Iowa State is in a state of change this academic year.

Among changing numerous head coaches, the university is also in the midst of changing multiple university leadership roles, including: a new Thielen Student Health Center director, a created position of vice president for diversity and inclusion, the search for a new senior vice president for Student Affairs and now, a director of the Office of Equal Opportunity.

The Office of Equal Opportunity’s name is pretty self explanatory in its mission. The office, catering to students and university employees, defines the discrimination and harassment policy; offers resources and information regarding sexual assault; delivers harassment-prevention and recognition training; deals with disability and religious accommodations; handles complaints and more. Those occupying the office have an immense responsibility to uphold a high standard of ethics to ensure everyone at Iowa State has a safe, reliable place to go if they have issues in any of these areas.

The finalists for the job are:

Sharon Abraham, director of the office of diversity and affirmative action at Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti;

Ellyn Bartges, director of the office for institutional equity and access at St. Cloud State University, Minnesota;

Margo Foreman, associate director of the office of equal opportunity at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis;

Jyl Shaffer, Title IX coordinator at the University of Cincinnati.

All of these candidates currently hold positions that would lend themselves to a smooth enough transition into the lead position of equal opportunity at Iowa State.

The ideal candidate must recognize our campus’ specific uniquenesses, especially in light of the heightened awareness across the nation regarding discrimination on college campuses. The Office of Equal Opportunity holds diversity and inclusion training for faculty and staff. This person must be prepared to revamp said training, and deliver it in an effective way. This person must also work closely with other departments, so he or she must be dedicated to coordinate with multiple areas.

At the Sept. 30, 2015, diversity open forum in the Great Hall, one student shared an instance where he went to the Office of Equal Opportunity to file a complaint and received no assistance because when he went to the office no one was there. While that is likely a rare event, the director must be prepared to work with students who aren’t sure of the process.

Lastly, although there is always more work than can be stated, transparency is one of the most key aspects to this position. The director should be open and regularly interact with students on a basis other than if that student is in some sort of distress. The director should make campus aware of what he or she is doing to integrate policy, encourage tolerance and maintain that transparency through any process he or she creates.

The ISU discrimination and harassment policy states: “Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. veteran.

“Iowa State University prohibits harassment, which can be a form of discrimination if it is unwelcome and is sufficiently severe or pervasive and objectively offensive so as to substantially interfere with a person’s work or education.”