Title IX
“No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”
The University of Mount Union is committed to creating an environment free of harassment and sexual misconduct as well as complying with all requirements as set forth by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX). Discrimination on the basis of sex or gender will not be tolerated by any of the University’s education programs or activities. This includes, but is not limited to sexual harassment; sexual violence; sex or gender-based bullying; hazing; stalking; relationship violence (including domestic violence and dating violence); as well as failure to provide equal opportunity in admissions, activities, employment or athletics. Sex and gender violations will be addressed by Title IX complaint protocols which are jointly coordinated by the offices of human resources and student affairs.
The University Title IX Co-Coordinators ensure that all campus constituencies receive proper training and review all reported allegations of sex or gender discrimination including alleged violations of the University’s Policy for Equal Opportunity, Harassment, and Nondiscrimination for all Faculty, Students, Employees and Third-Parties.
Any concerns about potential violations of this policy should be reported to the Chief Diversity Officer & Senior Title IX Administrator, or either of the Title IX co-coordinators below:
Mark Black, chief diversity officer & senior Title IX administrator
Beeghly Hall, Office of the President
1972 Clark Ave, Alliance, OH 44601
Phone: (330) 829-4904
Email: blackma@mountunion.edu
Michelle Gaffney, associate dean of students & Title IX co-coordinator
Hoover-Price Campus Center, Office of Student Affairs
1972 Clark Ave, Alliance, OH 44601
Phone: (330) 823-2496
Email: gaffnemi@mountunion.edu
Marci Craig, director of human resources & Title IX co-coordinator
Beeghly Hall, Office of Human Resources
1972 Clark Ave, Alliance, OH 44601
Phone: (330) 829-6560
Email: craigml@mountunion.edu
Reports can also be made here: Title IX Incident Reporting Form
Inquiries may be made externally to:
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Office of Civil Rights (OCR) |
Customer Service Hotline: (800) 421-3481 |
The Ohio Office of Civil Rights can be found at:
- Cleveland Office
- U.S. Department of Education
- 1350 Euclid Avenue
- Suite 325
- Cleveland, OH 44115
- Telephone: (216) 522-4970
- Facsimile: (216) 522-2573
- Email: OCR.Cleveland@ed.gov
For complaints involving employees: https://www.eeoc.gov/field-office/cleveland/location (EEOC)
Equal Opportunity, Harassment, and Nondiscrimination for all Faculty, Students, Employees and Third-Parties Policy can be retrieved here. The linked copy here is the most recent copy of the Policy. If/when updates are made to the Policy they are posted here and this is the current policy for Mount Union.
When a situation involving sexual misconduct has occurred, there are many decisions a person must make both immediately following and during her/his recovery from such a personal violation. The University of Mount Union provides services that can assist the student with this process; the Sexual Misconduct Responder Program is designed for this purpose. More information or a list of current responders, visit the Sexual Misconduct Responder Program page.
Title IX Team
The Title IX Grievance Pool, Decision-Maker Pool, and Appeal Decision-Maker Pools are made up of University employees (both faculty and staff) who are specially trained to serve in these pools. Members of the Grievance Pool can serve as both investigators and advisors. Their role is formally outlined in the Policy. The chief diversity officer & senior Title IX administrator and the Title IX co-coordinators, with approval from the president, select the members of the pools.
The following individuals will serve as pool members for the 2022-2023 academic year:
- Dawn Adams – Director of International Student Services
- Dr. Shehla Arif – Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
- Dr. Bryan Boatright – Interim Co-Vice President for Academic Affairs & University Registrar
- Andrew Boothe – Manager of Payroll & Compensation Analytics
- Jody Bryan – Coordinator, Center for Student Success and Academic Affairs Programming
- Dr. Mandy Capel – Professor of Education
- Caitlin Clark – Director of Enrollment Services
- Jesse Cunion – Associate Academic Dean
- Kelly Gaughan – Head Athletic Trainer
- Laura Good – Assistant Director of Human Resources and Benefits Systems Manager
- Brian Hopkins – Director of Academic Support
- Marci Muckleroy – Director of Transfer and Readmission
- Dr. Tim Meyers – Professor of Nursing; Director and Chair of Nursing
- Matt Parnell – Director of Recreation and Wellness Services
- Abigail Schroeder – Director, Regula Center for Public Service and Civic Engagement
- Sara Sherer – Director of Residence Life
- Dr. Kelly Stout – Assistant Professor of Sociology
Title IX Decision-Makers include:
- Sara Sherer – Director of Residence Life
- Bryan Boatright - Interim Co-Vice President for Academic Affairs & University Registrar
- Jesse Cunion, Associate Academic Dean for Student Success
- Kristine Still – Founding Dean of the College of Applied and Social Sciences
- Heather Duda – Founding Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities
- Sandra Madar – Interim Co-Vice President for Acadmic Affairs & Founding Dean of the College of Natural and Health Sciences
Title IX Appeal Decision-Makers include:
- John Frazier – Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
- Pat Heddleston - Vice President of Business Affairs and Treasurer
- Melissa Gardner - Vice President for Marketing
Training Information
Members of the Title IX Pools receive regular training on the following topics:
- The scope of the University of Mount Union’s interim policy on Equal Opportunity, Harassment and Nondiscrimination and Procedures
- How to conduct investigations and hearings that protect the safety of Complainants and Respondents, and promote accountability
- Implicit bias
- Disparate treatment and impact
- Reporting, confidentiality, and privacy requirements
- Applicable laws, regulations, and federal regulatory guidance
- How to implement appropriate and situation-specific remedies
- How to investigate in a thorough, reliable, and impartial manner
- How to uphold fairness, equity, and due process
- How to weigh evidence
- How to conduct questioning
- How to assess credibility
- Impartiality and objectivity
- How to render findings and generate clear, concise, evidence-based rationales
- The definitions of all offenses
- How to apply definitions used by the University of Mount Union with respect to consent (or the absence or negation of consent) consistently, impartially, and in accordance with policy
- How to conduct an investigation and grievance process including hearings, appeals, and informal resolution processes
- How to serve impartially by avoiding prejudgment of the facts at issue, conflicts of interest, and bias
- Any technology to be used at a live hearing
- Issues of relevance of questions and evidence
- Issues of relevance to create an investigation report that fairly summarizes relevant evidence
- How to determine appropriate sanctions in reference to all forms of harassment, discrimination, and/or retaliation allegations
- Recordkeeping
Specific training is also provided for Appeal Decision-Makers, intake personnel, Advisors (who are University of Mount Union employees), and Decision-Makers. All Pool members are required to attend these trainings annually.
At the discretion of the Title IX Coordinators, the University may also retain external contractors to serve as pool members.
Training Materials
The materials used to train Title IX Officers will be posted here as training is completed, which will occur annually during the Fall Semester. Additional training may occur throughout the year to ensure that all pool members are appropriately trained.