Updated: Baylor University Title IX coordinator resigns, replacement named

Editor’s Note: This article orginally was posted Oct. 4. It was updated several times Oct. 5 as the story continued to develop.

WACO—Patty Crawford, Baylor University’s first full-time Title IX coordinator, resigned. And in less than 48 hours, the university named Kristan Tucker, formerly senior deputy Title IX coordinator, as her replacement.

Baylor announced Crawford’s resignation in a news release issued at 11:49 p.m. Oct. 3.

Patty Crawford “Our understanding is that Patty was disappointed in her role in implementing the recommendations that resulted from the Pepper Hamilton investigation,” the university announced, referring to the Philadelphia law firm Baylor’s regents hired to explore how the school handled reports of sexual violence after some Baylor Bears football players were convicted of sexual assault. 

In May, the regents released a 13-page “Findings of Fact” document and a 10-page set of recommendations from Pepper Hamilton. 

“The university is grateful for Patty’s leadership in establishing fair and equitable Title IX processes that are also supportive of the needs of survivors,” the Baylor statement said. “We will always seek to continuously improve and are confident that the very capable Title IX staff will continue the important work of educating, supporting and responding to the needs of those impacted by interpersonal violence.”

Baylor hired Crawford as Title IX coordinator in November 2014. Title IX is the law that states, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”

New coordinator named

At 7 p.m. on Oct. 5, Baylor announced Tucker’s appointment as Title IX coordinator, effective immediately. As depty coordinator, Tucker helped direct the functions of the Title IX office, as well as trained faculty, staff and students on Baylor’s Title IX policy and processes. Her primary roles included managing the day-to-day responsibilities associated with the university’s Title IX compliance obligations.

Additionally, Tucker collaborated across divisional lines to manage safety accommodations, increase awareness and develop policy and a process for complaints alleging sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual misconduct and relationship violence.

“Kristan Tucker is a capable and experienced Title IX professional, and I have full confidence in her ability to lead our Title IX office,” Interim President David Garland said. “Kristan has been an integral part of our efforts to build a strong and responsive Title IX office, and she serves, alongside her staff members, on implementation teams focused on the recommendations from Pepper Hamilton.

“We have made rapid progress on these recommendations, which have improved the university’s processes and systems to ensure we respond effectively and compassionately when students report incidents of sexual violence and seek our help. We are resolutely committed to continuing our support for Kristan and her team in serving and caring for our students.”

Going forward, Tucker said, the priority for the Title IX office is educating and serving the Baylor community.

“The Title IX office’s focus is on our students and the entire Baylor community, ensuring that we provide the resources, support and assistance they need. It is vital that our systems support a fair and equitable Title IX process,” Tucker said. “Although I may serve as the Title IX coordinator, this is truly a team effort. We are a unified team, committed to the common goal of addressing the important issues of gender discrimination and interpersonal violence impacting the Baylor community. We remain committed to making progress and working with integrity to show leadership through our efforts.”

Prior to joining Baylor, Tucker served as the lead Title IX investigator for East Carolina University, where her primary role included oversight of the student Title IX processes and training for students, faculty and staff in order to increase university compliance. Additionally, she gained experience as senior equity compliance officer within the University of Tennessee system, where she focused on faculty and staff discrimination issues. 

Crawford on national TV

Crawford was unavailable for comment on Oct. 4 but appeared on the “CBS This Morning” program on Oct. 5. In her TV appearance, she asserted her work situation became intolerable due to some senior administrators who were more concerned about “protecting the brand” than protecting students.

“I continued to work hard, and the harder I worked, the more resistance I received from senior leadership,” she said. “In July, I made it clear … that I had concerns and that the university was violating Title IX, and my environment got worse.”

Crawford said she filed a federal complaint to the Office of Civil Rights and human resources. The university did not allow her to fulfill the responsibilities of her job as Title IX coordinator and retaliated against her, she asserted.

“I never had the authority, the resources or the independence to do the job appropriately, which the Department of Education writes in its guidance for Title IX coordinators in universities,” Crawford said. 

Baylor responds

Crawford’s resignation followed after mediation failed. Several Waco media reports cited sources saying Crawford requested $1 million dollars, along with book and movie rights—assertions repeated in a public statement issued by Baylor after Crawford’s TV appearance.  

“Baylor University was surprised by the action taken by Patty Crawford given her public comments in August about the strong support she felt from across the University. Her demands in advance of mediation for one million dollars and book and movie rights were troubling,” the statement said.

Crawford’s attorney, Rogge Dunn, appeared with her on the CBS TV program.

“There was a mediation, and Texas law is quite clear that you cannot commend on what took place at the mediation,” Dunn said.

The statement from Baylor continued: “We are proud of the substantial resources invested in building a strong Title IX office and of the collaborative work the university has been doing and will continue to do in the implementation of the Pepper Hamilton recommendations. Patty led two implementation teams related to Title IX and served on the overarching action team. Members of the Title IX staff are serving on multiple teams and have made tremendous contributions. They will very ably continue this work of sexual assault awareness, prevention and response.  

“It has taken the entire Baylor community, fully engaged in our ongoing efforts, to ensure the university has in place the processes, policies, personnel, and training to prevent acts of sexual violence and respond appropriately with compassion to those who suffer from such acts. We recognize that our work on this front will never be complete, and we will continue to seek ways to improve our response and to actively support survivors.”

Two women join lawsuit

Baylor announced Crawford’s resignation the day after two women who claimed they were sexually assaulted as students at Baylor joined a Title IX lawsuit against the university, originally filed in U.S. District Court in Waco on June 15.

The two women—identified only as Jane Doe 7 and Jane Doe 8—asserted Baylor failed to investigate their cases adequately. Jane Doe 7 claimed her attack by two other Baylor students occurred in 2009, and Jane Doe 8 asserted she was sexually assaulted in 2015.

Baylor reports progress 

In August, Garland reported Baylor had completed or made significant progress on more than three-fourths of the 105 recommendations from Pepper Hamilton. 

Garland noted Baylor doubled the size of its counseling center staff, expanded its Title IX office, created a 24-hour crisis hotline, implemented a centralized reporting system and developed a webpage (http://www.baylor.edu/reportit/) to make reporting easier.

In response to the Pepper Hamilton recommendations, Baylor created two task forces led by high-level administrators. Reagan Ramsower, senior vice president for operations and chief financial officer, heads a sexual assault task force, and Provost Greg Jones leads an initiative focused on spiritual life, Christian character formation and creating a caring culture.

Baylorput into place implementation teams to address Title IX protocols and policies, athletics, engagement and education, centralized reporting and resolution, public safety, counseling, advocacy and other issues.

After expansion, Baylor now has one of the largest Title IX offices in the Big 12 Conference, the university reported.

Baylor also revised its Title IX policies and protocols to include provisions that grant students immunity from disciplinary action for campus policy violations when they report sexual violence. For example, a student who violates prohibitions on premarital sex, recreational drug use or underage drinking and subsequently is sexually assaulted can report the abuse without fear of losing a scholarship or being expelled.

Baylor also developed mandatory training for all coaches, student-athletes and athletics administrative personnel in regard to Title IX policies, sexual assault prevention and bystander intervention.