Feb. 10, 2022
Contact: Kenny Gerling, 573-882-6217, gerlingk@missouri.edu
The University of Missouri announced that the Office for Civil Rights and Title IX is now known as the Office of Institutional Equity.
The updated name represents the office’s central role in supporting MU students, faculty and staff, said Maurice Gipson, vice chancellor of the Division of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity.
"The Office of Institutional Equity provides essential resources to our campus community and supports the Division of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity's mission to foster a living, learning and working community where everyone is valued,” said Gipson. “The office's new name emphasizes institutional equity is a university priority.”
Staff for the Office of Institutional Equity help enforce MU’s nondiscrimination policies; educate the community about those policies; connect students, faculty and staff to sources of support if they experience discrimination or retaliation; and listen to the concerns of the campus community. Staff members also investigate sex-based reports, including sexual misconduct, dating or intimate partner violence, stalking, sexual exploitation or invasion of sexual privacy.
Additionally, the office is the first stop for MU faculty and staff — mandated reporters required by the university to report all forms of discrimination — who witness such behavior. This action can start the process that provides all parties with the support they need, including academic or workplace accommodations, medical care, counseling and advocacy.
“Our team provides a wide support net, and we wanted a name that reflects that to the campus community,” said Andy Hayes, assistant vice chancellor and Title IX administrator for the Office of Institutional Equity. “We are the reporting destination for all equity concerns on campus and hope that our new name further encourages people to use us as a resource.”
The new office includes the Office of Accessibility and ADA. A list of additional resources available through the Office of Institutional Equity is available here.
