Lafayette College recently hired a new Title IX coordinator and director of institutional equity, filling a position vacant since September.
“In the world that we live in and the institutions we’re at, I ensure people are treated appropriately and that people are not discriminated against, harassed or sexually assaulted,” said Karen Salvemini, the new coordinator. “People deserve to live in an inclusive, welcoming and safe environment, and that’s really important to me.”
Salvemini — a Lehigh Valley native and lawyer by training — moved into her office last Monday, departing from Lehigh University, where she acted as its Title IX coordinator.
Salvemini said that the Title IX process at Lafayette could see changes, however, the coordinators only have so much freedom in staying aligned with federal and state laws regarding harassment and discrimination.
“I expect that we’ll update our policy and we’ll take a look over the next days and weeks to see what changes we would like to see,” she said.
Vice President for Inclusion Ernest Jeffries, who served as the interim Title IX coordinator, commended Salvemini for her decade-long experience in equity and Title IX, supported by her “strong” legal background.
“Her exceptional ability to connect with campus community members distinguished her throughout the search process,” Jeffries wrote in an email. “She received overwhelmingly positive feedback from faculty, staff, and students alike.”
Salvemini will be responsible for managing Lafayette’s compliance with “state and federal laws relating to discrimination, harassment, sexual misconduct, dating/domestic violence, and stalking,” according to the position’s job description. She will lead investigations into Title IX complaints, assess the effectiveness of Lafayette’s policies and lead educational programs.
Having grown up and worked in the area of the college, Salvemini said she believes the Lehigh Valley offers a number of resources for victims of harassment and discrimination, such as Turning Point of the Lehigh Valley and Crime Victims Council of the Lehigh Valley.
“The college will continue to utilize those community resources, and I’ll continue to work with them and build relationships more,” she said.
Salvemini has worked in her field for 16 years, noting that the job comes with emotional difficulties. She said that the office culture of the college seems like one that will foster a healthy environment for this type of position.
“My experience has been that every institution has their own culture and their own way of doing things and their own way of having conversations around these topics,” she said. “So I’m really excited about that.”
