Office of the President

Appointment of Dawnita H. Franklin as Assistant VP for Institutional Equity and Compliance

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dawnita H. Franklin as Assistant Vice President for Institutional Equity and Compliance, effective March 16, 2020.

Cal Poly Pomona and the CSU are committed to ensuring a safe learning and working environment. Ms. Franklin will serve an essential function as the leader of our Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance and as the university’s designated Title IX coordinator. Her duties include overseeing investigations related to reported policy violations in the areas of Title IX, Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation (DHR), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and whistleblower claims. She is also charged with developing policies, improving processes, and establishing training programs and other educational efforts on campus to increase awareness and prevention.

Ms. Franklin has built a strong professional background in assuring institutional compliance with state and federal laws that protect people from discrimination based on protected classes and as a seasoned investigator. She comes to Cal Poly Pomona from UC Riverside where she served as interim Title IX Officer and Director of the Title IX office. She previously held relevant positions at UC Irvine, the State Bar of California, and the Los Angeles County Probation Department. A CSU alum, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration from San Diego State University and a Master of Public Administration degree from California State University, Long Beach.

On behalf of the campus community, I want to thank Susan Hua who served in this role on an interim basis since October 2018. I also want to thank and recognize the members of the search committee for their efforts in identifying and recruiting such a highly qualified candidate. The members of the search committee are:

  • La’Keisha Beard, Interim Associate Director, Office of Student Life and Cultural Centers
  • Nicole Butts, Interim Presidential Associate for Diversity, Inclusion and Campus Climate, Office of the President
  • Gabriela Garcia, Complaint Resolution Manager and Deputy DHR Administrator, Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance
  • Nicole Hawkes, Chief of Staff, Office of the President
  • Martin Sancho-Madriz, AVP for Faculty Affairs, Academic Affairs
  • Pasindu Senaratne, ASI President
  • Viviane Seyranian, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology

Please join me in welcoming Ms. Franklin to Cal Poly Pomona.