The former Ohio State Title IX coordinator said her somewhat-recent departure wasn’t related to the university’s investigation of its marching band.
Andrea Goldblum said she resigned from her position within the Office of Compliance and Integrity in December 2013 because she felt she was unable to do her job to the best of her ability as a result of internal issues within the office. She came to OSU in 2005 as the director of student conduct before becoming the Title IX coordinator in April 2013.
“I chose to leave OSU because I feel I was not supported, resourced or respected in a way that enabled me to accomplish the goals of Title IX, about which I am passionate,” Goldblum said in an email. “I was not fired or asked to leave.”
Title IX is a section of the Education Amendments of 1972 that aims to protect against discrimination based on sex in education programs that receive federal funding.
She said the search for her replacement started before a highly-publicized two-month investigation into the culture of the marching band became public last week. The results revealed “an environment conducive to sexual harassment” within the band and ousted former director Jonathan Waters.
A few examples listed in the report include an annual band practice in Ohio Stadium that Waters attended where students were expected to march in only their underwear, sexually explicit nicknames that were given to new band members and a case where a female student was told to imitate a sexual act on laps of band members.
OSU spokesman Gary Lewis did not immediately respond to an email Wednesday requesting comment on Goldblum’s remarks.
OSU announced recently that Kellie Brennan, formerly of Columbus State Community College, will be taking on the coordinator role.
Goldblum said she thinks Brennan will be a valuable addition to OSU, as long as she’s given the resources to do her job.
“Brennan is a very capable professional and it is my hope that she will be permitted and supported to do what is required of a Title IX Coordinator,” Goldblum said. “OSU has many wonderful staff who work toward providing a safe campus and who provide a supportive, cohesive and fair response to incidents of sexual violence. I believe Kellie can be a great addition to this group.”
Brennan is set to make $110,004 annually, Lewis said. Goldblum’s annual salary was set at $99,456 when she occupied the position.
In her new role, Brennan will monitor OSU’s efforts to curb and support victims of sexual harassment and sexual violence, in addition to overseeing OSU’s compliance with the Clery Act.
The Clery Act requires colleges and universities to disclose information about crime on and around campus spaces and was designed to make college campus crime information readily available.
