USU Welcomes New Title IX Coordinator

Utah State University named Hilary Renshaw as its new Title IX Coordinator Thursday, Nov. 15. Renshaw has been serving in a temporary position as the Title IX investigation manager in the Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity office since Oct. 1. 

“Hilary brings an ideal blend of education and teaching, crisis response, and expertise in the law to USU,” said the university’s provost, Frank Galey, who oversees the AAEO office. “As a temporary employee, she has already proven she will be a great asset to the university.”

Renshaw comes to USU most recently from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she completed a J.D. magna cum laude at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University. Her background includes several years as a middle school teacher in both Utah and Baton Rouge, a master’s in educational leadership, and numerous volunteer roles in crisis centers and a domestic violence shelter.

She credits her volunteer experiences with helping her understand the different ways people react after a traumatic experience and how to respond in an appropriate way that helps them. 

She said her work volunteering in nonprofits also gave her a glimpse into how important a good administration is in setting the stage to effectively help people. She decided law school would give her the skills she needed to be an effective administrator, so she returned to higher education for a law degree, graduating in spring 2018. 

With several weeks working in Title IX already behind her, Renshaw said she has a good idea of her immediate goals. Those goals include communicating with students so they feel comfortable interacting with Title IX staff, reaching out to faculty and staff so they have the tools needed to support students when there is a report of gender discrimination or harassment, and ensuring the Title IX process is fair and equitable for both the complainant and the respondent.

Renshaw joins the AAEO office as it undergoes a reorganization. Several new positions have been added:  a new sexual violence prevention specialist that was filled near the end of summer 2018; a director level position that is still open; and two newly added positions, another AAEO investigator specialist to investigate reports and a support measures specialist focused on providing resources for those going through the Title IX process or who have experienced discrimination or sexual misconduct.