Title IX Resources at Saint Mary's

Dear Saint Mary's College Community, 
 
Saint Mary’s goal for the 2022-23 academic year is to build an informed and engaged community regarding Title IX and you are part of the solution!

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX—the federal law passed in 1972 that bars federally funded institutions from discriminating on the basis of sex in educational programs and activities. As we celebrate this great landmark, we are reminded that the opportunity for equity in access benefits us all.

In April 2011, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) sent educational institutions a “Dear Colleague Letter” (DCL) to reinforce steps to prevent discrimination based on gender and to give guidance on Title IX requirements for addressing sexual assault/violence on college campuses, including the designation of a Title IX coordinator. In addition to serving as Vice President of Student Life, I also serve as the Title IX Coordinator for SMC. The coordinator oversees the Title IX process, implementation, and education and training for the campus community. Furthermore, a team of staff supports the Title IX Office to ensure that we appropriately and adequately implement the policy. The Title IX Office includes: 

• Associate Vice President of Student Engagement and Interim Dean of Students, Jim Sciuto
• Associate Dean of Students and Director of Community Life, Travis Mason
• Interim Title IX Deputy Coordinator, Emma Hempel (for students)
• Recruiting Manager for Human Resources, Erika Roesch (for staff)
• Senior Woman Administrator and Deputy Athletics Director for Administration and Strategic Initiatives, Kami Gray (for Athletics)
• Title IX/Civil Rights Investigator, Cynthia Cooke St. Ange

According to Title IX regulations, it is illegal to discriminate against anyone, including faculty, staff, students, or visitors, on the basis of sex. As outlined in the DCL, it is a federal requirement to train the entire campus community about what sexual misconduct is, how to recognize it, and how to file a complaint. SMC community members must be prepared to act quickly when a person who has experienced sexual misconduct comes to them for help. Education and training will not only reinforce the college’s policy but will aid in our prevention efforts. In partnership with our community, student leaders, and as a follow-up to institutional commitments, the College is implementing changes and programming to address concerns of sexual misconduct. These changes include enhancing transparency and community related to the alleged criminal activity and sexual violence detailed by the Clery Act, developing a robust support and resource network for the campus community, and further developing a campus culture of personal responsibility and accountability to the SMC community.  
 
As part of the college’s continued compliance with Title IX, we are launching new online training modules focused on preventing discrimination and sexual misconduct. All SMC students, faculty, and staff will be required to complete an online training module, including adjunct faculty, part-time staff, and temporary staff. The module will cover topics such as sexual discrimination, harassment, assault, misconduct, and support resources. To ensure 100 percent community participation, completion of the training will be tracked and appropriate follow-up will be done. This is an important step toward compliance for the College.
 
Thank you in advance for participating in the mandatory training designed to assist us in recognizing, responding to, and preventing sexual misconduct and sexual harassment. We hope that you will find the training informative and useful. We look forward to working with the entire campus in our ongoing Title IX education and compliance efforts. In the meantime, I encourage everyone to review the College’s Title IX Policy. 
 
Additionally, two groups have been convened to support our commitment to creating a positive and healthy campus community and ensuring accountability. In the spring, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to form an ad hoc committee to provide oversight for the college’s implementation of Title IX and Title VII policies and the College has reconstituted the Presidential Title IX Advisory Committee. These two committees will support the College’s efforts to promote the rights of students, staff, and faculty to live, work and study in a safe and healthy environment free from sexual discrimination, including sexual and gender-based assault and harassment. 
 
Finally, I encourage you to download the LiveSafe App and take advantage of LiveSafe's advanced features, including timely notification of campus emergencies and reporting options. Students enrolled at Saint Mary’s are already set to receive an alert via the primary phone number listed in Colleague should an emergency situation arrive on campus. 
 
I look forward to partnering and working with you to support building a healthy and safe environment to learn, live, and work. My door remains open year-round to your ideas, suggestions, questions, and concerns.

In community, 
Anthony