Director OR Senior Director for Access and Equity & Title IX Coordinator

Primary Function: The Director for Access and Equity & Title IX Coordinator reports to the Vice Chancellor, Finance & Administration. The Director develops, administers, and evaluates policies and programs designed to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging; ensures compliance with laws and regulations addressing access and equity; serves as the Title IX, Title VI, ADA/504 Coordinator, Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, and Affirmative Action Officer; and advises and assists the University administration on a range of related campus issues, initiatives, policies, and priorities.

Summary: The Director for Access and Equity Office (AEO) and Title IX Coordinator is responsible for ensuring compliance with all state and federal civil rights regulations, preventing discrimination, and investigating complaints. The Director leads the AEO and oversees programs, policies, and procedures related to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. Duties and Responsibilities include:
• Compliance: Ensures compliance with Title IX, Equal Employment Opportunity and other federal regulations, state civil rights requirements, and other applicable laws 
• Education and Research: Trains students, faculty, and staff on Title IX obligations and raises awareness of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Performs special projects and studies related to the work of the office.
• Reporting: Ensures employees are trained to report potential discrimination 
• Complaints: Investigates complaints of discrimination, including sexual harassment. Oversees case management for both internal and external complaints 
• Monitoring: Monitors the implementation of civil rights laws and regulations including admissions, education programs, and activities 
• Collaboration: Collaborates with other professionals, such as the cabinet, deans, faculty, staff, related offices, committees, human resources, and legal counsel 
• Systemic problems: Identifies patterns of behavior or systemic problems that arise from complaints and collaborates with human resources on solutions 
• Leadership: Leads the AEO office, including recruiting, managing, developing and assessing staff performance.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Access and Equity: Ensure compliance with laws, regulations and policies regarding non-discrimination, diversity, equity and inclusion; create and maintain university policies that relate to non-discrimination, diversity, equity and inclusion, and serve as consultant for unit level policies regarding said areas; serve as a subject matter expert and advisor on practices, projects and initiatives that relate to non-discrimination, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives; advise administrative leaders and community members to assist in preventing, identifying, and appropriately addressing issues and concerns related to non-discrimination, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Serve as the University’s coordinator of compliance for EEO regulations, Title VI, and Title VII. Oversee and conduct intake assessments and investigations in response to discrimination complaints filed internally by students, faculty, staff, vendors, and campus guests and visitors, to address concerns; prepare and coordinate responses to complaints filed with federal and state agencies, such as the Illinois Department of Human Rights, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the federal and state Department of Labor. Monitor and analyze data related to reports of discrimination, harassment, sex-based misconduct, and/or barriers to access; In coordination with campus stakeholders, identify incident trends and develop targeted intervention strategies. 

Title IX: Serve as Title IX Coordinator; provide training to the university community and participate in content review and creation for system-wide training; maintain policies, guidelines, and procedures for adjudicating informal and formal complaints of sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking; ensure compliance with Title IX regulations by monitoring emerging regulations, case law, and best practices; oversee compliance with policy and procedures in the investigation and hearing process for students and employees; prepare or direct the preparation of special and required reports and other compliance mandates. Oversee and enforce the implementation of appropriate supportive measures for all individuals reporting sexual misconduct; oversee and enforce the implementation of accommodations/modifications for individuals experiencing pregnancy or related conditions. Conduct climate assessments aimed at identifying barriers to reporting, perceptions and experiences of sexual violence on campus, and related campus climate elements. Develop and coordinate Title IX education and sexual misconduct prevention plan for campus community.

Affirmative Action Compliance: Develop and direct the implementation of strategies for inclusive hiring, oversee the development and implementation of inclusive hiring training programs, and prepare executive reports to measure results and effectiveness. Direct and coordinate the University’s academic hiring compliance activities; develop and administer University academic search guidelines; develop and direct the implementation of training and support materials for search committees and hiring managers to address implicit bias and to promote inclusive hiring practices. Enforce and monitor the University’s search guidelines, ensuring consistency in hiring practices and identifying emerging needs or trends requiring the creation or alterations of hiring guidelines. Manage the development of affirmative action compliance plans, including the collection and analysis of data, creation of executive summaries for senior leadership, development and assessment of data-informed hiring goals, and the maintenance of records in accordance with applicable regulations. 

ADA: Serve as campus ADA and 504 Coordinator; oversee the interactive and approval process for workplace accommodations; advise and provide compliance oversight to campus administrators regarding accessibility compliance, including the Director of Digital Accessibility, Digital Accessibility Specialists, Director of the Office of Disability Services, and others engaging in accessibility compliance activities (i.e. digital accessibility, academic accommodations, physical accessibility, etc.) 

Education and Training: Develop, deliver, maintain, and assist with diversity, inclusion, and belonging, equal opportunity, nondiscrimination, and inclusive training such as: search committee training and orientation; non-discrimination training; implicit bias training; Title IX and Title VII training; ADA training, etc. Serve as a subject matter expert to members of the campus community in the areas of equity compliance, institutional equity, nondiscrimination, and related topics. Develop and coordinate institutional activities and strategies related to diversity, equity, and inclusion; accessibility; sex-based misconduct prevention; and other related topics.

Office Management: Oversee and supervise office staff and operations; including the monitoring of office budgets and external contracts. Create and oversee the maintenance of reporting systems, web sites, and AEO-related programming logistics. Oversee the completion of timely reports and audit responses for the U of I system, Board of Trustees, President's Office, Office of Ethics and Compliance, the Illinois Department of Human Rights, the Illinois Attorney General's Office, the Illinois Board of Higher Education, OFCCP, and other related reports.

Outreach and Other Duties: Identify and engage campus and community stakeholders to promote diversity and inclusion initiatives. Serve on University committees and system-wide committees as the AEO and/or Title IX representative, including the Threat Assessment Team, Campus Behavioral Intervention Team, Chancellor’s Committee on Belonging, Dignity, and Justice, and related groups. Other duties and responsibilities as appropriate for the Director for Access and Equity & Title IX Coordinator.