Executive Director of the Office of Equity

Overview
Utah State University invites applications for an Executive Director of the Office of Equity. Reporting to USU's Executive Vice President and Provost, this position is responsible for designing and directing programs, policies, and procedures to ensure Utah State University's compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations pertaining to equal employment opportunity, affirmative action, non-discrimination, sexual harassment, and other sexual misconduct. The Executive Director serves as the University's primary contact with federal and state agencies that enforce such laws.

This position will supervise the staff in the Office of Equity, including the Title IX coordinator, prevention and supportive measures specialists, investigators, a data analyst, and other staff.


Responsibilities
The Executive Director of the Office of Equity will have a broad scope of responsibility in leading the university’s compliance with affirmative action, equal opportunity, and Title IX laws and regulations for the largest campus in Logan, USU Eastern in Price, USU Blanding, and many other USU statewide campuses and centers across the state:

1. Provides administrative leadership to the university community in the areas of equal opportunity, affirmative action, and non-discrimination.
2. Establishes short and long-range goals, objectives, strategic plans, and operating procedures to advance the mission of the Office of Equity.
3. Consults with university leadership and provides guidance to faculty, staff and students on issues of equal opportunity, affirmative action, and non-discrimination.
4. Facilitates a culture of and assesses safety; reports issues without engaging in retaliation; conducts prompt, thorough and impartial reviews of reported incidents and makes or coordinates determinations regarding Office of Equity jurisdiction.
5. Assembles and conducts safety panels with Office of Student Conduct and Department of Public Safety to assess threats to campus and consider temporary discipline and/or emergency removal.
6. Provides oversight for and coordinates the university’s efforts to comply with federal and state civil rights laws, regulations, and guidelines, including but not limited to Title IX, Title VI, Title VII, ADEA, ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, including any reporting requirements under the mentioned laws and regulations.
7. Ensures that claims are properly recorded and tracked and available resources are assigned appropriately investigate, respond rapidly, and resolve said cases under strict deadlines.
8. Oversees the receipt, investigation, and resolution of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims by students, employees and others protected under state and federal laws and regulations, and the university’s non-discrimination and sexual misconduct policies.
9. Evaluates the effectiveness of the various equal opportunity, affirmative action, and non-discrimination policies and procedures and collaborates with other university departments (e.g., Office of General Counsel) to develop and implement improvements as necessary.
10. In conjunction with the Office of Human Resources, monitors university employment practices relating to hiring, training, transfers, promotions, and salary increases for compliance with equal opportunity, affirmative action and diversity goals and recommends corrective action as necessary.
11. Prepares and justifies budget requests, manages the approved budget, and allocates resources.
12. Supervises staff, allocates work assignments, ensures staff receives adequate training, and motivates employees to achieve peak productivity and proficiency. Also responsible for hiring, terminating, and evaluating performance of department staff.
13. Creates and coordinates deliverables and other communications to reviewing federal agencies and drafts and amends policies and procedures consistent with federal oversight, including the university’s agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice.

Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:

1. Master’s degree plus a minimum of five years of work experience in Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity, non-discrimination, Title IX, and/or related field, or Juris Doctor degree plus three years of experience in these fields.
2. Minimum of three years of work experience managing multiple people and programs.
3. Experience leading and advocating for groups from underrepresented backgrounds, as well as for non-discrimination, inclusion, cultural diversity, and equity.
4. Ability to interpret and apply best practices to federal and state equal opportunity and nondiscrimination laws and regulations.
5. Strong interpersonal, oral and written communication skills and ability to work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders and diverse audiences.

Preferred Qualifications:

1. A Juris Doctor degree.
2. Seven years of work experience in Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity, Title IX Investigations, and/or related field.
3. Minimum of five years of experience managing programs and people.
4. Experience evaluating, developing, and managing equal opportunity and affirmative action programs, regulations, and/or policies.
5. Experience with managing budgets.
6. Demonstrated skill in developing and implementing new strategies, operations, and procedures.
7. Experience conducting or supervising discrimination and sexual misconduct investigations.
8. Professional experience in a higher education setting.
9. Experience using Maxient or similar case management software.

Additional Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

1. Ability to humanely address issues of a confidential and sensitive nature and the ability to exercise discretion and good judgment to address such matters.
2. Demonstrated commitment to neutrality and impartiality.
3. Working knowledge of data and data collection principles.
4. Ability to motivate, train, coordinate and supervise a team-based office staff.
5. Ability to work under multiple deadlines and sensitive timelines.
6. Conflict resolution and/or mediation skills.

Required Documents
Along with the online application, please include:

1. Resume to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”
2. Cover Letter to be uploaded under "Documents 1-10"
3. Three (3) to five (5) professional references completed in the Candidate Profile

Candidates advancing to the next round of review will be asked to provide a Statement of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Nominations and inquiries should be sent to:

Vice Provost Janis Boettinger, search committee chair
Utah State University
Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost
1435 Old Main Hill
Logan, Utah 84322-1435
Telephone: 435-797-8176
Email: Janis.Boettinger@usu.edu



Advertised Salary
Commensurate with experience plus excellent benefits

ADA
Employees work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes. The employee is regularly required to sit and often uses repetitive hand motions.


University Highlights
The Office of Equity is a reporting unit to the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost. For further information, please visit: https://www.usu.edu/equity/.

Utah State University (USU) was founded in 1888 and is honored to be Utah’s land-grant and space-grant university. USU is a Carnegie RU/H (Research University/High Research Activity) institution with approximately 27,700 students (24,660 undergraduates and 3,040 graduate students) on the Logan main campus. Utah State’s statewide system features eight campuses and 23 education centers and serves all counties in the state with Extension programs. USU offers 114 undergraduate majors, 132 graduate programs, and a variety of innovative stackable associate and certificate credentials. Washington Monthly ranked USU 14th in their national university rankings in 2019 and the 5th best public national university in the nation in 2018. As one of the two premier research institutions in Utah, USU is proud to provide a high-quality education at an affordable price. Additional information about Utah State University can be found here.

A core characteristic of USU is engagement with communities and people in economic development, improvements to quality of life, and human capital. Through the practical application of knowledge, the University and its faculty engage and share expertise with the state, nation, and world, preserving the historical land-grant tradition of partnering with communities to address critical societal issues in the interest of the public good.

The USU main campus is located in beautiful Logan, Utah; a city of about 50,000 situated in a picturesque mountain valley about 80 miles north of Salt Lake City. Outstanding recreational opportunities abound in the nearby mountains and proximate region.

Notice of Non-discrimination

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

Executive Director of the Office of Equity Alison Adams-Perlac, alison.adams-perlac@usu.edu, Old Main Rm. 161, 435-797-1266

Title IX Coordinator Hilary Renshaw, titleix@usu.edu, Old Main Rm. 161, 435-797-1266

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit https://equity.usu.edu/, or contact:

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 800-421-3481, OCR@ed.gov

U.S. Department of Education, Denver Regional Office, 303-844-5695, OCR.Denver@ed.gov

USU is sensitive to the needs of dual career couples and provides a Dual Career Assistance program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment.


To apply, visit https://careers-usu.icims.com/jobs/4221/






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