2025-2026
Annual
Report Equity & Compliance Team
Table of Contents The data shared in this report was compiled using the date range of June 1, 2025 - May 31, 2026. Some data may be incomplete due to ongoing processes and investigations. This data was retrieved from Gonzaga’s Maxient case management system, Qualtrics, and/or other survey tools.
Meet the Team ..................... 2 Prevention & Education ..................... 3 Reporting ..................... 5 BIAS and Campus Climate ..................... 6 The Year in Numbers ..................... 7 Compliance Training ..................... 9 Partnerships & Collaboration .................... 10
There is no “I“ in Team Dear Gonzaga Community,
Brice Yates, Ph.D. Director & Title IX Coordinator
Christine Burge Assistant Director, Discrimination & Harassment Prevention
It a privilege to serve as the Director of Harassment and Discrimination Prevention and Title IX Coordinator for Gonzaga University. As Director and Title IX Coordinator my role is to ensure that our campus remains a safe, accessible, and fair environment where every student, faculty member, and staff member can thrive. True academic excellence cannot exist without a bedrock of equity, and true compliance is more than meeting legal minimums; it is about honoring our community's shared humanity. I would like to thank the Equity and Compliance team for the work they continue to do, ensuring GU continues striving to be an equitable and compliant university community.
Bethany Hickey, M.P.A. Assistant Director, Discrimination & Harassment Prevention
David Gomez, M.A. Equity & Compliance Investigator
Kristina Poffenroth Gender-Based Violence Prevention Education Specialist
2
Prevention & Education In AY 25-26, the Gender-Based Violence Prevention Education Specialist supervised three undergraduate Peer Educators: Sophomores Aryana Schiller and Coco Haggen and Senior Reese Ramey. Together, they facilitated workshops on campus related to healthy relationships, boundaries, consent, bystander intervention, and media literacy. Often, they partnered with Resident Advisors to facilitate workshops in the residence halls on campus. Example of flyer from workshops
"I thought it was great talking about how there are lots of different ways to intervene other than directly. All of the examples were amazing to better understand the application of the methods." Anonymous feedback from a Bystander Intervention workshop
50 Post-Workshop survey responses
137
Workshop Attendees
The prevention team also focused on providing much-needed education in accessible formats, such as social media. The peer educators created infographics for Instagram, wrote articles for the Office of Inclusive Excellence’s ‘Diversity Digest,’ and the team recorded five podcast episodes with Instructional Design and Delivery, which will be released in Fall 2026. Below are some examples of the social media content the peer educators created.
3
Prevention & Education Sexual Assault Awareness Month Every April, Gonzaga recognizes Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). SAAM programming is planned with the help of the Sexual Assault Awareness Month Planning Committee, which in AY25-26 included representatives from the Office of Health Promotion, the peer educators, the confidential campus advocate, faculty, and other interested students. This year, the committee planned programming that spanned two weeks in April and included passive programming, such as the informational display on Foley Lawn, and longer programs, such as our “Partners in Prevention” panel for Staff and Faculty on April 8th.
For the second year in a row, we collected “Dear Survivor Letters.” These letters are written by members of the campus community to show support to survivors of sexual violence on our campus. We displayed them in Hemmingson and read them aloud at an event on April 16th. This year, we saw a 107% increase in letter submissions!
4
Reporting TITLE IX OR HARASSMENT & DISCRIMINATION REPORTS 132 Reports Received 82 On-Campus 43 Residential Facilities 23 Off-Campus 6 Online
BIAS REPORTS 84 Reports Received 24 Other On-Campus 23 Residence Halls 16 Classroom 10 Off-Campus 10 Online *Note: Some reports have no location listed
Where our cases are reported from: 2
Campus Security & Public Safety
14
Gonzaga Faculty
56
Gonzaga Staff
22
Gonzaga Student
13
Other referral source
*Primary referral source for the 107 Title IX or Harassment and Discrimination cases
5
BIAS Cases &
Campus Climate
The Bias Incident Assessment and Support (BIAS) Team was created from the 2017 Campus Climate survey results and is housed under the organizational structure of the Equity and Compliance Team. The BIAS Team is made up of staff and faculty members from various areas of campus. The BIAS Team is committed to fostering a campus environment where everyone feels safe and respected. The BIAS Team at GU supports people and groups who experience bias incidents, monitors and reports on those incidents, and recommends educational initiatives to minimize bias. A bias incident is non-criminal conduct, speech, or expression motivated, in whole or in part, by bias or prejudice against an individual or group of people because of their real or perceived characteristics.
