From the moment she started law school, Llen Pomeroy knew she鈥檇 pursue a career focused on creating greater access and inclusion for people who have been marginalized and underrepresented.听
She began her legal career focused on the application of laws designed to protect individuals from sexual misconduct and discrimination based on protected-class status such as age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, religion, ethnicity and race. After arriving at CU Boulder in 2005, her focus expanded to include the same protections in the higher education environment.
鈥淔ederal civil rights laws are responsible for profound changes in the workforce and for creating educational opportunities for millions of students,鈥� said Pomeroy, who recently stepped into the role of interim associate vice chancellor and Title IX coordinator for the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance at CU Boulder.
Leaving a career as a civil rights attorney behind in her native New York, she headed west in 2005, and her career path at CU Boulder began in the former Office of Discrimination and Harassment鈥擮IEC鈥檚 predecessor. There, she spent nearly a decade investigating reports of sexual misconduct, discrimination and harassment cases inolving campus employees.
In 2014, the Office of Discrimination and Harassment became OIEC under the leadership of Valerie Simons, and Pomeroy was instrumental in shaping the new office鈥檚 vision and structure as a consolidated campus resource dedicated to addressing reports of sexual misconduct and protected-class discrimination and harassment among faculty, staff and students.
In 2018, she became assistant vice chancellor and deputy Title IX coordinator for OIEC and, this fall, stepped into her new role when Simons, her predecessor, mentor and former boss, departed CU Boulder to serve as the chief compliance officer and Title IX coordinator for the four-campus CU system.
As CU Boulder鈥檚 new Title IX chief, Pomeroy now leads a team of 20 staff members, including investigators, educators, program assessment specialists and staff responsible for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Together, her team works to 鈥渇oster a safe, inclusive and accessible environment for students, faculty and staff,鈥� she said.
Since coming to CU Boulder nearly 17 years ago, Pomeroy has seen the campus鈥檚 education and prevention efforts grow substantially鈥攆rom the scope of ADA compliance to university policies designed to address sexual misconduct, discrimination and harassment.
鈥淭he commitment of CU Boulder鈥檚 administration to go beyond mere compliance and strive to become a national leader in this space has been inspiring,鈥� she said.
Pomeroy takes great pride in the fact that, since 2014, OIEC has employed 鈥渁 comprehensive and integrated approach鈥� for case resolutions, education, assessment, support services and ADA accommodations. Under OIEC鈥檚 leadership, CU Boulder:
- Became the first university in the country to implement mandatory Bystander Intervention training for all incoming first-year and transfer students; each year OIEC conducts hundreds of sessions for thousands of students, faculty and staff.
- Created the Don鈥檛 Ignore It public awareness campaign and a companion website that provides reporting options, strategies to address concerns, support resources on and off campus and skills to help others.
- Revised university policies, campus procedures and education programs to comply with new federal Title IX regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Education in 2020 to address sexual misconduct on college campuses; under Pomeroy鈥檚 leadership, OIEC implemented revised investigative procedures for all campus sexual misconduct cases in response to the new federal guidelines.
- Administered the 2021 Campus Culture Survey this fall in partnership with the Office of Data Analytics as part of the campus鈥檚 efforts to address systemic underrepresentation, to become more diverse and inclusive, and to promote an anti-racism culture; it was the first time in university history that OIEC and ODA administered the survey for all students, faculty and staff. Participation included 71% of staff, 55% of faculty, 43% of graduate students and 25% of undergraduate students completing the survey.
鈥淲e have worked extraordinarily hard over the past 18 months to ensure that university and campus policies are in compliance with new federal regulations and state law, while at the same time staying laser focused on our mission to ensure a safe nondiscriminatory environment and a process that is fair and equitable to all parties,鈥� Pomeroy said.
In life and in work, Pomeroy has always sought solutions.
鈥淐ampus policies, procedures and programming need to be evaluated and reshaped continuously to meet the needs of the community. My mission is to continue CU Boulder鈥檚 legacy of innovation and meaningful progress in the development of policies, case resolutions and prevention efforts,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 happen overnight, but my experience tells me that we can effectuate significant progress if we remain committed to listening to the experiences of students, faculty and staff, and respond accordingly.鈥�
Pomeroy also recognizes and appreciates that she is part of the very same community that OIEC serves.
CU Boulder has become her 鈥渉ome,鈥� she said, and she wants the campus鈥檚 programs and policies 鈥渢o reflect the very best of who we are as an educational institution and the values we stand for.鈥�
听Get to know Llen
- Name: Llen (pronounced 鈥淓llen鈥�) Pomeroy听
- Title: Interim Associate Vice Chancellor and Title IX Coordinator, OIEC
- Degrees: Brown University, bachelor鈥檚 degree in American studies; New York University School of Law, juris doctorate
- Hometown: New York City
- Little-known facts: Pomeroy is mom to two boys, ages 10 and 14. She is an active volunteer at the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless and a lover of all animals, big and small. She can often be found on weekends running or walking with her labrador retrievers, Shluffy and Chungus.
听What is Title IX?
Enacted in 1972, Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational settings that receive federal funds. Last year, the U.S. Department of Education announced rule changes to the pioneering law regarding the adjudication of sexual misconduct cases on college campuses and in K-12 schools. The new regulations apply to the entire CU system of four campuses and have led to updates to the systemwide Sexual Misconduct Policy.
听Questions or feedback
If you have questions about Title IX or would like to provide feedback about any of CU Boulder鈥檚 policies, procedures, or educational programming, contact the OIEC.
听Don鈥檛 Ignore It
There are options听for seeking confidential support, reporting concerns, and learning skills for helping others. Don't ignore mental health concerns, racism, harassment, discriminatory actions, unwanted sexual behavior, abuse in a relationship, stalking, other interpersonal violence, and abusive conduct.
