Meagan Counley has been appointed Title IX coordinator within the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance.
Counley has served as interim Title IX coordinator since Jan. 3 and helped guide the university’s transition to meet new federal regulations. Her permanent appointment was effective Aug. 1.
“In a time of transition for Title IX professionals nationwide, Meagan provided necessary leadership and outstanding support to our university community as interim coordinator,” said Jake Johnson, associate to the chancellor for institutional equity and compliance. “Her law enforcement experience and commitment to due process will be critical as our Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance evolves to meet the needs of students, faculty and staff.”
Counley has served as the university’s deputy Title IX coordinator and as a senior investigator since 2016. She received a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in criminal justice from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas.
She began a career in law enforcement in 2011 with the Lawrence Police Department in Lawrence, Kansas. Assignments in patrol and juvenile investigations led Counley to Title IX work.
“My passion is for investigations and ensuring that the entire fact-finding process is equal and fair,” Counley said. “It is a huge responsibility and one I will carry forward every day in our work here supporting the entire campus community.”
The Title IX coordinator is responsible for the university’s compliance with federal Title IX regulations, and guiding creation and application of related campus policies. The position also fields sexual misconduct reports and analyzes them to determine whether they require dismissal under Title IX or whether they may be addressed under another provision of the sexual misconduct policy. The coordinator also provides outreach and support measures to the parties and may serve as an investigator if necessary.
Nebraska’s Title IX coordinator is part of an institutional equity and compliance team responsible for all matters involving allegations of discrimination under Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the American Disabilities Act, and Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972. That team’s work includes implementation of new Title IX regulations that went into effect Aug. 14.
Learn more about Title IX policies and procedures on campus.
