Understanding Title IX

August 28, 2015

Dear Colleagues:

Over the past year, Baylor University has taken a wide range of proactive steps to comply with the rapidly evolving mandates of Title IX. Foremost among these, we have established and staffed a Title IX office whose sole responsibility is the oversight and training of our campus community relative to the prevention and investigation of interpersonal and sexual violence and the support of those who are victims. Ably led by Title IX Coordinator Patty Crawford, the Title IX office is fully staffed and actively engaged on our campus. Additionally, reporting and response structures have been enhanced, police officers and investigators have been further trained, student leaders have been prepared to intervene and assist fellow students, incoming students have been engaged in training, and faculty/staff training materials have been developed.

The next step in our Title IX compliance involves each of you. Every faculty and staff member across our campus must complete a 30-minute online training course before October 1, 2015. This mandatory course will help each of us be more aware of situations in which sexual violence may occur and understand our responsibility in reporting and aiding those who experience sexual violence.

Interpersonal and sexual violence prevention is vitally important to Baylor University for a number of reasons. Federal guidelines mandate that we complete certain steps, but more importantly, our leadership as a prominent Christian university demands that we create and maintain a safe and secure environment within which all students can not only learn and thrive but become the people God has created them to be.

I now ask you to take a specific step: Please find a 30-minute window as soon as possible, but no later than October 1, to log in and complete this mandatory training exercise.

We are deeply grateful for Patty’s leadership, and we urge you to join Patty and the Title IX Office in these efforts that are so integral to the flourishing of our caring community.

Yours sincerely,

Ken Starr
President and Chancellor