Laura Rugless, Vice President and Title IX and Title VI Coordinator
The Office for Civil Rights and Title IX Education and Compliance, or OCR, serves as Michigan State University’s central civil rights compliance office. In this role, OCR is responsible for leading efforts to uphold a broad range of civil rights protections related to discrimination, harassment based on protected identity, relationship violence, sexual misconduct, civil rights-related retaliation, and accessibility.
Through its four branches— ADA and Digital Accessibility; Investigation, Support, and Resolution, or ISR; Office of the Vice President (OVP)/Business and Compliance Services; and Prevention, Outreach, and Education, or POE—OCR plays a vital role in protecting individual rights and fostering an inclusive and respectful university culture through the implementation of MSU’s civil rights policies:
- Anti-Discrimination Policy
- Digital Accessibility Policy
- Disability and Reasonable Accommodation Policy
- Mandatory Reporting for Relationship Violence, Sexual Misconduct and Stalking Policy
- Pregnancy, Childbirth and Pregnancy-Related Conditions for Students and Employees Policy
- Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct and Title IX Policy
In support of these policies, OCR's teams are responsible for:
- Educating and supporting all university community groups regarding how to prevent, identify, appropriately respond to, and report discrimination, harassment, relationship violence, sexual misconduct, stalking, and retaliation;
- Conducting impartial, fair, and equitable investigations to ensure compliance with MSU’s Anti-Discrimination, Mandatory Reporting, and Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct and Title IX policies and provides support to parties, regardless of whether they elect to participate in the resolution process; and
- Leading the university’s efforts to maintain accessible programs, services and activities, and to remove barriers to access as set forth in the Disability.
OCR is committed to advancing civil rights at MSU and creating an environment where all Spartans can thrive. To learn more, visit the
Office for Civil Rights and Title IX Education and Compliance website (civilrights.msu.edu), email OCR@msu.edu, or call 1-517-355-3960.