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CU Boulder Today sat down with Llen (pronounced “Ellen”) Pomeroy to discuss her role as Title IX coordinator; the university's efforts to prevent discrimination and sexual misconduct; and how students, faculty and staff can access support and resources through the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance (OIEC).

Llen Pomeroy

What does your role as Title IX coordinator entail?

As CU Boulder’s Title IX coordinator, my job is to ensure the university complies with Title IX and other federal and state civil rights regulations. This means addressing issues like sex-based discrimination, sexual harassment and sexual assault as well as discrimination and harassment based on other protected class identities. My role is to ensure students, faculty and staff know their options and rights, and that our office has effective processes for educating our campus community about these issues and responding to reported incidents.

What exactly is Title IX?

Title IX is a federal law that protects against discrimination based on sex. It covers equal access to education in the general sense, but it also specifically covers sexual harassment, assault and other forms of gender-based violence that can impede access to  university programs and activities. Title IX is one of many civil rights laws that aims to ensure that everyone in our university community has access to an environment free from discrimination and harassment.

What should someone expect when they come to OIEC?

Anyone who comes to OIEC can expect a quick and personalized response that provides information about their rights and resources. People impacted by misconduct can contact our office if they are members of our university community or if an incident involves someone affiliated with the university. Misconduct does not have to occur on our campus for our office to be able to address it. We’ll help them understand the processes for addressing concerns and connect them to support resources on and off campus. 

We also connect impacted individuals with free and confidential campus advocacy and counseling services through the Office of Victim Assistance, which responds to traumatic or disruptive life events. Whether someone wants to pursue a formal resolution process or explore other options, we’re here to understand their experience and offer the resources and resolution options that best meet their needs.

Is everything shared with the OIEC kept confidential?

Information that is reported to the OIEC is not shared publicly except as required by law (such as through a court order, subpoena or authorized government agency). Privacy laws protect student records (which include OIEC records) and we do not share information with parents or guardians unless a student specifically requests that we do so. Case details and outcomes, involving students or employees, are only shared with those with a legitimate need to know. This could include, for example, sharing information with an employee’s disciplinary authority for sanctioning.

What are some common misconceptions about your office or Title IX?

One misconception is that we don’t follow up on every report. That is not true. We follow up on everything that comes into our office—and we do so quickly, typically within the same business day. OIEC conducts an initial review of any incident reported to evaluate the appropriate course of action. This includes assessing the nature of the allegations, offering supportive measures, and identifying any immediate safety concerns.

Some concerns warrant a formal investigation, and it is the role of OIEC investigators to explain the investigative process transparently so that individuals can decide whether they wish to pursue this option. In other cases, the alleged behavior may not meet the severe or pervasive threshold set by law, but that doesn’t mean the behavior goes unaddressed.

Some people choose not to engage with any process or they want the OIEC to keep a record of their concerns for a later time. That’s perfectly fine, and individuals can decide at any time to circle back and pursue a resolution option. Other than rare instances where a threat to campus safety necessitates OIEC to take immediate action to address alleged conduct, we want people to feel empowered to determine how and when their concern is handled. The goal of reporting is to mitigate the impact, facilitate support and prevent further harm.

How can members of the campus contact you or get involved?

Right now, undergraduate and graduate students can make an important contribution to addressing sexual assault and other interpersonal harm by participating in the Sexual Assault and Related Harms Survey. It’s well understood that not everyone reports or uses support services after traumatic experiences, and administering this survey helps us better understand a wider range of experiences or the less commonly known realities of students. The survey is open until Dec. 6, and students can use the unique link in their CU email to participate anonymously.

People can report incidents via our  or email cureport@colorado.edu. And if you’re interested in contributing to prevention, we’re always supporting students, faculty and staff to engage in practices that improve community support to prevent or reduce the impact of harm. Visit the OIEC website to learn more.