By Mackenzie Grizzard | Staff Writer
For a decade, sexual assault cases and Title IX lawsuits created a dark chapter in Baylor’s story.
In 2015, then-Baylor President and Chancellor Ken Starr asked a Baylor law professor to do an internal inquiry into how the university handled a string of allegations: a student who faced sexual assault charges in 2011, a football player’s arrest for physical assault and two players being named in a sexual assault police report in 2013, a football player convicted of sexual assault in 2014, and a 2015 conviction of a football player for the sexual assault of a former soccer player.
This eventually prompted the university to hire Pepper Hamilton, an independent law firm, to conduct its own investigation.
Then in 2016, a lawsuit was filed accusing the university of not providing adequate responses to several reports of sexual misconduct by members of the football team. Also in 2016, three women filed a Title IX lawsuit that wouldn’t be settled until 2023, and within a week of the filing, another suit alleged the university created “a hunting ground” for sexual predators. In 2017, another Title IX lawsuit was filed against Baylor; this and the first lawsuit from 2016 were settled that year.
After the Pepper Hamilton investigation wrapped up in May 2016, Starr was fired as president and later resigned as chancellor. Football Head Coach Art Briles was removed from his position, and Athletic Director Ian McCaw later resigned after facing sanctions. Title IX Coordinator Patty Crawford resigned that October, though not as a direct result of the report.
Some have wondered if that period in Baylor history still looms over the university. However, Lori Fogleman, assistant vice president of media and public relations, said Baylor is “not the same university” it was in 2016.
“We have made great strides in training and education for all students, faculty and staff to improve awareness and prevention of sexual and interpersonal violence and to respond appropriately when such events do occur,” Fogleman said. “Our leadership, our Board and our campus community remain continuously committed to fulfilling our Christian mission as a caring community.”
Dr. Laura Johnson, associate vice president for equity and Title IX coordinator, came to Baylor in 2018. She said that Title IX policies on campus change regularly, so it’s important that the office anticipates what effect federal mandates might have on campus.
“We’ve seen a lot of versions of the policy,” Johnson said. “It’s gone through several evolutions kind of based on the political party in charge of office at the time and what their priorities are.”
Federal Title IX regulations come directly from the U.S Department of Education and apply to all institutes of higher education that receive any form of federal funding. Despite Baylor being a private institution, the university still adheres to several federal guidelines and policies.
“Baylor is not the same university as it was nearly a decade ago when the university took several unprecedented actions, including leadership changes and the broad implementation of new policies, processes and procedures regarding its response to incidents of sexual and interpersonal violence within the campus community,” Fogleman said.
Despite a past scandal of this magnitude, Johnson affirms that Baylor’s Title IX policy continues to be a pillar in higher education.
“I know a lot of people look for Baylor’s policy to come out because we know Baylor’s got it right,” Johnson said.
According to Johnson, Baylor’s Title IX policy and office has undergone a dramatic shift since 2018, with the addition of a new equity focus, more case coordinators, investigators and staff trainings.
“Institutional support for our office is absolutely incredible,” Johnson said. “Any time students’ needs have changed, our campus community needs have changed, we’ve always had the institutional support we’ve needed to pivot.”
Johnson highlights not only the importance of specialized offices on campus, but an increased connection with campus partners as well, she said.
“Having that specialized focus is, I think, a big one,” Johnson said. “We have great partnerships with outside counsel and things like that as well that review our policy and decision to ensure that siloed thinking doesn’t happen and we’re in compliance with ever-changing laws.”
As Title IX coordinator and associate vice president of equity, Johnson said that one of the biggest challenges of her job is the “sensitive topics” her office deals with daily.
“We’re dealing with people who have some pretty intense emotional pain and a lot on the line with what they’re being asked to respond to,” Johnson said. “That’s never going to be easy work.”
Because of the sensitive nature of Title IX complaints, Johnson and her office do their best to “de-stigmatize” the reporting process and remind students that their office is a resource.
“That’s helping people understand when they come, [that] they can share as much or as little information they want,” Johnson said. “We’re going to try to leave the reins in their hands and let them control what the next steps are and things like that.”
Looking forward, Johnson considers Baylor’s Title IX Office to be “well-situated” for future policies.
“We have some really, really talented people here,” Johnson said. “We’re able to meet the needs of our campus community.”
