In 2024, Drexel launched an external review focused on institutional response to issues related to discrimination and harassment under Title VI, the federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin. The review also focuses on reviewing, clarifying, and/or updating policies around academic freedom and free speech—and their intersection with our non-discrimination policies—with the goal to protect academic freedom while ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for all members of the Drexel community.

Led by Cozen O’Connor’s Institutional Response Group, the external review enlists faculty, trustees, students, and professional staff to help lead the effort and engage the University community. This effort will benchmark Drexel’s policies and procedures against other universities for effective practices; solicit broad community input; and chart next steps toward ensuring that this work will reflect the values of the Drexel community.

This summer, President John Fry announced the creation and membership of the Advisory Committee and the Drexel Community Engagement Group, both of which are broadly representative of the University community and critical to the review’s success.

Advisory Committee

The Advisory Committee is charged with soliciting broad community input, benchmarking Drexel’s policies and procedures against other universities for effective practices, and charting next steps toward ensuring that this vital work draws on Drexel’s collective expertise and experience while upholding shared institutional values. Supported by Drexel’s Senior Leadership Team, as ex officio members, and external partners from Cozen O’Connor’s Institutional Response Group, Gina Maisto Smith and Leslie Gomez, the members of the Advisory Committee are:

Trustees

Kathleen Reardon
CEO of Hiscox

Levoyd Robinson
CEO and Chief Investment Officer at CFI Partners

Faculty

Naoko Kurahashi Neilson
Associate Professor of Physics, College of Arts and Sciences

Donald F. Tibbs
Professor of Law, Thomas R. Kline School of Law

Christopher Wright
Associate Professor of Science Education, School of Education

Professional Staff

Jennifer Gallagher
Executive Director, People Operations, Department of Human Resources

Youngmoo Kim
Vice Provost for University and Community Partnerships

Students

Joelyne Jacob
College of Computing & Informatics, USGA Civic Engagement Chair

Isabella Villegas
Thomas R. Kline School of Law

Drexel Community Engagement Group

A separate Drexel Community Engagement Group will provide additional critical insight to the Advisory Committee while also serving as its liaison for surfacing specific suggestions or concerns from the broader Drexel community. Members of the Drexel Community Engagement Group are:

Faculty

Richard Frankel
Professor of Law and Director of the Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution Program

Michelle Rogers
Associate Professor, College of Computing & Informatics, and Director of the Women in Tech Initiative

Professional Staff

Sara Aykit
Assistant Director of Student Organization Resource and Finance

Nicole Dalberto
Director for Career Services and Strategic Initiatives, Steinbright Career Development Center

Gina Del Rio Gazzo
Equal Opportunity and Title IX Investigator

Students

Thomas Albero
LeBow College of Business

Ash Karale
College of Arts and Sciences

Senior Leadership Team

Members of Drexel’s Senior Leadership Team overseeing the review include:

Leslie Ashburn-Nardo
Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Office of the Provost

Alison Dougherty
Assistant Vice President, Title IX and EO Coordinator, Office for Institutional Equity and Inclusive Culture

Michael Exler
Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Office of the General Counsel

James Gardner
Special Assistant to the President for Strategic Communications, Office of the President

Niki Gianakaris
Vice President, Strategic Communications, University Marketing and Communications

Kimberly Gholston
Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Office for Institutional Equity and Inclusive Culture

Paul Jensen
Nina Henderson Provost and University Professor

Cassandra Myers
Associate Vice Provost for Research Compliance and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Research & Innovation

Melissa Richman
Deputy to the President, Office of the President

Aleister Saunders
Executive Vice Provost for Research and Innovation

Nicole Sugarman
Associate General Counsel, Office of the General Counsel

Subir Sahu
Senior Vice President for Student Success

Tracy Powell
Senior Vice President, University Marketing and Communications

Mel Singleton
Vice President of Public Safety

Katie Zamulinsky
Associate Vice President and Dean of Student Life

In addition to this Title VI-related review, Drexel also announced a review of the University’s research integrity policies and procedures. Since then, we’ve learned that the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of Research Integrity is planning the first major revision of Public Health Service (PHS) Policies on Research Misconduct since 2005. These revisions are anticipated to be released this summer with an effective date of January 1, 2025. Given this imminent and major regulatory update, we will pause our policy and procedure review until these new regulations are released. This pause will not, however, prevent us from continuing to work on strengthening the systems, trainings, and operational activities related to research integrity that will be required regardless of the new regulations.

The external review team looks forward to working with the Drexel community to benchmark policies and practices, to keep all stakeholders informed, and to continue work toward ensuring a more inclusive and academically robust environment for all the University’s faculty, students, and professional staff. Stay tuned for updates and opportunities to participate.