Elizabeth Schrock, EdD, MSW, has been named assistant vice chancellor and Title IX coordinator for the Office of Equity at the University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus.
In her new post, Schrock will provide leadership, oversight and direction for the Office of Equity, including in the areas of case resolutions, supportive and safety measures, and prevention, education and training.
“We are excited to welcome Elizabeth into this dual-campus role,” said Valerie Simons, chief compliance officer and system Title IX coordinator. “She has extensive experience in the areas of prevention and response to incidents of protected-class discrimination and harassment and sexual misconduct. She has led numerous evidence-based and research-informed initiatives in the areas of equity and inclusion.”
Schrock had been the Title IX officer and discrimination, harassment and retaliation administrator at California State University, Dominguez Hills, since 2016 and launched and led the university’s first Office of Equity and Inclusion (formerly Title IX Office). She holds a bachelor of arts degree from Michigan State University, a master of social work from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a doctorate in education specializing in educational leadership from California State University, Long Beach.
Schrock succeeds Will Dewese, MEd, who assumed the role of interim director of the Office of Equity and Title IX coordinator on Nov. 1, 2021. Dewese, who has been at CU since 2009 and the Office of Equity since 2015, will remain a key leader for CU Denver | Anschutz in the Office of Equity, assisting with the onboarding of Schrock and developing adaptable resolution solutions to assist parties with resolving disputes collaboratively and as an alternative to traditional complaint resolution processes.
“We are incredibly grateful for Will’s steady leadership during the past year as the campuses navigated a number of challenges, and we are excited he will continue to play a key role in the continued development of adaptable resolution options,” Simons said.
At CU Denver | Anschutz, Schrock is excited to continue the work she performed at UC Dominguez Hills, which included leadership of proactive programs designed to ensure an inclusive campus climate.
“I am passionate about prevention, from the primary prevention that occurs before bias-related incidents to the tertiary preventive interventions that occur after an incident and aim to prevent future harm,” Schrock said. “After years of implementing prevention programs and writing a dissertation on the impact of online sexual harassment prevention, I am on a mission to change the way that we think about prevention education from the traditional, stand-alone workshop to comprehensive, targeted, integrated interventions and messaging. For me, the biggest reward is seeing the impact of preventive interventions, especially when it leads to systemic change.”
Schrock said she was attracted to the position at CU Denver | Anschutz for the opportunity to work with two campuses within the CU system unified in their mission to intentionally focus on equity and inclusive excellence. She added, “I was especially excited about the opportunity to adapt my expertise implementing equity programs to the CU Anschutz Medical Campus because many of my family members and friends work in the medical field.”
Schrock joined the Office of Equity on Sept. 12, 2022.