Title IX Program Officer Regina Curran announced in February that she will be leaving the University for the same position at a different college amidst upcoming changes to Title IX rules.
Curran, who began her position at AU in May 2017, will be leaving AU in April for Macalester College in Minnesota, a private liberal arts college.
“It was for personal reasons – family reasons – and wanting to relocate to that part of the country,” Vice President of Campus Life and Inclusive Excellence Fanta Aw said. “It has nothing to do with the University and/or not being happy with her job at all.”
Curran began her role at a time when three federal complaints against AU were filed with the Office for Civil Rights in the span of two years. As she leaves this role, two more complaints have been filed and none have been closed.
“I would love for them to close any of them and give us some guidance on what they’d like to see from us,” Curran previously said to The Eagle.
The Department of Education is expected to announce new Title IX regulations soon, although Curran said there is no exact date.
Aw said there should be no concern in whether Curran is here or not when the regulations come because the University operates on a deputy structure. She said across the University, there are faculty and staff members who have been preparing for the new regulations.
According to Aw, the search process will begin after Curran leaves. She said they are hoping to find the right person for the role by the fall, with an interim transition to get through the end of the semester and summer.
While she will not be a part of the search process, Curran said she would like to see someone who has not only worked in a Title IX space but has also worked in higher education.
“It is one thing to do equity work, kind of working with employees,” Curran said. “I think it also helps – at a minimum – to have an interest and an understanding of what it takes to work with students.”
