Natasha Stephens has been appointed Wichita State’s new Title IX coordinator.

Before Stephens’ appointment, one person headed the Title IX and the Equal Employment Opportunity roles and approximately one month ago, the position was split in two.  

“It’s not all sports,” Stephens said. “Essentially, any institution that is receiving any federal fund of any kind, they need to make sure that they are practicing and provide adequate equal accessib-le for all on their campus.”

Title IX is a federal law requiring any educational program receiving federal funds to be gender equal. At WSU, the term “Title IX” has recently been brought up in conversations regarding a possible new football program.

“Particularly, we need to make sure there isn’t any discrimination of a sexual nature at the institution,” she said.

A new football program would bring in scholarships directed toward male athletes. Title IX would require equity in funding toward female athletes.

“I’m a sports person,” Stephens said, “(But), I think that it is yet to be determined what that looks like…  There are a lot of different parts at play. As conversation evolves, we’ll determine what that looks like.”

Items that could fall into a Title IX investigation include sexual harassment, sexual violence, intimate partner violence and sexual-in-nature discrimination.

Stephens said she likes to talk with people and wants to minimize the idea that talking with her means starting an investigation.

“I want to make sure my students know they could come talk to me about their issues and concerns,” Stephens said. “I’m the Title IX coordinator, but you can still walk with me and talk with me. It can be nothing to do with Title IX. I’m all for it.”

Stephens earned a doctorate in educational studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, with an emphasis in higher education administration. She received her master’s in higher education educational leadership from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, and her bachelor’s in business administration from Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic, Connecticut.

Before she completed her bachelor’s degree, she worked in the admissions office at ECSU. A mentor suggested she combine her business administration degree with her change in focus to education by being a resident assistant in university housing. Stephens said it stuck, which has given her a variety of experience with a focus on students.

In the month she has been at Wichita State, she has worked to build relationships on and off campus.

“I’ve been doing a lot of reading up on what’s going on in the news, taking a look at policy to see what’s in place right now — so I have a better understanding of what our processes are right now — and reaching out to other institutions to touch base with (their) Title IX offices and coordinators.”

Stephens also said she’s been meeting with student organizations during the day, attending on-campus events such as Student Government Association meetings and walking the campus to become better acquainted with the environment.

Stephens has also connected with local groups such as the Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center to collaborate for the Take Back the Night event coming up in April.

Moving forward, she has plans for a Title IX marketing campaign and a student forum.

She said she didn’t see many promotional fliers for Title IX around campus while she’s been exploring. She wants to set up a contest allowing students to vote on what a Title IX campaign would look like. She said she is hoping to roll out the new posters in the fall after Wednesday’s student forum in the Pike Room in the Rhatigan Student Center.

“I may be new to Shocker Nation, but definitely feel my skill set and my experiences can be an asset to the institution,” she said. “As well, I can learn a lot being a part of Shocker Nation.”