The Case of Baylor University Patty Crawford, the Title IX coordinator at Baylor from November 2014 to October 2016, was hired to coordinate the institution’s Title IX compliance when this case took place (Baylor University, n.d.). Like all Title IX coordinators, Crawford’s role was a comprehensive administrative role that bears the responsibility of ensuring that campuses prevent and respond to gender discrimination, including sexual misconduct. This role spans duties related to grievance process management, victim assistance, organization management, and climate management (Lake, 2017). In addition to managing the institution’s compliance, Title IX coordinators also craft comprehensive training and awareness strategies to ensure students, employees, and other campus stakeholders are aware of how to identify and report sexual misconduct and what resources are available to students regardless of whether they choose to proceed with the grievance process. Crawford alleged that she was “set up to fail” and voiced to multiple media outlets that the harder she worked to address a culture of normalized sexual assault, the more resistance she experienced from her employer (Baylor University, n.d.; KWTX, 2016; Lavigne & Schlabach, 2016). Official Responses by Baylor University Pepper Hamilton Report The Hamilton report found that Baylor did not give the Title IX office the resources or the infrastructure to effectively investigate Title IX complaints, which led to some cases not receiving a hearing (Baylor University, 2016a). The investigation also found that the athletic department acted above the rules in how it handled investigations and disciplinary measures within the department (Baylor University, 2016a). Specifically, in several cases, athletic staff met individually with the complainant, instead of reporting concerns to the Title IX office. The Hamilton report recommended that Baylor: commit sufficient infrastructure and resources for the Title IX office; consider independent athletics compliance oversight; create a culture within the football program that ensures that reporting, investigation, and disciplinary actions involving college athletes and athletics department staff are managed in the same manner as all other students and staff on campus; college athletes are held accountable to the same standards as all Baylor students. Conclusion: Institutional Betrayal Over Sexual Assault at Baylor University This case demonstrates the ways that a series of individual decisions can amount to system-level failures. In some cases, it may be lack of awareness and understanding, lack of infrastructure, training, or failure to follow protocols in place. The end result illustrates well the concept of institutional betrayal that refers to contexts in which institutions fail to follow systems of protection put in place to protect its members (Smith & Freyd, 2014). Being betrayed by an institution, either through action or inaction, can exacerbate the impact of an underlying traumatic experience, such as a sexual assault, and lead to adverse health outcomes (Freyd, 2018; Smith & Freyd, 2014). The betrayal can occur in situations when a person credibly exposes abuse, and an institution prioritizes their reputation over accepting responsibility and instead denies fault, silences reporting parties, and/or seeks to cover up abuse. Think about the following: at Baylor University, institutional ethics and the behavior of its leaders contributed to violations with Title IX compliance. accusations from women at Baylor accused athletes of sexual assault that led to indictments and convictions the university filed motions to dismiss many Title IX lawsuits but all of the motions were denied. the leaders at Baylor were in a position to address serious accusations but chose to contribute to the problems at the university by not practicing ethical responsibility Discuss institutional betrayal and what fosters such a phenomenon. What responsibility did the university have to the women who made the accusations and in recruiting athletes? Also, discuss the challenges encountered by the Title IX coordinator in complying with the regulations and how could the university leadership have acted responsibly.
The Case of Baylor University
Patty Crawford, the Title IX coordinator at Baylor from November 2014 to October 2016, was hired to coordinate the institution’s Title IX compliance when this case took place (Baylor University, n.d.). Like all Title IX coordinators, Crawford’s role was a comprehensive administrative role that bears the responsibility of ensuring that campuses prevent and respond to gender discrimination, including sexual misconduct. This role spans duties related to grievance process management, victim assistance, organization management, and climate management (Lake, 2017). In addition to managing the institution’s compliance, Title IX coordinators also craft comprehensive training and awareness strategies to ensure students, employees, and other campus stakeholders are aware of how to identify and report sexual misconduct and what resources are available to students regardless of whether they choose to proceed with the grievance process. Crawford alleged that she was “set up to fail” and voiced to multiple media outlets that the harder she worked to address a culture of normalized sexual assault, the more resistance she experienced from her employer (Baylor University, n.d.; KWTX, 2016; Lavigne & Schlabach, 2016).
Official Responses by Baylor University
Pepper Hamilton Report
The Hamilton report found that Baylor did not give the Title IX office the resources or the infrastructure to effectively investigate Title IX complaints, which led to some cases not receiving a hearing (Baylor University, 2016a). The investigation also found that the athletic department acted above the rules in how it handled investigations and disciplinary measures within the department (Baylor University, 2016a). Specifically, in several cases, athletic staff met individually with the complainant, instead of reporting concerns to the Title IX office. The Hamilton report recommended that Baylor:
- commit sufficient infrastructure and resources for the Title IX office;
- consider independent athletics compliance oversight;
- create a culture within the football program that ensures that reporting, investigation, and disciplinary actions involving college athletes and athletics department staff are managed in the same manner as all other students and staff on campus;
- college athletes are held accountable to the same standards as all Baylor students.
Conclusion: Institutional Betrayal Over Sexual Assault at Baylor University
This case demonstrates the ways that a series of individual decisions can amount to system-level failures. In some cases, it may be lack of awareness and understanding, lack of infrastructure, training, or failure to follow protocols in place. The end result illustrates well the concept of institutional betrayal that refers to contexts in which institutions fail to follow systems of protection put in place to protect its members (Smith & Freyd, 2014). Being betrayed by an institution, either through action or inaction, can exacerbate the impact of an underlying traumatic experience, such as a sexual assault, and lead to adverse health outcomes (Freyd, 2018; Smith & Freyd, 2014). The betrayal can occur in situations when a person credibly exposes abuse, and an institution prioritizes their reputation over accepting responsibility and instead denies fault, silences reporting parties, and/or seeks to cover up abuse.
Think about the following:
- at Baylor University, institutional ethics and the behavior of its leaders contributed to violations with Title IX compliance.
- accusations from women at Baylor accused athletes of sexual assault that led to indictments and convictions
- the university filed motions to dismiss many Title IX lawsuits but all of the motions were denied.
- the leaders at Baylor were in a position to address serious accusations but chose to contribute to the problems at the university by not practicing ethical responsibility
Discuss institutional betrayal and what fosters such a phenomenon. What responsibility did the university have to the women who made the accusations and in recruiting athletes? Also, discuss the challenges encountered by the Title IX coordinator in complying with the regulations and how could the university leadership have acted responsibly.
Trending now
This is a popular solution!
Step by step
Solved in 2 steps