During 25-26:
84
BIAS Reports Submitted
Social Identities Targeted*
Reports
44 40
Notification & Response
Notification Only
140 120
Color/Ethnicity/Race
46 100
Gender/Sex
13
Gender Identity/Sexual Orientation
18
80 60 40
Disability
10 20
Age
1
0
20-21 AY
21-22 AY
22-23 AY
23-24 AY
24-25 AY
National Origin
11
BIAS Reports Over Time
Military/Veteran Status
2
*Note: Reports can select more than one targeted identity
Religion
15
25-26 AY
6
The year in review
by the numbers
Case Breakdown: Title IX and Harassment/Discrimination Cases 132 reports were submitted via the online reporting form for both Title IX and Harassment and Discrimination incidents. Sometimes, multiple incident reports are received about the same incident and are combined into one case. Title IX has strict requirements for what falls within its jurisdiction. While some incidents may not fall within the requirements for Title IX, the Harassment and NonDiscrimination policy covers prohibited behaviors not under the jurisdiction of Title IX.
43
Unique Harassment/ Discrimination Cases
7
Complainant - Someone who was allegedly harmed by another person. Respondent - The person accused to have caused harm to another.
86
Alleged Respondents
121
Complainants
Allegation Themes and Respondent Type Harassment Stalking
Unique Title IX Cases
64
Key Terms:
Sexual Assault Relationship Violence
Employee Respondent Unknown or unaffiliated
Discrimination
17
8
Student Respondent
23
10 37
79
56 28
The year in review
by the numbers
Investigations Break Down Once a case is created, a process is triggered that begins with outreach and can result in a number of outcomes. Some outreach attempts never receive a response, but the Equity and Compliance Team still attempts outreach at least three times and sends resource information to the Complainants. When a response is received, the Director and Title IX Coordinator will meet with the Complainant and review their options. Since our process is complainant driven, sometimes that only results in the Complainant requesting supportive measures. The Complainant can also choose to file a formal complaint if the Respondent falls under Gonzaga’s jurisdiction. If a formal complaint is filed, the Director and Title IX Coordinator conducts an analysis to determine whether the allegations meet the threshold for a potential policy violation, identifies which policy the allegations fall under, and then assigns the complaint to an investigator.
107 14 13% Unique Cases
Outreach Letters Sent 123 Initial Outreach 105 Second Outreach 81 Third Outreach
Investigations
of cases went to investigation
43
Intakes Conducted
So, what’s in an investigation?
101
Witnesses Contacted
96
Interviews Scheduled
Over
440
Pieces of Evidence Reviewed
8
Compliance Training Regulatory requirements for the Equity and Compliance Team include providing compliance and policy trainings to students, staff, and faculty. This typically includes an intensive period of training student athletes, leaders, and faculty during summer orientation but also includes trainings throughout the academic year for new employees and trainings requested by community members. In keeping with the team's commitment to continuous quality improvement, the Equity and Compliance Office implemented a post-training survey during the 25-26 AY.
“It was great that it went very efficiently!” “This was really informative thank you!”
797
Staff, Faculty, and Students Received Trainings
419 52% Post-Training Survey Responses
Survey Response Rate
“Really engaging!”
9
Data Point
Results
Knowledge rating before and after training
6.49 BEFORE 8.71 AFTER
Training effectively provided information on Title IX and Harassment/ Discrimination Policies at GU
86% Strongly Agree 13% Somewhat Agree 1% Strongly Disagree
Facilitators were knowledgeable about these topics
94% Strongly Agree 5% Somewhat Agree 1% Strongly Disagree
Facilitators were welcomeing and approachable
92% Strongly Agree 7% Somewhat Agree 1% Strongly Disagree
Sections that needed more clarity or information
Student and Staff Resources Scenarios and Roleplays Mandatory Reporting Requirements
Collaborations &
Partnerships
Sexual & Relationship Violence Prevention Committee Established This year, the Equity and Compliance Team established a campus-wide Sexual and Relationship Violence Prevention (SRVP) Committee. The SRVP Committee embodies Gonzaga’s Jesuit values of cura personalis (care for the whole person) and solidarity with one another. Preventing sexual and relationship violence is not the work of one office or one initiative. Rather, it is a collective effort that calls upon the conscience, courage, and compassion of our entire community. Committee membership includes campus partners from the Office of Health Promotion, Campus Security and Public Safety, Athletics, and Housing and Residence Life, as well as faculty and students. This membership make up ensures our work is informed by diverse voices and perspectives from across campus, working together toward the common goal of creating a welcoming, safe, inclusive, and more just learning environment. This year, the committee’s focus was on implementing a sustainable, campus-wide bystander intervention program. Through thoughtful collaboration, evidence-based inquiry, and deep listening to student and expert feedback, SRVP identified and selected a program that empowers every member of our community to recognize, respond to, and most critically prevent harm. SRVP is excited to begin implementation of Bringing in the Bystander during the 26-27 AY!
Special Thank You to our Partners! Office of Health Promotion Resolution Center for Student Conduct & Conflict Housing & Residence Life Sodexo
Athletics University Ministry Health and Counseling Services Center for Cura Personalis
Campus Security & Public Safety Lincoln LGBTQ+ Resource Center
Faculty Partners
10
Thank you!
Equity & Compliance Team Contact Us: titleix@gonzaga.edu 509-313-6910
@gonzagaecp