A national search for Iowa State's next director of equal opportunity and Title IX coordinator is underway. President Wendy Wintersteen has appointed Heather Smith, associate general counsel in the office of general counsel, to chair a campus committee that will support the recruitment and selection process. The group convened this week. Serving with Smith are:
- Shamaree Brown, student services, athletics department
- Carrie Jacobs, police department
- Tera Jordan, faculty success, office of the senior vice president and provost
- Sara Kellogg, student conduct, dean of students office
- Andrea Little, employee and labor relations, university human resources
- Melanie Rogotzke, office of general counsel (administrative support for the committee)
The executive search firm Spelman Johnson will lead the search and help the committee develop a qualified and diverse pool of candidates.
Carl Wells, who served as Iowa State's director of equal opportunity and Title IX coordinator for 15 months, left the university Aug. 1 to begin a new position as associate dean for campus life at Newberry College in South Carolina. Mary Howell Sirna, administrative advisor and attorney on staff for ISU police, is serving as interim director of the office.
The Office of Equal Opportunity oversees compliance across the university for equal opportunity, civil rights, Title IX and affirmative action laws, regulations and policies. The staff is charged with safeguarding a fair and respectful learning and working environment for students, faculty and staff. Because of its compliance function, this position vacancy is not subject to the yearlong hiring freeze for diversity, equity and inclusion positions at the three regent universities directed by the Iowa Legislature as part of the FY 2024 higher education appropriation.
