Committee Members
- Amy Santos, Office of the Provost, Chair
- Venetria Patton, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Jim Brennan, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Jason Chambers, College of Media
- Joanne Kaczmarek, University Library
- Rob Kar, College of Law
- Claire Sharples Brooks, Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Sharon Reynolds, Office of the Provost
- David Long, Title VI Office, ex officio
- Collin Richmond, University Counsel, ex officio
Charge Letter
Colleagues,
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is committed to fostering a supportive and welcoming environment free of discrimination and harassment. In alignment with this commitment, the University established the Title VI Office last year to coordinate institutional efforts to comply with and carry out responsibilities under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VI prohibits discrimination, harassment, and related retaliation based on race, color, and national origin (including shared ancestry and ethnic characteristics) in education programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. The Title VI Office is responsible for evaluating and overseeing the resolution of Title VI reports and for offering and implementing appropriate and reasonable supportive measures for individuals involved in such reports.
As we approach the one-year anniversary of the Title VI Office, we invite you to serve on a task force that will provide recommendations to help the University improve the Title VI Office’s role and practices, especially in instances where faculty and academic staff are the focus of complaints. In particular, the task force will focus on identifying ways the University can enhance transparency and understanding of the Title VI Office’s work within the broader campus community.
Specifically, we ask you to consider the following issues:
- Notification/Communication: How can the Title VI Office best communicate with faculty and academic staff about concerns raised through the Title VI process? What information should be included in the notification? Who should be included in the communication process?
- Supportive Measures: For faculty and academic staff who are the subject of a Title VI complaint, what supportive measures can the University offer to help maintain safety and preserve a welcoming and inclusive classroom environment? How can the University continue to affirm its commitment to academic freedom while responding appropriately to concerns raised through the Title VI process?
- Education: How can the University better inform faculty, academic staff, and the broader University community about the policies, procedures, and scope of the Title VI Office? What strategies might improve understanding of the Title VI Office’s role, responsibilities, and limitations?
I would like to receive a written report on the items above by February 16, 2026. If you need additional time, please let me know.
Thank you for your willingness to serve on this task force. Your insights and contributions are deeply valued as we work to strengthen our campus climate and institutional practices.
Sincerely,
John Coleman
Provost
Executive Summary
[The committee] report responds to the Provost’s charge to examine issues related to the operation and campus understanding of the University’s Title VI processes, particularly as they relate to faculty, teaching, and academic freedom. In carrying out its work, the Task Force reviewed institutional data from the Title VI Office, examined relevant institutional and external documents, met with University officials, and gathered input from faculty members and campus administrators.
The Task Force identified several recurring themes. These include questions about how Title VI processes intersect with principles of academic freedom and free expression; concerns about how the role and authority of the Title VI Office are understood in practice; and concerns about transparency and communication surrounding Title VI procedures. The Task Force also heard questions about how the University’s Title VI processes relate to other institutional processes and documents, including the Resolution Agreement with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Mutual Understandings (MU) document. In addition, some experiences and perceptions have led to concerns about how Title VI reporting may affect teaching and classroom discussion of sensitive or contested topics.
Taken together, these themes suggest opportunities to strengthen communication, transparency, and shared understanding of the University’s civil rights obligations and Title VI procedures, as well as how these procedures are implemented and experienced in practice. Addressing these areas may also help mitigate potential misrepresentations about the scope of Title VI and its intersection with academic freedom.
The Task Force therefore recommends steps to enhance clarity, communication, and support while upholding the University’s commitments to nondiscrimination, academic freedom, and free expression. The recommendations fall into four areas:
Notification and Communication. Clarify when faculty members are notified of Title VI reports and ensure that notifications include clear information about the nature and status of the report, relevant institutional commitments to academic freedom and free expression, and available resources. The University should also communicate clearly that the Title VI Office is a non-disciplinary coordinating office and consider sharing high-level aggregate information about reports and outcomes, consistent with privacy requirements, to support campus community understanding.
Supportive Measures. The Office of the Provost should establish access to an advisory resource to assist faculty members who may be involved in the Title VI process. This resource could help faculty understand the process and identify relevant institutional resources. Communications with this advisor should be confidential to the extent permitted by law and University policy.
Education and Outreach. Improve public information about the Title VI Office, including clearer explanations of its role and procedures, as well as clarification of the legal framework governing Title VI.
Institutional Coordination and Implementation. The Task Force recommends that the Provost facilitate and support the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Access, Civil Rights, and Community in working collaboratively with the Office of the Provost, Student Affairs, and other campus units to implement these recommendations through coordinated communication, educational programming, and support.
Together, these steps can strengthen institutional clarity, support confidence in Title VI processes, and advance the University’s commitment to both civil rights protections and the free exchange of ideas central to academic life.