Task Forces Working to Address Sexual Violence Prevention and Response

The Sexual Assault Task Force, led by Dr. Reagan Ramsower, senior vice president and chief operating officer, will build on improvements to the University’s response to sexual violence.

The Spiritual Life and Character Formation Task Force, led by Dr. L. Gregory Jones, executive vice president and provost, will focus on spiritual life and the cultivation of character across the University and will provide long-term strategic direction for the renewed focus on the distinctive mission of the University.

Pepper Hamilton provided the University with 105 recommendations focused on improving Baylor’s prevention and response to sexual violence. During the course of Pepper Hamilton’s investigation, Baylor worked to make real-time improvements and has already made progress in a number of areas, including:

• Committing infrastructure and resources for effective Title IX implementation, including adding three new staff positions within the Title IX Office and adopting case management systems to facilitate connection of students and support services;
• Mandating annual Title IX training for faculty, staff, administration, contractors, part-time staff, coaches and students;
• Allocating increased resources and staff within the Counseling Center and dedicating quality space to expanding the Center;
• Funding continuing education for all campus professionals on trauma informed practices;
• Adding officers to Baylor’s Department of Public Safety and consolidating campus security under the Baylor University Police Department;
• Sharing the findings of the investigation with authorities, including the NCAA; and
• Extending and broadening the “It’s On Us” campaign to reach all students, faculty and staff with information about how to report an incident of sexual violence, each person’s responsibility to Title IX and understanding the range of resources and support available when needed.

The additional recommendations, which represent larger efforts across the University, will be part of the Sexual Assault Task Force’s ongoing efforts. The Task Force and implementation groups are currently reviewing existing policies, identifying additional ways to engage students, faculty and staff and developing a consistent, centralized system for preventing and responding to sexual violence. The Task Forces will assess best practices across other universities, implement more complex recommendations by Pepper Hamilton and continue advancing Baylor along a path of improvement.

Supporting both Task Forces are several implementation groups led by members of Baylor’s faculty, staff and administration who share responsibility for identified areas and the holistic well-being of students in the campus community. Leaders of the Sexual Assault Task Force include:

Action Team Leaders: Dr. Reagan Ramsower, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, and Dr. L. Gregory Jones, Executive Vice President and Provost

Action Team Project Manager: Brandyn Hicks, Director of Special Projects and Initiatives

Implementation Teams:

• Restorative Remedies Team Leader: Dr. L. Gregory Jones
• Governance, Leadership and Compliance Team Leader: Dr. David Garland
• Title IX Infrastructure, Resources and Internal Protocols Team Leader: Patty Crawford, Title IX Coordinator
• Centralized Reporting and Resolution of Reports Team Leader: Pattie Orr, Vice President for Information Technology and Dean of University Libraries
• Resources and Support (Counseling and Advocacy) Team Leader: Dr. David Pooler, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Associate Professor
• Training, Education and Communication of Efforts Team Leader: Dr. Kevin Jackson, Vice President for Student Life
• Culture and Climate Team Leader: Dr. Andrea Dixon, Associate Professor and Director of the Keller Center and Center for Professional Selling
• Athletics: Dr. Reagan Ramsower and Professor Jeremy Counsellor, Faculty Athletics Representative to Big 12 Conference
• Baylor University Police Department Team Leader: Brian Nicholson, Vice President for Facilities and Operations
• Community Partnerships Team Leader: Brian Nicholson
• Clery Act Compliance Team Leader: Shelley Deats, Clery Act and IACLEA Accreditation Specialist

The Spiritual Life and Character Formation Task Force, formed after the release of the Pepper Hamilton Findings of Fact and Recommendations, has received the charge to re-energize a focus around the University’s Christian mission and held its initial meeting to begin work.

The Task Force will consider several central questions:

• How might efforts of spiritual formation (including but not limited to communal worship and prayer) be encouraged and enhanced across the entire University?
• How might character formation for students be encouraged and enhanced through curricular and co-curricular efforts? How might key virtues like honesty, justice and wisdom, and central practices, such as friendship and hospitality, be encouraged among the entire University community?
• How might there be greater collaboration among all university units, departments and programs to more consistently encourage and communicate the highest ideals of the Christian life, in ways that both challenge and uplift the entire University community? How might local congregations and other Christian ministries be a part of such mission-centered efforts?

Members of the Spiritual Life and Character Formation Task Force are:

• Dr. Lori Baker, Anthropology, Vice Provost for Strategic Initiatives, Collaboration and Leadership Development
• Tierra Barber, Athletics
• Dr. Burt Burleson, University Chaplain/Dean of Spiritual Life
• Dr. Shelley Conroy, Dean, Louise Herrington School of Nursing
• Dr. Ron Cook, Truett Seminary/Center for Ministry Effectiveness
• Dr. Darin Davis, Vice President for University Mission
• Dr. Andrea Dixon, Liaison with Sexual Assault Implementation Team on Culture/Climate
• Danny Dominguez, Student
• Elisa Dunman, Student Life
• Emmy Edwards, Student
• Dr. Jan Evans, Modern Languages and Culture
• Cheryl Gochis, Vice President for Human Resources
• Dr. Jennifer Good, Modern Languages and Culture; Faculty-in-Residence
• Dr. Kevin Jackson, Vice President for Student Life
• Dr. Greg Jones, Executive Vice President and Provost
• Dr. Jill Klentzman, Engineering and Computer Science
• Dr. Marcie Moehnke, Biology
• Dr. Bill Neilson, Honors Program
• Dr. Mitch Neubert, Management/Chavanne Chair of Christian Ethics in Business
• Elijah Tanner, Special Assistant to the Executive Vice President and Provost
• Dr. Jonathan Tran, Religion/Faculty Master, Honors Residential College

The Task Forces will provide regular updates on progress to the Baylor community. Periodic announcements to students, faculty and staff will chronicle the work of the Task Forces and implementation groups. Additional information and progress may be found at thefacts.web.baylor.edu/our-response/sexual-assault-task-force.