Student Affairs Law and Policy Training Symposium
Includes a Live In-Person Event on 09/16/2025 at 10:00 AM (EDT)
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You must log in to register
- Non-member - $779
- Member - $579
Brigid Harrington
Senior Attorney
Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
Brigid is a member of Hunton Andrews Kurth's higher education team. She has extensive experience in Title IX, VAWA, ADA, Title VI, Title VII, and athletics compliance, and guides clients through complex issues of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Brigid excels in developing non-discrimination and harassment policies, conducting Title IX investigations, and training university communities on compliance obligations.
Before entering private practice, Brigid was the Director of Civil Rights at the University of Massachusetts. There, she led a team of investigators and deputy coordinators in implementing comprehensive processes surrounding Title IX policies and sexual and gender-based harassment and ensured such policies, investigations, and trainings were in compliance with federal and state law. She also served as an Investigator at Harvard University's Office of Dispute Resolution. Prior to her work in higher education, Brigid was an Assistant District Attorney in New York City.
Omar Torres
Coordinator and Director Services, Hazing & Student Conduct
Grand River Solutions
Omar is a seasoned higher education professional with over 20 years of experience working at various colleges and universities. As a subject matter expert in student conduct, hazing prevention, and Title VI compliance, Omar brings extensive knowledge and strategic insight to navigating complex campus issues. In addition to expertise in student conduct and Title VI, Omar has significant experience providing support and technical guidance on Title IX and Clery Act compliance. Omar earned a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) from Northeastern University.
Martha Compton
Regional Director of Client Relations and Engagement
Grand River Solutions
Martha Compton is a Regional Director of Client Relations and Engagement at Grand River Solutions. Martha has over 20 years of experience in higher education, specifically investigating and resolving student conduct, sexual misconduct, and interpersonal violence matters. Martha is a nationally recognized expert in student conduct and has held leadership positions within the Association for Student Conduct Administration, including President. Martha has trained thousands of individuals across the country on program and policy development as well as conducting investigations, hearings, and informal resolutions.
Kristen Shahverdian
Program Director of Campus Free Speech
PEN America
Kristen Shahverdian is the senior program manager of free expression and education at PEN America, developing campus engagements and public events related to free expression and education. After a decade in dance and choreography, she began researching best practices for participatory art projects and how to teach art that depicts violence and traumatic events. She previously served as a project manager for the Philadelphia Folklore Project, and facilitated workshops on trauma and art at the College Art Association and Dance Studies Association. She is also a writer and editor at the online dance journal thINKingDANCE.
Before joining PEN America, she was a senior lecturer at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and previously was an adjunct professor at Rowan University and Temple University. She received her BA in history and dance from Hamilton College, her MFA in dance from Temple University, and her MA in socially engaged art from Moore College of Art & Design.
Neal Hutchens
Professor and Chair
University of Mississippi School of Education’s Department of Higher Education
Neal Hutchens is a University Research Professor and faculty member in the Department of Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation at the University of Kentucky. His research centers on topics dealing with the intersections of higher education law, policy and practice, with much of his scholarship centered on issues of free speech and academic freedom. Among his publications, Neal is on the author team for the seventh edition of The Law of Higher Education: Essentials for Legal and Administrative Practice, a leading treatise on higher education law. Alongside his academic writings, he has written for publications that include The Conversation, The Hechinger Report, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and Inside Higher Ed. He is regularly asked to comment on stories involving legal issues in higher education, including for The New York Times, USA Today, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and Inside Higher Ed. Neal earned his Ph.D. in education policy from the University of Maryland and his J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law.
Michelle Deutchman
Executive Director
University of California National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement
Michelle N. Deutchman is the executive director of the University California (UC) National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement. Formed by the UC Office of the President, the Center explores how the fundamental democratic and academic principles of free speech and civic engagement should enrich the discovery and transmission of knowledge in America’s colleges and universities. In this role, Deutchman oversees a multidisciplinary national fellowship program and works across all 10 UC campuses to study and shape national discourse about free speech. Before joining the Center, Deutchman served as the Western States Civil Rights Counsel and National Campus Counsel for the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a non-profit organization that has been a leader in combating bigotry, prejudice, and anti-Semitism for over a century. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California Law Center and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley.
