit’s well-reasoned decision.”

President Joe Biden appointed Beckering to the Western District Court of Michigan in 2021. She had previously served on the Michigan Court of Appeals.

In addition to rejecting the alleged Title IX violations, Beckering dismissed the plaintiffs’ claims of negligence, emotional distress, sex discrimination, and violation of Michigan’s Consumer Protection Act.

In the class action complaint, two women, a current senior and a former member of the class of 2024 who transferred, claimed they “faced phony investigations, retaliation, and blame for being raped.”

The college released a statement after the lawsuit was filed last year.

“Hillsdale College takes the safety of its students very seriously and strives to educate students about sexual assault, answer frequently asked questions about sexual assault, and detail the procedures for contacting appropriate persons at the college, Hillsdale Hospital, and Hillsdale City Police,” the college said. “Hillsdale also, however, understands the importance of maintaining the rights of the accused as the process of investigation and remediation is carried out.”