Title IX at Drake University

As part of Drake University's response to COVID-19, the Title IX Office is currently offering both remote and in-person access to its services.  For more information about available services, including how to access those services remotely or in-person, please contact Drake's Title IX Coordinator Samantha Nordstrom directly at samantha.nordstrom@vaftizo.com or by calling (515) 271-4956.

Samantha Nordstrom is the University's Title IX Coordinator. Samantha coordinates the University's response to concerns of sexual and interpersonal misconduct in their various forms including:

• Sex-based discrimination (including sex-based harassment, sexual assault, sexual violence, and sexual exploitation);
• Interpersonal misconduct (including domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking); and
• Retaliation against anyone seeking assistance, filing a complaint, or participating in an investigation of sexual or interpersonal misconduct.

If you have experienced sexual or interpersonal misconduct, please know that there are people here who can support you and provide you with resources to help you make informed choices.  On this site, you will find resources and answers to questions you might have, as well as a complete overview of options for reporting any incidents of sexual or interpersonal misconduct.

Training Materials

For information about materials used to train Title IX investigators, adjudicators and other personnel involved in investigating, responding to, coordinating or otherwise assisting in the adjudication of complaints of sexual harassment go to http://syr3.vaftizo.com/titleix/education/.

U.S. Department of Education Regulatory Updates 

• Effective August 14, 2020, Drake has a new Sexual Harassment Policy.
• May 6, 2020: The U.S. Department of Education released its Final Regulations Addressing Sexual Harassment, including a lengthy, 2,000+ page preamble explaining the purpose and addressing the over 124,000 comments that the U.S. Department of Education received regarding the Draft Proposed Title IX Regulations it released in 2018.  Drake University, along with every institution receiving federal financial aid, must comply with these new regulations, which went into effect August 14, 2020.  Individuals with questions or concerns about the new regulations are encouraged to reach out to Samantha Nordstrom, as the Title IX Coordinator here at Drake. 
• January 31, 2019: The U.S. Department of Education released its Draft Proposed Title IX Regulations in November.  The public comment period closed January 30, 2019. The Department received over 100,000 comments and will now work to review those comments and finalize the regulations – there is no timeline or deadline for the final rules.  Drake will review any new regulations to determine whether changes in university policy or procedure are necessary. Regardless, Drake will remain focused on prevention, support, and appropriate and equitable response to complaints.

Drake recognizes the problem of sexual and interpersonal misconduct in our society and continues to take steps to listen to concerns, educate the campus community, and treat reports of sexual and interpersonal misconduct seriously and equitably. Define the Line. Respect the Line. emphasizes that while everybody has the right to determine their own line when it comes to sexual behavior, there is one clear line at Drake: sexual or interpersonal misconduct is not tolerated, accepted, or ignored. Think, talk, learn, listen, and act in a way that respects this line—we are all part of Drake.

There are four principles behind Define the Line. Respect the Line. and the culture we strive to create at Drake: 

Prevention: Education and discussion are crucial to establishing and enforcing our social norms and what we as a community expect at Drake. We must continue to talk about respect and consent.

Communication: More communication is better, both between sexual partners and also in our community, so that people feel comfortable discussing sexuality or sexual violence without fear or judgment.  

Intervention: We have people of outstanding character at Drake. When something does not look right, we should be empowered to trust that intuition and intervene to ensure everyone is comfortable and safe with the situation. 

Support: If you or someone you know experiences sexual or interpersonal misconduct, Drake has staff, resources, and procedures in place that can provide support.

If you are having difficulty accessing or navigating this website, please contact the Title IX Coordinator.