Michigan State University President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., M.D., appointed Tanya Jachimiak as the new associate vice president of the Office for Civil Rights and Title IX Education and Compliance, effective Feb. 3.
In this position, she will provide leadership and oversight of MSU’s Prevention, Outreach and Education Department, Office of Institutional Equity and Resolution Office.
“This is an important post for MSU, and we are pleased to have someone with Tanya’s background join us,” Stanley said. “She brings valuable experience in leading complex teams and developing successful programs. She will be a key asset as we continue to expand our relationship violence, sexual misconduct and discrimination prevention and response efforts.”
Jachimiak has more than 20 years of experience in higher education and compliance work. Most recently, she was the Title IX and Section 504 coordinator at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. There, she was responsible for developing and implementing compliance programs and responding to claims in relation to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Violence Against Women Act of 1994, Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act and university regulations.
She also served as the chair of the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center Clery and Title IX Steering Committee; chair of the Wake Forest University Sexual Misconduct Prevention, Policy and Resource Team; chair of the Bias Incident Response Team; co-chair of the President’s Committee on the Intersection of Freedom of Expression, Bias, and Code of Conduct; and a member of the President’s Commission on Race, Equity, and Inclusion and the Council on Inclusion and Diversity.
Before joining Wake Forest, Jachimiak served in a similar capacity as the Title IX coordinator and executive associate director of the Office for Access and Equity at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
“When visiting Michigan State’s campus, I felt a sense of pride,” Jachimiak said. “I hope to carry that pride into the commitment I have for leading a team that is responsible for ensuring a safe and equitable campus for all.”
In addition to her experience in higher education, she has a long history as an attorney, focusing on employment, defense and civil law at several law firms in the Chicago area.
Jachimiak earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a law degree from DePaul University College of Law in Chicago. She is a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys and NASPA, Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.
She will be replacing Robert Kent, who served as interim associate vice president since June 2018. He will stay on in an advisory role until March 1 and then will be returning to the Office of the General Counsel. To learn more about MSU’s Office for Civil Rights, visit civilrights.msu.edu.