Sarah Butterick Named Title IX and Compliance Officer for Western New England University
SPRINGFIELD, MA (10/22/2021) Sarah Butterick, formerly an Assistant Public Defender in the Saratoga County Public Defender’s Office, has been appointed the Title IX and Compliance Officer for Western New England University. Chief Human Resource Officer Joanne Ollson announced the appointment in September.
As Title IX and Compliance Officer, Butterick will work closely with many community members including faculty, staff, and students to investigate claims of discrimination/bias and to oversee and ensure that the University’s policies and procedures for handling the investigation and adjudication of Title IX sexual misconduct allegations follow federal and state regulations.
“I am honored and excited to join the WNE community,” said Butterick. “It has been very fulfilling for me to transition after 14 years of litigation experience to this compliance role in a higher education setting. Title IX over the last few years has been an ever-changing regulation. I look forward to making a positive difference here on campus by helping the University to stay at the forefront of open and honest dialogue, educational opportunities, and a fair and just process to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our campus community.
“In her previous position as Assistant Public Defender, Butterick was responsible for representing indigent family court clients in child custody, abuse/neglect, and order of protection proceedings. Butterick earned her Juris Doctorate from Albany Law school of Union University. She resides in Stockbridge, MA with her husband, Ryan who is Head Golf Pro at Greenock Country Club in Lee.
Western New England University (WNE) is a private, nationally ranked, comprehensive institution with a focus on preparing work-ready and world-ready graduates. Founded in 1919 in Springfield, Massachusetts as a division of Northeastern College, WNE’s 215-acre suburban campus serves more than 3,700 students, including over 2,500 full-time undergraduates. More than 47,000 alumni have earned degrees through its 90+ undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs at Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, Engineering, and Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and School of Law. Students come from 39 U.S. states and territories and 23 countries. Of 44,486 living alumni, 30% remain within the region, residing in the four Western Massachusetts counties and northern Connecticut.
WNE is classified among nationally ranked universities in US News and World Report, and among the Top 100 Undergraduate Engineering programs, and in the Doctoral/Professional Universities category in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.