Lynzie De Veres, an experienced administrator and Title IX coordinator, will join Caltech on August 26 as the assistant vice president for equity, equity investigations, and Title IX coordinator.
In this role, De Veres will be responsible for ensuring a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment for students, postdoctoral scholars, staff, and faculty at Caltech. As head of the Equity and Title IX Office, De Veres will serve as the chief administrator overseeing the Institute's compliance with Title IX, the law preventing sex discrimination in educational institutions receiving federal funding, as well as Institute policies related to equal opportunity, discrimination, and harassment.
De Veres most recently served as assistant vice president for diversity and inclusion and Title IX administrator at Claremont McKenna College, where she oversaw the discrimination and harassment policy, managed investigations into policy violations, and supervised the Title IX coordinator and other staff. Prior to that, she served as Claremont McKenna's Title IX coordinator.
"When meeting with Lynzie, I was impressed by her ability to engage people across Claremont McKenna College to create a respectful community," says Julia McCallin, associate vice president for human resources and chief human resources officer. "I look forward to Lynzie joining Caltech and leading the Equity and Title IX Office."
De Veres brings a wealth of experience in higher education, legal compliance, and conflict resolution and mediation. During her time at Claremont McKenna, she facilitated the implementation of climate surveys related to sexual misconduct and led efforts to improve campus culture by conducting harassment prevention trainings for students, staff, and faculty.
"I am so excited to join the Caltech community," De Veres says. "I knew about the importance of Caltech because my grandfather was an engineer who kept an eye on the amazing things happening here. Unfortunately, as a trailblazing African American engineer in the 1940s, my grandfather faced barriers. I know he would be proud that I am able to serve in the Equity and Title IX Office to help provide a safe, inclusive, and respectful learning environment."
De Veres says she is dedicated to ensuring fair and equitable processes to those who are impacted by misconduct, harassment, discrimination, and sexual violence.
"It is important for those who are impacted to understand their options, to ensure that they are able to navigate these processes with as much information as possible," De Veres says. "I look forward to working with students, faculty, staff and postdoctoral scholars, and helping ensure that the Equity and Title IX Office continues to serve as a resource for the community."
Before her time at Claremont McKenna, De Veres worked as the Southern California regional coordinator for admissions services at Arizona State University. She has also demonstrated a commitment to equity and justice through her work with the Service Employees International Union United Long Term Care Workers, where she supported the legal rights of in-home care providers and nursing home workers as a union organizer, as well as her work with The Alliance for Children's Rights, where she partnered with attorneys to advocate for foster youth. De Veres holds a bachelor's degree in sociology from Oberlin College and a law degree from Loyola Marymount University.