Trinity About to Hire Title IX Coordinator

Coalition for Sexual Justice held their first meeting. (photo by Jillian Cready)

By Nick Smetzer, Jillian Cready and Mark Tindall

Trinity University is in search of a new Title IX coordinator, said members of Coalition for Sexual Justice at their first meeting on Wednesday. 

With the new hire, the university will have someone especially equipped and devoted to handle Title IX-related issues, such as investigations of sexual misconducts, outreach, and policy making.

“Right now, Title IX is being handled by people without it in their job description,” said senior Hannah Braley, a leader of the coalition, formerly known as the Coalition for Respect. “It’s a lot of work, and we feel as though students’ needs aren’t currently being met.”

Title IX refers to the federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, including sexual misconduct, in any institution of education that receives federal funding. “Having someone whose entire job begins and ends with Title IX will mean that investigations will be ran better, and that more awareness about the process will be raised in the Trinity community,” Braley said at the meeting.

Senior Julia Shultz, a member of the coalition and SGA senator, has been serving as the student representative on the search committee. “All of the candidates we’ve looked at so far have experience dealing with issues of inequality. The question is just who is going to be the best fit for Trinity, who will be the best advocate for students when they work with the administration,” Shultz said. The search is expected to conclude in March.

The meeting also marked the relaunching of this student-run organization. “Revamping the coalition is important to me because I saw a lack in conversation and communication about sexual justice on campus," said sophomore Cece Turkewitz, a leader of the coalition. "I’d also heard that it might be shut down and I wanted to take action to improve our campus climate and make Trinity a safe place for everyone.”

The coalition doesn't have organizational hierarchy, but instead forms a leadership panel with its core members.

To fulfill their renewed mission, the coalition already has a lot planned. “We’ve been given the godsend of being tasked with re-doing NSO in terms of sexual justice and safety,” said Braley, referring to the New Student Orientation.

“With a greater stake in orientation, we can frame how new students will view their autonomy and their relationships,” said Ryanna Chouman, another leader of the Coalition. “We can’t just eliminate rape culture since it’s been ingrained in our institutions for so long, but what we can definitely do is to improve Trinity’s culture through the coming generations of students.”

Right now, the coalition plans to be active during the Women’s History month, such as hosting the “Clothesline Project” to shed light on different types of abuse.

“What we want is to start an open conversation,” said Braley. “We want to really face these issues, even though they can be difficult and scary, and show students that there is a community full of resources and support.”

Students at the meeting welcomed the rebranded organization. “I think it’s important to have an organization on campus that helps teach young adults about what constitutes a healthy relationship,” said junior Emma Fielding.