Title IX Update – June 2021

Dear Kent State University Students, Faculty and Staff,

We write to share news of our newly formed Office of Gender Equity and Title IX, which will be led by Tiffany Murray, J.D., and will report directly to Vice President Lamar R. Hylton, Ph.D., in the Division of Student Affairs. Previously, these functions were implemented by the Division of Human Resources.

The reorganization of these functions will increase the visibility of these important initiatives, improve coordination of operations and enhance collaborative partnerships across the university.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities operated by recipients of federal financial assistance, such as Kent State. Prohibited conduct includes any form of gender-based discrimination defined as sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking.

Beginning July 1, the Office of Gender Equity and Title IX will be located in the Kent Student Center in Room 250.

Why are these changes important?

• To strengthen university partnerships and bring together student-facing resources.
• To streamline operations and improve resolution response strategies related to discrimination and harassment.

What remains the same?

• Important functions such as equal opportunity, discrimination and harassment complaints not involving Title IX gender-based issues, employee disability accommodations and affirmative action reporting will remain in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EOAA) within the Division of Human Resources.
• The Division of Human Resources remains strategically focused to leverage best practices to create an inclusive workforce and university community for all employees, visitors and guests.
• The Division of Student Affairs continues its mission-critical goal of student success and focus on student-centered programming to achieve overall well-being.

What does this mean for students, faculty and staff at all Kent State campuses?

During the transition, there will be no disruption of services, the ability to submit reports, the ability to request formal investigations or the implementation of informal resolutions. Additionally, actively open Title IX or EOAA cases will continue to be managed by both areas without interruption.

In the coming months, the Office of Gender Equity and Title IX will provide more announcements, including the appointment of new deputy Title IX coordinators. During the transition period, please make note of the following key contacts for nonconfidential reporting:

• Students and employees may submit questions or a Title IX report by contacting Tiffany Murray, director of gender equity and Title IX coordinator, at 330-672-7535 or titleix@kent.edu.
• Additionally, students and employees may contact the following deputy Title IX coordinators at 330-672-2038 or titleix@kent.edu:
  • Pamela Fitzgerald, director for EOAA and Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)/504 coordinator
  • Jacqueline Fausnight, compliance investigator
  • Richantae Johnson, compliance investigator
• For student-athlete matters, contact, Stephanie Rosinski, associate athletic director for compliance and deputy Title IX coordinator, at 330-672-2243 or sroskinski@kent.edu
• Alternately, students and employees can submit nonconfidential reports and make requests for formal complaints or informal resolutions online using the Gender-Based Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Form.

We are excited about the newly formed Office of Gender Equity and Title IX and encourage you to share this announcement with your colleagues and peers.

Sincerely,

Lamar R. Hylton, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs

Mark Polatajko, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration

Jack Witt, J.D.
Vice President for Human Resources