NASPA and Stetson Law’s Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law & Policy are proud to present the first-ever Student Affairs Law & Policy Training Symposium for student affairs professionals. Join us for two days of training and take a deep dive into two hot-button issues with our expert panels of speakers.
This year’s symposium will cover two topic areas of particular importance in higher education’s current regulatory and political climate. Day 1 will focus on free speech and free association issues, and Day 2 will focus on Title VI.
Day 1/Free Speech and Free Association Panelists
- Michelle Deutchman, JD, Executive Director, National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement, University of California
- Dr. Neal Hutchens, Faculty, Department of Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation, University of Kentucky
- Kristen Shahverdian, Program Director, Campus Free Speech, PEN America
Day 2/Title VI Panelists
- Martha Compton, Regional Director of Client Relations and Engagement, Grand River Solutions
- Brigid Harrington, JD, Senior Attorney, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
- Dr. Omar Torres, Coordinator & Director Services, Hazing & Student Conduct, Grand River Solutions
Upon completion of an online assessment, each participant will receive a certificate of completion.
Drive-ups from the Northeastern U.S. and New England are encouraged. For those who wish to attend from outside these regions, Nashua is conveniently located 20 minutes from the Manchester, NH airport and 50 minutes from the Boston Logan airport.
Lunch and coffee will be provided throughout the day on each day of the event.
As colleges and universities face increased attention to discrimination based on race, national origin, shared ancestry, and ethnic identity, higher education professionals must be equipped with the tools to address complex issues at the intersection of law, campus climate, and institutional values. This session will explore colleges’ and universities’ obligations to address discrimination and harassment under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, with a focus on contemporary challenges, including changing government enforcement, and addressing issues of Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and racialized speech.
Panelists will examine how federal law requires institutions to assess and investigate Title VI issues and discuss balancing obligations to prevent and respond to discrimination and harassment while also allowing for free expression. Participants will learn how to evaluate policies and practices, identify legal and reputational risk factors, and implement coordinated responses to reports of discrimination. Through case studies and practical scenarios, participants will practice responding to complaints, identifying and assessing strategic considerations, and learn tips for conducting investigations and facilitating campus-wide or targeted responses to prevent and remediate the effects of discrimination on students and employees.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify and analyze emerging Title VI issues impacting campus climate, including complaints related to race, national origin, shared ancestry, and ethnic identity. Participants will develop a nuanced understanding of how contemporary campus controversies (including those involving antisemitism, Islamophobia, and racialized speech, and how they are framed and investigated under Title VI).
- Evaluate institutional responsibilities under Title VI to prevent and respond to discrimination, harassment, and hostile environments. Participants will learn how to assess institutional policies and practices for compliance, including recognizing when speech or conduct may trigger legal and reputational risks.
- Apply best practices in responding to Title VI complaints through coordinated campus responses, equitable investigation practices, and proactive education and training. Participants will explore case studies and develop skills for managing investigations, facilitating dialogue, and implementing effective resolution strategies aligned with federal guidance and current legal standards.
Daily Schedule
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Registration
10:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Welcome and Panelist Introductions
10:15 AM - 11:45 AM
AM Programming
11:45 AM - 12:00 PM
Break
12:00 PM - 12:45 PM
Working Lunch
12:45 PM - 1:00 PM
Break
1:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Lunch Debrief
1:30 AM - 2:45 AM
PM Programming
2:45 PM - 3:00 PM
Break
3:00 PM - 4:45 PM
PM Programming
4:45 AM - 5:00 PM
PM Wrap-Up
NASPA has been approved by the Higher Education Consortium for Student Affairs Certification to provide CE credit for Certified Student Affairs Educators (CSAEd). NASPA is solely responsible for all aspects of this program.
Participants who complete the course will be eligible for Core Student Affairs Educator Certification (CSAEd™) or Social Justice and Inclusion (SJI) continuing education.
Guidelines for earning CE credit:
Day 1: Free Speech is eligible for 7 Core credits.
Day 2: Title IX is eligible for 7 Core or 7 SJI credits. The full seven credits can only be applied to one category of CSAEd. You may not combine credit categories in Day 2.
No partial credit will be rewarded.
To receive CSAEd credit, attendees must complete the Feedback Survey in the event offering the credit. Once the survey is completed, your Certificate will be available in the event modules for you to download at your convenience.
