By Aislinn Keely
Kareem Peat, J.D., Ed.M., will take up the post of Fordham’s Title IX coordinator, wrote Thomas A. Dunne, vice president for administration, in a university-wide correspondence. Peat will begin work at the university on Aug. 6.
A graduate of University of Michigan, New York University Law School and Harvard School of Education, Peat previously served as Cornell’s lead Title IX investigator and deputy Title IX coordinator for investigations. He later ascended to the position of acting Title IX coordinator at Cornell.
Peat has experience in handling investigations, determining jurisdictions and overseeing university compliance efforts with state laws, according to Dunne.
Fordham’s previous Title IX Coordinator, Anastasia Coleman, left the office to return to the public sector last February. The University subsequently formed a search committee composed of Dunne, Dean of Arts & Sciences Faculty Eva Badoska, General Counsel Elaine Crosson, Senior VP for Student Affairs Jeff Gray, VP for Human Resources Kay Turner and Chief Diversity Officer Raphael Zapata. Dunne thanked the other members of the committee in his email.
“Their hard work and insight were enormously helpful in filling the position with a candidate who is both highly qualified and a good fit for the University,” he said.
Patricia Scaglione, an investigator at Fordham’s department of public safety, acted as interim Title IX coordinator since Feb. 5. Dunne thanked Scaglione for her service in the role.
The Title IX office added a new position in the past year, when an investigation into comments made by Christopher Rodgers, dean of student life, led to the creation of a First Deputy Title IX Coordinator to give students an additional resource. Students had complained Rodgers’ comments during the Title IX portion of resident assistant training were inappropriately politicized and insensitive. The investigation determined that Rodgers was not in violation of university policies. Michelle Burris, associate vice president for student affairs, now serves as First Deputy, while Rodgers retains the Deputy Title IX Coordinator position.
Peat’s hiring comes a year after the Department of Education released interim guidance allowing institutions greater freedom in writing sexual misconduct policies. Under Coleman, Fordham did not amend its misconduct policies.
