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Office of Compliance and Civil Rights (Title IX and DHR)

Newsletter- Anne Githae's First Year

First Year Accomplishments 

In July 2024, Anne Githae, JD, LL.M., joined Fresno State as the inaugural Assistant Vice President for Compliance and Civil Rights (AVP). With deep expertise in law, regulatory compliance, higher education administration, and organizational transformation, AVP Githae was appointed to lead the strategic rebuilding of the university's civil rights infrastructure. Under her leadership, Fresno State formally launched the Office of Compliance and Civil Rights (OCCR), consolidating Title IX and DHR functions into a centralized structure focused on accountability, insitutional alignment, and proactive compliance. 

 

Office Development:

Established Org Chart Phase I, unifying Title IX and DHR within the new Office of Compliance and Civil Rights (OCCR).

Integrated foundational processes: including intake protocols, case triage models, and compliant workflows.

Hired specialized staff: 
Brenda De La Cruz: Intake Coordinator (October, 2024):
Arien Pauls: Confidental Administrative Analyst (June, 2025).
Latoya Rodrick: Prevention and Education Specialist (July, 2025).

Strategic Coordination:

Launched Campus Coordinated Response Teams (CCRT): A cross-functional collaboration among Title IX, DHR, Housing, Campus PD, Student Affairs, and the CARE team.

Created weekly personnel Tuesday Meetings to drive proactive, real-time campus responses. 

Established the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT): A case management body responsible for coordinating responses to Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation (DHR) cases and other cross-departmental concerns; the MDT ensures compliance, improves institutional response, and facilitates prevention strategies through collaborative campus partnerships.

Created OCCR Support Hub to provide transparency for all teams that work with OCCR. 

Emergency and Risk Managment: 

  • Institutionalized emergency removal protocol for students in alignment with CSU Nondiscrimination Policy guidance, ensuring sound, documented, and coordinated responses in high-risk situations.
  • Developed emergency leave protocols for employees under the CSU Nondiscrimination Policy, formalizing decision-making processes, ensuring sound, documented, and coordinated responses in high-risk situations. 

Prevention, Climate and Programming 

  • Launched the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) focused on outreach, education, and prevention. Established SART as a strategic advisor through collaboration with CARE, MDT, and Title IX. 

Recognized by the CSU Chancellor's Office as a Systemwide Best Practice.

Case Management: 

  • Deployed the first OCCR case triage model and case log, resolving a large backlog.

Compliance and Reporting 

  • Submitted comprehensive Chancellor's Office report: SB 808 metrics, climate data, and Clery-aligned stats.
  • Published the inaugural Fresno State Annual Report for transparency in compliance efforts.

Referral and Innovation

  • Created formal campus referral process in Maxient, streamlining internal referrals and reducing lost or untracked cases. 

AVP Appointments and Presentations

  • Led campus-wide training and presentations:
    • MPP 101
    • Dean Leadership Training
    • New Faculty Orientation
    • Managers Meeting Sessions

Appointed to serve on the Fresno State AI Policy, Ethics, and Governance Committee

Caseload Growth and Impact:

In FY 2023-2024, Title IX and DHR processed a total of 164 cases prior to the launch of OCCR.

In FY 2024-2025, under the newly formed Office of Compliance and Civil Rights (OCCR), approximately 340 cases were processed more than double the previous year's volume.

This 107% increase in case processing capacity was achieved despite the office being significantly short-staffed, demonstrating:

  • Stronger systems for intake, triage, and tracking
  • Improved cross-functional coordination
  • A high-performance, accountability-driven culture

This substantial growth underscores the effectiveness of OCCR's centeralized model and signals Fresno State's strengthened commitment to equitable and compliant resolution of Civil Rights matters.