Episode 23: Title IX Compliance for Faculty, Students, and Staff with Elizabeth Conklin from the University of Connecticut

Apr 2, 2020

The complexity of Title IX issues is only compounded by the different parties that are found on university campuses and the regulations for them. Our guest today is Elizabeth Conklin, the Title IX and ADA Coordinator at the University of Connecticut. She has a large amount of experience in the field, and she is here to share her thoughts on the intersection of students, faculty and staff, the overlap between Title IX and VII, and appropriate ways to approach allegations across these different demographics.

In our conversation, we hear from Elizabeth about how institutions can consider structuring their policies with the range of cases and personnel present. She also weighs in strongly on the idea of interim measures and what should be done immediately after an issue is reported. We discuss her experiences serving on an appointed committee for the University of Tennessee after a large Title IX settlement in 2016 and how this chapter still influences her work today. For a wonderful chat with an enthusiastic and committed worker in the field, be sure to listen in!

 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Elizabeth's work on a committee at the University of Tennessee after a big lawsuit in 2016.
• Simply written policies for maximum understanding and reach.
• The overlap between Title VII and Title IX; workplace-learning environments at universities.
• Elizabeth's attitude towards including faculty and staff in the Title IX process.
• Differences between cases involving only students and ones with faculty members too.
• Interim measures in response to allegations against faculty or staff members.
• Balancing outside collaboration and administrative leadership for cases.
• Training and assistance for Title IX coordinators; staying current and on top of issues.
• The efficacy of lunch and learns and similar events that can reach large numbers.
• Advice from Elizabeth for smaller campuses and teams with limited resources.
• The amount of communication from different departments and what this can actually mean.
• Elizabeth's thoughts on alternate career paths if she was not in Title IX.
• Conflict resolution and self-care; how these two areas could do with more attention.

 

Tweetables:

“I try and read the document from the perspective of an 18-year-old undergraduate student, their parent or their friend.” — Elizabeth Conklin [0:13:34]

“My preference is to have a single policy on discrimination and harassment.” — Elizabeth Conklin [0:18:42]

“There is a set of prescribed behaviors that are outlined in the policy, there is conduct and expectations for everyone. If there are allegations that those aren't being met, there is a clear process.” — Elizabeth Conklin [0:22:29]

“In my view, the role of the investigating office is to conduct the investigation.” — Elizabeth Conklin [0:26:23]

 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

ICS Lawyer

Title IX University

Elizabeth Conklin on LinkedIn

University of Tennessee

University of Connecticut