Tulane University alumnus Marcus Foster named Chief Title IX Officer

Marcus Foster, a graduate of Tulane University’s School of Law, has been named the university’s new Chief Title IX Officer, effective July 1.

“Our commitment to ensuring a safe environment in which all students can learn, live and grow is absolute and unwavering. A central part of that commitment is placing leaders in positions where they can make a real and lasting difference in creating a Tulane community that is free from sexual harassment and sexual violence of any kind,” Tulane President Michael A. Fitts and Provost Robin Forman said in a joint message announcing the appointment. (link).

Foster, who most recently served as the Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Diversity and Equity at State University of New York (SUNY) at Geneseo, will work to enhance the university’s efforts in outreach, education, prevention programs and communication. His primary duties will include overseeing the response to Title IX complaints, including dating violence, domestic violence and stalking. Foster will coordinate his work closely with the university’s Division of Student Affairs, Office of Human Resources & Institutional Equity, the Office of the General Counsel and the Tulane University Police Department. He will also co-lead, with Campus Health, All In: Tulane's commitment to stop sexual violence.

“I am thrilled that Marcus will be joining us in the crucial position of associate provost for Title IX Compliance and Education,” Forman said. “He discovered his passion for this work as a student at Tulane Law School and since that time has been a consistently thoughtful and compassionate leader and educator in this field. I am confident that he will be a fantastic leader of both our Title IX compliance work and our commitment to eliminate sexual violence from our campus.”

“I am humbled and honored to have been selected to lead the Title IX team and work collaboratively with faculty, staff and students to increase awareness of the realities of sexual harassment and combat its prevalence on our campus and in the surrounding community. As a proud alumnus, I am eager to return to Tulane, an institution that allowed me to pursue my passion in this work and turn it into my full-time profession,” Foster said. 

“I’m excited for Marcus to bring his strong legal background to our work of ensuring gender equity and addressing sexual harassment and misconduct at Tulane,” said Julia Broussard, Interim Assistant Provost for Title IX and Associate Director and Deputy Title IX Coordinator.

As SUNY at Geneseo’s Title IX Coordinator, Foster oversaw the college’s efforts in developing, managing and revising policies and procedures for incidents of sexual harassment. He created and modified the college’s policies and procedures to comply with local, state and federal law to ensure due process and equity. His office investigated reports of sexual harassment and discrimination and referred formal complaints to the Office of the Dean of Students for adjudication. Foster also led education for the campus community on sexual harassment-related issues, including training for all employees and a comprehensive prevention education program for clubs, organizations and student-athletes.

Before joining SUNY Geneseo, Foster served as deputy Title IX coordinator at Shippensburg University.

A native of Reading, Pennsylvania, Foster received his bachelor’s degree in politics from Ursinus College. While pursuing his law degree at Tulane, Foster served as a student attorney in Tulane’s Domestic Violence Clinic. He was also a Lutz Family Public Interest Fellow, working with individuals affected by domestic violence and sexual violence in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Foster will succeed Meredith Smith, who served as the Assistant Provost for Title IX & Clery Compliance at Tulane from 2015-2021.