Missouri State has always been committed to preventing and swiftly and fairly investigating all types of sexual misconduct on campus. Recently the University took a significant step demonstrating its commitment to campus safety.
Title IX coordinator will focus on preventing, investigating sexual misconduct
Last week we hired Jill Patterson as the University’s first full-time Title IX Coordinator. Ms. Patterson will serve as Missouri State’s subject-matter expert on requirements of and compliance with Title IX, the Violence Against Women Act and related federal and state laws.
She will be responsible for investigating and ensuring timely resolution of all reports of sex discrimination, sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking involving members of the University community.
Patterson brings experience as prosecutor
Ms. Patterson was a Greene County prosecuting attorney for almost 15 years, focusing on the areas of domestic violence, child physical and sexual abuse, assaults and sexual assaults. She has also worked as an assistant public defender, chief legal counsel for the Greene County Sheriff’s office, and an attorney with the Keck & Austin law firm. She was appointed by Gov. Jay Nixon to the Child Abuse and Neglect Review Board and was recently elected to the Springfield Public School Board.
I am excited to welcome Ms. Patterson to the University. With her experience investigating and prosecuting cases involving sex offenses and child abuse, she will be able to take our education, prevention and investigation of sexual misconduct to the next level.
Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!