TO THE EDITOR:
I was deeply troubled upon reading Brenda Richardson Malone’s email from Nov. 1 where she informed the UNC community that they have decided to hire Howard Kallem for the crucial position of Title IX compliance coordinator. Between him and Ew Quimbaya-Winship, that would mean that both permanent positions at UNC’s Title IX Office have thus far been given to older white men.
To be clear: I truly value their services as allies in the fight against sexism and interpersonal violence, and I know they’re both highly qualified. However, part of their job involves being the first point of administrative contact when a UNC student is assaulted. I believe that survivors must be able to talk to people they are comfortable with about their experiences, and as a survivor, I know that I never would have been willing to talk to a man about my sexual abuse.
Additionally, people of color may not feel comfortable speaking with a white person about personal or traumatic experiences. If a survivor wants to speak to a woman and/or person of color, the people at the Title IX Office must search outside of their office to find someone for the survivor to talk to.
This seems unnecessary and easily fixable. In that same email, Malone stated that Chancellor Folt has committed to creating two new positions within the Title IX Office, for which they will soon start recruiting. In order to rectify this situation, I ask those responsible for the hiring process to remember that a lack of inclusivity should never prevent people from getting what they need.
Tomiko Hackett ’15
Women’s and gender studies
Psychology
