UT president authorizes hiring of more Title IX investigators

AUSTIN, Texas - Following a forum Monday night to discuss sexual misconduct at the University of Texas at Austin, UT president Gregory Fenves has authorized the hiring of two more Title IX investigators.

Fenves announced the authorization in a letter to the UT community.

In the letter, Fenves said that students shared "personal stories and asking difficult questions about how the university addresses, and communicates about, instances of misconduct" at the forum.

Fenves says several students said they are concerned about delays in Title IX investigations. In response to this, Fenves has authorized the Dean of Students’ Title IX Training and Investigations Office to hire two additional investigators to supplement six currently on staff.

Fenves says the additional investigators will allow the office to investigate complaints more quickly. 

Fenves says he has also asked Husch Blackwell, an outside firm reviewing UT’s sexual misconduct policies, to expedite its work and provide recommendations by Feb. 28. Fenves says the university will review the recommendations, hear feedback and use them to inform policy decisions.

Earlier this month, UT Austin released information on sexual misconduct involving faculty, staff, and researchers between November 2017 to December 2019. The release followed a year's worth of activism from UT students, and a records request from FOX 7 Austin. 

The report outlined sexual assault, discrimination, misconduct, violence and stalking incidents involving one research fellow, three faculty and 13 staff members.