CMU makes more progress with new Title IX Office

After a Title IX complaint in 2013, Carnegie Mellon University has been fighting an uphill battle toward making the school a safe and healthy environment in which to discuss gender, sexuality, and equality.

The latest advancement in this ongoing campaign is the opening of a new office called the Office of Title IX Initiatives. The office will work to define gender equity at Carnegie Mellon, according to The Tartan's interview with part-time Interim Director of the office and Title IX Coordinator Holly Hippensteel.

According to its website, "The Office of Title IX Initiatives is dedicated to promoting gender equity at Carnegie Mellon University, which includes coordinating the University's efforts to prevent and effectively respond to all forms of sexual misconduct impacting community members, including sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating and domestic violence, and stalking."

The university has made tremendous strides since the 2013 lawsuit, and efforts to that end should be lauded. The Tartan is proud of the steps that the university has taken, and the opening of the Office of Title IX Initiatives is no exception. This office is a key part of the learning process — for both the university and its students — on what gender equity means at a modern day university, especially one as forward-thinking as Carnegie Mellon.

The real test, however, will come during the course of its first year as the Office works to spread the word about its creation and mission on campus. The Tartan hopes that the Office will engage students and community members in meaningful conversations regarding gender equity and how it can be improved on campus.