Improving Washington University’s Response to Sexual Assault and Misconduct: A Call to Action
Washington University, like most universities in the nation, has been challenged to address the serious issues of sexual assault and misconduct on our campuses, and our students have rightly expressed their concern that these matters should be treated with the highest level of urgency and sensitivity.
Our ultimate goal is to reduce the number of instances of sexual assault and misconduct at Washington University to none; however, we know that is extremely difficult to achieve. Even as we work to prevent incidents from occurring, we have to keep a firm focus on ensuring that our students are supported, treated fairly and respectfully, and given the appropriate tools to navigate the Title IX process. We also want to reduce the overall time to complete the Title IX adjudication process.
To that end, the Title IX Advisory Committee was launched in February of 2019. The Advisory Committee—made up of faculty, students and staff—exists to provide regular feedback to the Provost and to the Director of the Title IX Office about the Title IX process, policies and practices, and the university’s efforts in implementing this action plan.
The Committee is not procedurally involved in the Title IX process.
The Advisory Committee is in the process of formalizing its structure, creating committee processes, identifying training needs for its membership, considering appropriate and non-duplicative community feedback procedures, and understanding the work being completed by the Title IX Working Group and Implementation Teams. In the spring of 2020, after reviewing the completed work of the implementation teams, the committee plans to set specific committee goals.
Title IX Advisory Committee Members:
- Kirk Dougher, Assoc. Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Chair
- Jami Ake, Senior Lecturer & Asst. Dean, College of A&S, Faculty
- Tonya Edmond, Associate Dean for Social Work, Faculty
- Jeffrey Matthews, Professor of Practice in Performing Art, Faculty
- Jessica Klingler Cissell, Director, Graduate Programming and The Graduate Center, Provost Office, Staff
- James McLendon, Assistant Director Campus Life, Staff
- Travis Tucker, Associate Director – Center for Diversity & Inclusion, Staff
- Maren Loe, Medicine/Systems Engineering & Sciences, Graduate Student
- Molly McLay, Social Work Ph.D Program, Graduate Student
- Emily Talkow, Student
- Erin Enk, Student
- Matthew Berman, Student
- Ethan Greenstein, Student
- Kim Webb, Director, RSVP, Student Support & Wellness, Ex Officio member
- Jessica Kennedy, Gender Equity & Title IX Compliance Director & Title IX Coordinator, Ex Officio member
- Kelly R. Cannon, Department Coordinator, VC Office for Student Affairs, Staff
All members of the Title IX Advisory Committee can be found in the WashU Directory. To submit confidential comments to the committee at large, please use the Feedback Form below.
Feedback Form
This form is intended to be used as a way for students, faculty, staff and community members to leave feedback for the Title IX Advisory Committee.
The university will strive to protect, to the greatest extent possible, the confidentiality of persons leaving feedback on this form. Because the university may have an obligation to address certain reported incidents, however, the university cannot guarantee complete confidentiality where it would conflict with the university’s obligation to investigate meaningfully or, where warranted, take corrective action. Even when some disclosure of the university’s information or sources is necessary, it will be limited to the extent possible.
Regardless of the situation, personal information will only be shared with individuals with a legitimate need to know, in compliance with university policy.