"The determination was made that for many reasons that the best (practice) right now is to move this to a standalone office that could focus solely on those complaints," Cody said. 

The original statement said creating a separate office for these types of complains was a move many universities are making, and this move is "another step resulting from ongoing conversations about improving MSU’s policies."

Cody also said Amanda Garcia-Williams, a former Institutional Equity Coordinator for the Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives who conducted investigations in accordance with the Anti-Discrimination Policy, took another job opportunity, though this had nothing to do with the creation of the new office. 

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MSU is creating a new office for discrimination claims, including sexual assault and relationship violence, an area previously managed by the Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives headed by Paulette Granberry Russell, according to an MSU statement. 

Granberry Russell will continue to administer these until the director of the new office will be appointed. 

The office will handle complaints against its anti-discrimination policies, including Title IX, which covers complaints of sexual harassment and assault.

The statement said this move comes amid conversations with Title IX experts and as President Lou Anna K. Simon's Sexual Assault Task Force is supposed to publish its report on recommendations.

Rebecca Veidlinger will be retained by the university as a Title IX consultant, and the statement said the Pepper Hamilton law firm of Philadelphia will work with Simon, Veidlinger and the new office during the transition.