Allison O’Connell will step down as Dartmouth’s Title IX/Clery compliance officer on April 6. A national search for her replacement has begun. Kristi Clemens, assistant dean of student affairs and director of case management, will serve as interim Title IX coordinator through the end of June.

Announcing the staffing change, Interim Provost David Kotz said that O’Connell is relocating to Seattle with her partner, who will begin a residency in internal medicine at the University of Washington Medical Center in May.

A former assistant district attorney for Suffolk County, Mass., O’Connell joined the Title IX office in September 2016 and was appointed compliance officer last August. “During her time in these roles, she has worked closely with students, faculty, and staff to educate our community and to respond to reports of sex discrimination and sexual misconduct,” says Kotz. “Allison is widely respected across campus and will be sorely missed.”

Kotz says Clemens is well positioned to assume O’Connell’s responsibilities for the remainder of the academic year, as the national search proceeds.

“As director of case management, Kristi has partnered with a wide variety of campus resources, including the Title IX coordinator, to address individual student needs and promote campus safety. Kristi also currently serves as a deputy Title IX coordinator, and so has a full understanding of the Title IX/Clery roles and responsibilities, and knows our community well.”

Dartmouth created the Title IX coordinator position in 2014 as part of a comprehensive effort to centralize coordination of ongoing compliance with regulatory requirements and to reduce the incidence of high-risk and harmful behavior on campus.

Clemens will serve as the College official responsible for ensuring compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the law that bars sex discrimination in federally funded education programs, and with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, which requires universities to report on policies and statistics concerning campus safety and related matters.

Charlotte Albright can be reached at charlotte.e.albright@dartmouth.edu.