Brett Maciech
bmaciech@uwyo.edu
Despite the recent state-hiring freeze, a position is being created for a UW sexual assault investigator.
A vacancy in the university staff is being filled with the sex assault investigator position, as Dean of Students Sean Blackburn has been responsible for the duties until now, he said.
Because the job is being created using a staff vacancy, no new jobs are being created by the sex assault investigator position. The vacancy was created using Dean Helen Alatorre’s place on staff who formerly worked for ASUW and Greek Life.
Blackburn said he is narrowing his search for someone to fill the sex assault investigator position that has become a possibility due to a recent staff vacancy. The position and job description will be posted soon, Blackburn said, adding that he expects to have the position filled before the end of semester.
“As the dean of students, one of the things I do is investigate those complaints when they come in, when it’s student-on-student, or when they’re accused as a student,” Blackburn said. “It has absorbed an increasingly large share of my job, and it’s kind of hard to be the dean of students and be able to do that work so it’s going to be important to have someone who is dedicated and focused on that task.”
Blackburn said the position has become a full-time job, and it is necessary that someone dedicate his or her time and effort to this need. He added he has been looking into someone taking over the duties since he took the position as dean of students in July 2014.
Thanks to the need of such a role at the University, the hiring freeze announced by Wyoming Governor Matt Mead has not affected this job beyond a petition having to be put through an exception process.
