From left are Office of Civil Rights and Title IX staff
members Kathleen VanderVeen, Stacy Piasecki, MJ Creutz, Heather Walker
and Cameron Jones.
Photo Credit:
Cory Morse
A day in the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX (OCRTIX) can be
heavy at times. Meetings and emails are filled with discussions of
potential complaints, violations and compliance requirements.
Kathleen VanderVeen and her team keep the energy high by focusing on
service to the campus community. VanderVeen serves as associate vice
president, deputy chief inclusion and equity officer and Title IX
coordinator. Others on the OCRTIX team are MJ Creutz and Stacy
Piasecki, who serve as associate directors and deputy Title IX
coordinators; Cameron Jones, Civil Rights specialist; and Heather
Walker, administrative assistant. OCRTIX is housed within the new
Division of People, Equity, and Culture in the Inclusion and Equity Department.
VanderVeen said the policy expands protections and resolution options
for the entire campus community. The new interim policy was
accompanied by a new Pregnancy,
Childbirth, and Pregnancy-Related Conditions Policy that
outlines rights and resources for students and employees.
What is OCRTIX? The OCRTIX, in Zumberge Hall, is where students, faculty and
staff can go to report incidents of discrimination, harassment or
misconduct that involve a GVSU individual, program or activity. Reports
can be filed online or by contacting the OCRTIX directly.
After OCRTIX receives a report, VanderVeen said staff discuss options
and share resources with the impacted party. Some students may only
request a change in their class or housing assignments, while others
pursue a formal complaint, investigation and hearing.
VanderVeen said the office’s procedures are designed to help end
discrimination, remedy its effects on targeted groups and stop future
occurrences. She added it’s important to remember that the OCRTIX can
help when discrimination or harassment involves speech, as some speech
crosses a line, losing First Amendment protections.
"OCRTIX provides a neutral space and resources for both the
person filing a formal complaint and for the person being
accused," she said. "Our team is ready to help and keeps a
simple motto in mind, 'When you’re ready to talk, we’re ready to listen.'"