GENEVIEVE PFISTER, Staff Writer—

Denison has a Title IX Coordinator, but you won’t find them on campus.

When former coordinator Stephanie Jackson moved on from Denison last year, the administration filled the position with an interim coordinator, Joe Hall, who works and communicates with students remotely. 

Catlin Cornish, co-president of the Denison Coalition for Sexual Respect (DCSR), works closely with the Title IX Coordinator to facilitate sexual respect across campus, promote consent, and address any problems that arise. 

They now work more with Sylvia Washington, the Associate Director of the Center for Belonging and Inclusion, and other staff members across campus. Responsibility for facilitating sexual respect has fallen to DCSR and related student organizations, such as Sexual Harassment and Assault Resources and Education (SHARE). 

Cornish said that after an interim director was initially hired, the Denison administration told DCSR that they were looking for a permanent replacement and hoped to find one over the summer who could start work in the fall semester. As of the September 21 interview, they have not hired one yet. 

When Cornish talked with the administration again, they told her that it was a very difficult position to fill and that they had been meeting with people, but needed more time to find a candidate that was the right fit. When asked what her response was to their reply, Cornish said that she appreciates that it’s a challenging position to fill. However, from the student perspective, it’s also “really frustrating because the relationship that’s between students and Title IX, in my opinion, is already very strained, not everybody has the best experience with that… obviously you’re already in a really vulnerable position, so to… not you always feel like your voice is being heard or that you’re receiving the resources you need… is really frustrating for students, I think.” She also said it’s challenging, when students have a concern, to refer them to an email, rather than a person’s office on campus. 
Cornish added that if people need support, or know someone who needs support relating to Title IX and sexual assault, there are still resources available. You can find them by reaching out to DCSR (for education), SHARE (for support), or visiting the Help & Support for Survivors of Sexual Assault page on Denison’s website.