Gould alum named to leadership role in USC’s Office for Equity, Equal Opportunity and Title IX

By USC News Staff

Linda Hoos (JD 2001) was chosen in 2021 as the associate vice president and deputy Title IX coordinator for USC’s Office for Equity, Equal Opportunity and Title IX (EEO-TIX).  In her new role, Hoos provides overall leadership in the unit with a particular focus on the core intake and support and investigation and resolution functions of EEO-TIX’s work related to the University Park Campus.

Linda Hoos (JD 2001) sees her new role in USC’s Office for Equity, Equal Opportunity and Title IX (EEO-TIX) as “an amazing opportunity.”

Hoos said she appreciates the extraordinary chance her role presents to be at the forefront of a generational shift in a 140-year-old institution.

“With President Carol Folt, (Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Equity and Compliance) Felicia Washington and (EEO-TIX Vice President and Title IX Coordinator) Catherine Spear coming in, and the university’s Culture Journey underway, I just felt this position presents an amazing opportunity,” Hoos said.

EEO-TIX was created last year with the restructuring and merging of USC’s Title IX Office and the Office of Equity and Diversity.

Hoos is uniquely qualified for this important leadership role, with years of experience investigating and managing the types of reports handled by EEO-TIX. She previously worked at the California Office of the Attorney General, where she was part of an investigative team. She then moved to another governmental agency and oversaw employment investigations relating to sexual harassment and other forms of protected class discrimination and harassment. From there, Hoos worked for the California State University system as a Title IX coordinator at the campus level and later, the system-wide director of Title IX compliance services. Both of those experiences helped Hoos develop into a thorough investigator and understand how to navigate an institution of higher learning.

 “Linda brings a deep knowledge of civil rights law and policy, employment law and regulatory practices to this important work and is very experienced in the California higher education setting,” said Washington, who oversees the EEO-TIX office.

Hoos reports to Spear, who said of Hoos, “She really checked all of the boxes and gave us a great sense of confidence that she would add a lot of value to this team.” Hoos also oversees a new intake, outreach and care management team at EEO-TIX which expands a proactive focus steeped in care for each individual who contacts the office, Spear said.

Hoos emphasizes ensuring the compassionate treatment of all of those involved in the process.

“When someone seeks assistance from this office, whether it is for harassment or discrimination, an individual is coming to us feeling very disempowered — feeling as though their ability to control their education or employment path is being disrupted for very unfair reasons,” she said. “So, it is incredibly important to make sure someone who is reaching out to remedy that feels as though they are being heard.”