The UC Santa Cruz Title IX Office hired Rosamaria Garcia as a new principal investigator for sexual assault and harassment cases. She began this position Feb. 5, bringing the office’s total number of investigators to three. The office is increasing staff numbers to address the slow investigation process and increased number of reports.
Garcia holds a masters in rehabilitation counseling from San Francisco State, is a UCSC alumna and previously worked in its Disability Resource Center as a service coordinator. She said her experience working with students in high-stake situations and communicating with people from many fields will help her be an asset to the office.
“All students should have access to an educational environment that is free from discrimination,” Garcia said in an email. “At this point in my professional career, my aim is to expand this commitment in a
different office on campus and apply my skills and background to provide an equitable investigative process for all participants on campus.”
Departmental changes to UCSC’s Title IX Offices earlier this year led to its creation of two new positions — Garcia’s position as the third investigator and a deputy director, who has not yet been hired. These changes occurred after Tracey Tsugawa left her position as director last spring, Cherie Scricca stepped in as interim officer and the office was operating with only two officers.
An increase in Title IX and sexual assault on-campus trainings over the past few years led to an increase in awareness, and therefore an increase in reports, Scricca said. The university didn’t immediately respond to the increase in trainings with an increase in staff. Adding Garcia’s position and the yet-to-be filled position of a new director are responses to the current lack of resources.
