Officials approved the creation of five new positions related to equal opportunity and labor relations following the creation of the Office of Equal Opportunity.
University spokesperson Shannon McClendon said three new roles, including a lead equal opportunity investigator, an additional equal opportunity investigator and a senior prevention and response specialist in the University’s newly launched OEO — which handles the University’s discrimination and harassment complaint process — are intended to enhance internal employee human capital, expand the University’s discrimination and harassment prevention and education and reduce spending on outside counsel. She added that as part of restructuring of responsibilities after the creation of OEO, officials created an executive director of employee and labor relations and an employee relations manager role in Human Resource Management & Development’s employee relations team, roles which will provide oversight to employment issues like disputes and investigations and will engage with unions representing the University’s staff.
“Some additional positions were established to build more internal expertise, expand the university’s capacity to engage in prevention and education, provide individualized and holistic support to impacted community members, while also reducing spending on outside counsel,” McClendon said in an email.
The University launched OEO in May — which includes the Title IX Office, parts of the Equal Employment Opportunity and Access office and the Office of Access and Opportunity in Human Resource Management & Development — in an effort to centralize the University’s discrimination and harassment complaint pathways.
The new position creations come as officials have hired outside counsel in recent years — most recently, last month — to assist in several lawsuits and complaints related to current and former student allegations of discrimination. The establishment of OEO “maximizes” the use of internal personnel and reduces reliance on external firms, according to a University release announcing its establishment.
McClendon said officials approved the creation of two roles in HRMD’s employee relations team — an executive director of employee and labor relations and an employee relations manager — to create dedicated roles that manage employee relations and engage with the unions that represent GW’s staff. The creation of the executive director and manager positions comes as officials continue to negotiate with the graduate student union and as officials prepare to bargain a new contract with the adjunct faculty union at the end of 2026.
Officials are currently undergoing collective bargaining with the graduate student union GWU Graduate Workers United, and both parties came to a tentative agreement on non-discrimination protections this month, allowing union members and graduate workers to challenge possible changes to GW’s equal opportunity, non-discrimination, anti-harassment and non-retaliation policies due to adjustments in local and federal policy.
A University spokesperson said the labor relations roles were created as part of restructuring that occurred following the launch of OEO and both roles encompass responsibilities included in the previous assistant vice president for equal employment opportunity and employee relations role.
Jessica Tischler — who served as assistant vice president of EEO and employee relations before her role in OEO — departed her position as assistant vice president for equal opportunity and compliance in OEO this month, shortly after officials announced the new positions. Tischler in a statement said she accepted a role in the Office of General Counsel to focus on an area of work she is “particularly passionate about.”
“For nearly eight years, I’ve had the privilege of doing work that I genuinely believe in while working alongside dedicated colleagues who care deeply about what they do and the people that they serve,” Tischler said in an email.
The executive director of employee and labor relations — which offers a salary range of $141,000 to $205,000 per year — will collaborate closely with Vice President and Chief People Officer Sabrina Minor, the Office of the Vice President and General Counsel and the Office of the Provost to implement “proactive” labor relations strategies, according to the job posting. The director will assist in forming GW’s positions and proposals during contract negotiations and will bring a “thoughtful” and “strategic” approach to union organizing activity and engagement.
HRMD also released a job posting for an employee and labor relations manager, with compensation ranging from $82,000 to $136,000 per year, according to GW’s employment site. The role will interpret collective bargaining agreements for the University’s HR business partners and participate in union negotiations, manage the employee grievance process and assist legal counsel in preparing for arbitrations, according to the job description summary.
GW’s employment site currently lists two available roles in OEO for a lead equal opportunity investigator, with a salary range of around $83,000 to $114,000 per year, and an equal opportunity investigator for a salary range of $74,000 to $90,000. The positions will work to ensure the University’s compliance with local and federal discrimination laws, responding to and investigating discrimination and harassment cases and leading training programs for students and staff, according to job postings.
The employment site previously listed a job opening for a senior prevention and response specialist — a third new position officials approved in OEO — though a University spokesperson confirmed human resources has moved forward in the hiring process and closed the application.
Officials posted the new compliance positions amid the University’s decision to dissolve the Office for Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement in May as GW continues to grapple with federal oversight and changes in diversity, equity and inclusion policy under President Donald Trump’s administration.
The creation of the roles comes after the University reinstated its position management review process following its three-month-long hiring freeze, though a University spokesperson confirmed officials approved the new positions as part of GW’s implementation of OEO.
The position management review process involves an additional level of approval for hirings and promotions in line with recent budget constraints — and hiring managers, human resources and University leadership approve hiring requests based on departmental needs, funding and mission alignment.
McClendon said officials incorporated all staff from the Title IX office into OEO, though she declined to comment on whether any staff from EEO and OAO were laid off as a result of the creation of OEO.
A University spokesperson said officials cannot comment on confidential personnel information and matters involving individual employees, citing University policy.
McClendon declined to comment on how much money the University is allocating for these positions given GW’s structural deficit, fiscal year 2027 budget reductions and layoffs of 43 staff members last September.
