Cal State hires system’s first coordinator to combat sexual violence

California State University has hired the system’s first coordinator dedicated solely to enforcing gender discrimination laws and combating campus sexual violence, officials announced Friday.

Pamela Thomason will lead efforts at all 23 Cal State campuses to enforce state and federal laws, train faculty, staff, students and administrators, develop new initiatives and assist in investigations of harassment, retaliation and violence complaints.

Thomason, 57, previously served as the sexual harassment and Title IX officer at UCLA, as a regional attorney for the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and as an attorney at the law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.

Her position is believed to be the first representing an entire university system, officials said.

She is “a well-recognized authority on this topic who brings exceptional knowledge and experience with her to the CSU,” said Fram Virjee, Cal State’s executive vice chancellor and general counsel. “Her work will be vital to expanding the education and training of students, faculty and staff to tackle the issue of sexual violence in our campus communities.”

Thomason earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Illinois and a law degree from USC.

Sexual violence has emerged as a top issue on campuses across the country; many have been accused of underreporting or mishandling student complaints.

In June, Cal State Chancellor Timothy White pledged to have compliance officers in place at each campus by June 2015. Thomason will serve as a liaison and advisor to those officers.

Training for all employees, incoming freshmen and transfer students has already been revised, and each campus president has participated in special training sessions, officials said.

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