5 Questions with Mary Arvin, Director of Title IX Compliance and Sexual Misconduct Response

ALBANY, N.Y. (May 28, 2026) — The University at Albany welcomes Mary Arvin as director of Title IX Compliance and Sexual Misconduct Response and Title IX coordinator. She joined UAlbany last month after previously serving as Title IX coordinator at SUNY Cobleskill.  

Arvin plays a vital role in shaping an inclusive campus culture and helps connect students, faculty and staff to resources, training and support services. She oversees University-wide compliance efforts, supports education through training and helps foster an environment grounded in respect and equity.  

As the University’s Title IX coordinator, Arvin also investigates allegations of sexual misconduct. Community members can contact the office to report incidents of sexual violence, discrimination or harassment involving the campus community, seek guidance, access training or connect with support services

The health and well-being of the campus community remain central to Arvin’s work. She encourages the campus community to visit the Office of the Title IX Coordinator — located on the third floor of the Campus Center — to learn more about the University’s commitment to a safe and welcoming environment for all those that live, learn and work at UAlbany.

What should people know about the Office of the Title IX Coordinator?

The Office of the Title IX Coordinator is here to support members of the UAlbany campus community. We do this in a few key ways: offering information about support and resources, investigating claims of sex discrimination and sexual assault on campus, providing training to a variety of populations on campus such as our employees and RAs and collaborating with various areas on campus to ensure that members of the campus community have the opportunity to engage with educational programming.  

How can the campus community support Title IX at the University?

Engage with us! We encourage the opportunity to connect with members of the campus community, whether it is to report an incident, seek clarification on the campus Title IX policy, schedule a refresher training for a group/cohort or invite us to table at an event to share information about what we do and what we can offer to our campus community.  

I am a chatty person, I love to connect with people, stop in and say hi! I believe that forming relationships with the campus community is an important step in building familiarity with the Office and what we do. In turn, folks can contact us directly or connect a peer with us, should they need to in the future. My goal is to make the Office of the Title IX Coordinator an accessible place for all.  

How did you decide to work in this field?

I attended SUNY Oneonta for my undergraduate studies and during my time there I was a Resident Assistant. Part of RA training is Title IX training. Our campus Title IX Coordinator would come in and provide us with information on the history of Title IX, information about what the Title IX Office does, and how to support our peers. I was instantly fascinated by his work and thought it was cool. I didn’t think too much beyond that at the time;  I was a psychology major with an anthropology minor, and my plan was to become a clinical psychologist.

COVID happened in the middle of my sophomore year and after I graduated, I just wanted to work — I needed a break from school. My first full-time professional job was a very cool experience. I worked at the Mayor’s Office in New York City on workforce development programs and policy where I learned that I liked relationship building. But I found I was ready for something where I could see the direct impact of my work (public policy doesn’t typically come with direct service work). So, I transitioned into higher education, working for Manhattanville University where I focused on employer relations. While there I completed a master's program in Human Resource Management. One of my first classes was HR Legal — a course focused on compliance. We covered a lot of topics including investigations and compliance with federal laws such as Title VI, Title VII and Title IX. My interest in Title IX was reignited from that moment on and led me to seek my next professional adventure: Civil Rights Compliance and investigations.  I love what I do because it allows me to combine my love for understanding people, analysis, research, legal compliance and investigations all in one place. 

How do you navigate the challenges of working in the Title IX space?

One day at a time. I made the decision to work in the Title IX space because I am passionate about Civil Rights compliance, education and equity. I often think about my experiences as a college student — as my parents attended college abroad, I often had to navigate the system here in the States on my own. Thinking back on my experience, I remember the access challenges I faced. If you don’t know the right person to reach out to or what questions to ask, what do you do? You find a way. Sometimes, that requires using methods that have been tried; other times, you get creative. It’s important to understand the system you are operating within and find a way. Knowing that the work of the Title IX space is impactful keeps me focused. My ability to understand systems, analyze and navigate helps me overcome challenges.  

What do you do with your time outside of work?  

I am not native to the Capital Region. I grew up in New York City (The Bronx, to be specific), so lately, I have enjoyed exploring my new home. During my free time, I enjoy experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen. My husband and I enjoy trying new restaurants and different cuisines downtown and in Saratoga Springs. We have two dogs — Champion, a German shepherd/Siberian husky mix and Grizzly, an Australian shepherd, we also like to take them to different parks or hang out at home with them. In the summer months, I love kayaking and fishing!