Media Advisory: Full-time Title IX Coordinator joins Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University has named Tanya L. Jachimiak, a legal professional with six years experience in higher education law, as its first full-time Title IX Coordinator. She began her new role last week.
Jachimiak comes to Wake Forest as the Title IX coordinator at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She received her law degree in 1998 from DePaul University College of Law, Chicago.
Her primary responsibility at Wake Forest will be the coordination and implementation of the university’s Title IX compliance efforts – to strengthen a culture that supports a safe and respectful learning, working and living environment.
“We are very pleased that Tanya is bringing her extensive knowledge and experience in the area of Title IX compliance to Wake Forest,” said Vice Provost Lynn Sutton.
Sutton said that until now, someone with a joint appointment in the Employee Relations office has handled the Title IX coordinator’s responsibilities. “University leadership believes that our Title IX compliance efforts need a full-time coordinator who can devote their sole time and attention to the topic,” she said.
Title IX is a law passed in 1972 that prevents sex discrimination in every educational program that receives federal funding. While its initial focus was on athletics, the law has expanded to include other areas such as access to higher education, employment, learning environment, sexual harassment, and standardized testing and technology.
“I am really excited to be joining the university. At the forefront, Wake Forest, its administration and its students have done an amazing job related to Title IX compliance,” Jachimiak said. “But there is always room to further efforts to ensure that the campus environment overall is free not only of sexual assault, but other forms of sexual misconduct and harassment.”
Jachimiak said training and education will be key components toward creating an environment and culture “where survivors feel safe and empowered to come forward regardless of their gender or sexual orientation because sexual misconduct in all its many forms does not just happen to women by men.”
Penny Rue, vice president of campus life, said that one of the most challenging issues on college campuses today is sexual misconduct and the university is looking forward to Jachimiak’s leadership in this critical area. “These incidents have the potential to compromise a student’s education,” Rue said. “While we want to be sure that we have the best possible survivor support services and process for handling sexual misconduct reports, it is even more important that our prevention programs be best-in-class.”
Jachimiak previously practiced employment law, including class action litigation, for more than 10 years in the private sector.
About Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University combines the best traditions of a small liberal arts college with the resources of a large research university. Founded in 1834, the school is located in Winston-Salem, N.C. The University’s graduate school of arts and sciences, divinity school, and nationally ranked schools of law, medicine and business enrich our intellectual environment. Learn more about Wake Forest University at www.wfu.edu.
