The University of Utah’s Office of General Counsel announced that Jess Morrison has been appointed director of the Office of Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and Title IX.
Morrison has been working as interim director since January.
“OEO has an essential role in creating and preserving a university campus that is safe and welcoming for all,” said Phyllis Vetter, general counsel and vice president. “Jess Morrison has demonstrated the wisdom, experience and leadership we need at this critical time in higher education.”
Along with other colleges and universities across the country, the U this year is implementing sweeping changes to Title IX, the federal anti-discrimination law first adopted in 1972.
As director, Morrison serves as the university’s Title IX coordinator and is responsible for overseeing the U’s response to reports and complaints of possible sex discrimination, including sexual harassment. He leads a team of 16 employees, including five investigators and attorneys.
“I look forward to advancing the critical mission of ensuring a fair and equitable environment, empowering our students, faculty and staff to learn, teach, conduct research, and deliver exceptional health care,” Morrison said.
Morrison has extensive experience in anti-discrimination investigation and compliance, working for Goldman Sachs for several years before he joined OEO as an Equal Opportunity Consultant in 2019. Morrison has a degree in anthropology and literature from the University of Notre Dame, a master of arts in social sciences from the University of Chicago, and is a graduate of the University of Utah’s S.J. Quinney College of Law. He worked as a human rights fellow in Kathmandu, Nepal.
In addition to responding to the new Title IX regulations, Morrison highlights that the OEO has managed significant events this year including assisting students, staff and faculty, who seek to ensure they are being compliant with other state and federal laws.
“The changes we have made to university policy are consistent with state law, more efficient for the university, and far more trauma-informed for all individuals who participate in an OEO process,” Morrison said.
The (OEO) is dedicated to providing a fair and equitable environment for all members of the University campus community to pursue their academic and professional goals. OEO staff ensure University practices and policies comply with federal and state law.
The director also serves as the university’s ADA/Section 504 Coordinator and, as such, is responsible for overseeing the university’s efforts to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The ADA and the Rehabilitation Act mandate that all university programs and facilities be accessible for faculty, staff, and students. They also require that the university ensure public access to U of U Healthcare, services, and programs and maintain prompt and equitable processes for responding to complaints.