Patty Crawford has resigned as Baylor’s Title IX Coordinator on Monday night, as more developments emerged about the ongoing sexual assault lawsuit against Baylor University.
KXAN reports Crawford, who was responsible for executing the school’s response to alleged Title IX violations and the subsequent mess, has handed in her resignation to Baylor after she was “disappointed in her role implementing recommendations that resulted from the Pepper Hamilton investigation.”
Hamilton made 105 recommendations to Baylor about leadership, restorative remedies, culture change and training efforts for the university to improve, and Crawford admitted to “failing to utilize” the list of recommendations.
Baylor released a statement (obtained by KXAN) regarding her resignation.
“Baylor University tonight announces the resignation of Patty Crawford as the University’s Title IX Coordinator. Our understanding is that Patty was disappointed in her role in implementing the recommendations that resulted from the Pepper Hamilton investigation. The University is grateful for Patty’s leadership in establishing fair and equitable Title IX processes that are also supportive of the needs of survivors. We will always seek to continuously improve and are confident that the very capable Title IX staff will continue the important work of educating, supporting and responding to the needs of those impacted by interpersonal violence.”
The resignation comes at the same time two more women have been added to a federal lawsuit against Baylor for not sufficiently investigating sexual assaults. More than eight women are now plaintiffs against the university. The allegations led to the resignations of Baylor president Ken Starr and the firing of men’s football head coach Art Briles.
The university has fumbled its response to the sexual assault allegations with Crawford’s resignation being the latest proof of incompetence from Baylor higher-ups. The news comes on the heels of Brenda Tracy, a sexual assault survivor, visiting the football team, only to have an assistant claim the alleged crimes at Baylor were “unfounded” and “nothing happened.”
Crawford’s resignation might lead to a more aggressive approach in taking the alleged crimes more seriously at Baylor, but, unfortunately, there’s still plenty to fix.
[KXAN]
