New York’s Vassar College announced the hire of a Director of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Officer on Oct. 26.
Rachel Pereira will begin in her new position in January after a five-month search by multiple school committees, according to The Miscellany News. The college had used an interim Title IX coordinator since the previous coordinator left for a position at George Mason University in June.
The lengthy interview process involved day-long interviews of multiple candidates by a hiring committee, school community members and students.
Vassar’s Dean of Faculty Jon Chenette said the school was looking for someone with a strong legal background and experience with Title IX issues to bring long-term improvements to the school’s Title IX department.
Pereira, who is currently the Title IX coordinator at Drew University, has worked with the New Jersey Amistad Commission and the New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission, taught at the Rutgers Graduate School of Education and worked on President Barack Obama’s “Race to the Top” education initiative.
Students said they stressed to candidates the importance of transparency and a Title IX approach that focused on the victims. The school’s Title IX office has attracted criticism in the past for not offering enough support to students.
“We need to make the office more visible and accessible to students and employees, partly through a move to a more central location and to a space better-configured for its purposes,” Chenette said.
Pereira said she is looking forward to improving the Title IX office’s stance on campus by building stronger relationships within the administration and among student groups.
