Another Title IX coordinator has resigned from Baylor University, making her the third person in a little more than a year to leave the office tasked with investigating reports of rape on campus, according to multiple local media reports. Baylor announced yesterday that Kristan Tucker is leaving the Baptist university, which was at the center of one of the the biggest sexual-assault scandals in recent college football history. Her resignation is effective Jan. 2, the Waco Tribune-Herald reported, although as of this afternoon she already had been removed from the website for Baylor’s Title IX office.
Then-Title IX coordinator Patty Crawford left the office in October of last year, saying it had been impossible to do her job in an environment where, at one point, she was asked to give immunity to football players. This past January, another Title IX officer left, Gabrielle Lyons, and she too said university leaders continued to put up road blocks against her investigations of possible rape.
Baylor did not say in its statement why Tucker was leaving. It said the following, as obtained via KXXV-TV.
During her time at Baylor, Ms. Tucker worked with a team of professionals and attorneys to implement many changes to Baylor’s Title IX processes and policies on behalf of students. The University is grateful for her technical expertise, her support of ongoing strategic initiatives and overall service to Baylor and other campus partners.
A lawyer with Cozen O’Connor, Maureen Holland, will fill in as interim Title IX coordinator until Baylor finds a replacement, the Tribune-Herald reported. Cozen O’Connor is the firm that hired away the original lawyers who investigated Baylor, Gina Maisto Smith and Leslie Gomez, from their previous firm, Pepper Hamilton.