Director of Equity and Compliance/Title IX Coordinator

Director of Equity and Compliance/Title IX Coordinator
Whitman College

WHITMAN COLLEGE

Located in the historic community of Walla Walla, Whitman's beautiful tree-lined campus is home to an intellectually diverse, dynamic, and supportive community of some 500 staff and faculty serving roughly 1,500 students from the local region and across the globe. With exceptional students, accomplished faculty and staff, along with a fiercely loyal and growing number of engaged alumni, Whitman College continues to build on its national reputation for academic excellence as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country.

Whitman College is cultivating a community built on inclusion and belonging. We recognize the value of those who can offer historically underrepresented perspectives and encourage applications from those whose background, knowledge, and insights from lived experience can add to the college's working and learning environment. Whitman College is an EEO employer.

POSITION PURPOSE

Under the supervision of the Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion, the Director of Equity and Compliance/Title IX Coordinator is directly responsible for coordinating compliance with federal and state discrimination, harassment, and retaliation laws and related College policies, including those related to sexual and gender-based misconduct and identity-based harassment and discrimination. This position will collaborate closely with Human Resources, the Office of the Provost, Campus Security, Student Affairs and others across campus to develop policies and reporting protocols, conduct initial assessment, document complaint resolutions, and report findings to appropriate areas for further action when necessary.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

1. Receives student, faculty and staff reports/complaints of harassment, discrimination, and sexual misconduct. Conducts initial assessment, meet with complainants to provide information regarding available campus and community resources, communicate supportive measures and options for confidential reporting and resolution.
2. Responsible for the notification of parties, oversight of investigation and investigative reports to ensure investigations are thorough, reliable and impartial, and monitoring compliance with necessary laws, policies and guidelines. When necessary, will coordinate, appoint, and oversee the work of external investigators and/or deputy coordinators.
3. Ensures prompt, effective, and equitable investigations and timely resolution of complaints of sexual misconduct, retaliation, and other forms of identity-based harassment and discrimination.
4. Organizes and maintains accurate and thorough case files, investigation records, statistical data on inquiries and complaints, and develops reports on complaints, investigations, and resolutions as required by law.
5. Responsible for developing, offering, and coordinating training and awareness efforts related to all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation with an emphasis on prevention education.
6. Organizes and supports a system of volunteer Deputy Title IX Coordinators, as well as providing training to staff members responsible for any part of the complaint process (investigators, hearing panelists, advisors, etc.).
7. Works with and contributes to the training of student peer educators to facilitate outreach and education for students on sexual harassment, Title IX, affirmative consent, and related topics.
8. Develops, implements, updates and serves as principal coordinator of policies, procedures and programs related to compliance with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and other related legislation.
9. Assists with Clery reporting and compliance.
10. Maintains fluency with Title IX regulations and professional certification, and participates in professional development opportunities to enhance understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion within higher education.
11. Maintains documentation of training and educational programs related to compliance with Title IX and VAWA and provides certification as required to state and other governmental reporting bodies.
12. Serves as a critical campus resource and representative of the College both internally and externally in support of equity, inclusion, and Title IX issues broadly. Leads and serves on College committees as needed.
13. Maintains a close working relationship with College General Counsel and consults with them as needed on policy, procedures, and active complaints.
14. Assists in the construction of informal resolutions for incidents that do not meet the threshold for formal investigation.
15. Provides strategic direction for and ongoing assessment and evaluation of all efforts related to the elimination and prevention of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and sexual misconduct at Whitman College.
16. Assists with assessment efforts for the Division of Diversity and Inclusion.
17. Maintains a high level of confidentiality with the utmost discretion and sensitivity.
18. Completes additional duties as needed when bandwidth is available.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Individuals must be able to explain and/or demonstrate they possess the knowledge, skills and abilities to safely perform the essential functions of the job.

1. Ability to interpret federal and state equal opportunity and non-­‐discrimination laws and regulations, including Title IX, sexual harassment and other applicable laws and regulations.
2. Working knowledge of Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization of 2012 (VAWA), Campus SaVE Act and related laws.
3. Understanding of bias and a clear commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and the ability to integrate this value into all aspects of the position.
4. Ability to collaborate, identify opportunities and act to build effective relationships across the College to achieve institutional compliance goals.
5. Strong organization, planning, analytical and problem resolution abilities.
6. Excellent verbal and written communication, interpersonal, administrative, organizational, planning, and project management skills.
7. Ability to treat all parties engaged in the complaint process with sensitivity and neutrality.
8. Ability to manage sensitive situations with professionalism and compassion, while maintaining credibility.
9. Ability to diffuse and manage situations involving intense conflict.
10. Ability to conduct individual and group facilitations to foster effective communication.
11. Ability to multi-task and organize, prioritize, and follow multiple projects and tasks through to completion with an attention to detail.
12. Ability to work independently while contributing to team environment.
13. Ability to maintain confidentiality and professional relationships in dealing with sensitive, complex civil rights, legal, and human resources issues.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Law degree or Master's degree in relevant discipline (Public Administration, Higher Education, Human Services, Counseling Psychology, etc.) from an accredited institution. Relevant experience will be accepted in lieu of advanced degree.
  
• Experience in employee relations, conduct or compliance administration, investigative work, complaint resolution or an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the role.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Completion of a Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school.
  
• Previous experience as a Title IX Coordinator and/or Title IX certification.
  
• Training in trauma-informed, mediation, conflict resolution, or restorative justice practices.
  
• Knowledge of database management systems such as Maxient, Symplicity, Guardian, or other appropriate software.
  
• Bilingual. Fluent in English and Spanish.

SALARY RANGE

$82,000-$92.000

All Whitman College employees are required to comply with the college's vaccination policy. More information can be found here.

APPLICATION REVIEW

Application review will begin October 4, 2021 and will continue until the position is filled.

START DATE

December 1, 2021


For full application instructions and position description, visit https://whitman.bamboohr.com/jobs/view.php?id=107&source=other




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