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June 6, 2025

Registration Opens

September 1, 2025

Hotel Group Rate Cut-off

September 15, 2025

Registration Closes

Student Affairs Law and Policy Training Symposium

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.

Presented By

Day 1: Free Speech

Do you feel like there is never enough time to discuss free speech and how it impacts life on campus?  Do you have questions you want to discuss with leading experts and with your student affairs colleagues?  If the answer is ‘yes,’ please join us for a day of conversation and learning. 

This session will provide participants an overview and review of the legal “basics” of campus free speech and academic freedom and will connect these principles to the mission and day-to-day life of higher education. Throughout our time together we will dive deeply into some of the pressing and challenging expression issues confronting student affairs professionals including: upholding institutional commitments to free speech andto access and belonging; creating and applying time, place and manner regulations; considering the role of protest, and exploring how institutions engage in campuswide discussions and education about these issues. This workshop will use case studies and small working groups. Participants will leave with strategies and promising practices to enhance their knowledge and skills.

Learning Objectives:

  • Participants will be able to better articulate and communicate to stakeholders why the values of open expression and academic freedom are foundational to higher education, and how they interact with other values such as belonging and access. 
  • Participants will review and refine their understanding of how legal principles about the First Amendment, open expression and academic freedom inform decision-making. 
  • Participants will be able to apply both legal and non-legal principles to complex scenarios including how to respond to student demands without contravening institutional values.  
  • Participants will have the opportunity to interact with, learn from and collaboratively identify promising practices to share with colleagues. 

Day 2: Title VI

 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.

Register for the Student Affairs Law and Policy Training Symposium

Registration is based on individual membership status at the time of registration. 

If you are not a current member and are employed by a college or university that is an institutional member, you can join as a professional affiliate member for $80. If your institution is NOT a member, you can join as an associate affiliate member for $250. Both membership types provide access to the individual member rate for the event. Please visit the membership section of the NASPA website to learn more about membership types and benefits. We hope you’ll consider joining today!

If you are experiencing financial hardship, you may qualify for a NASPA Foundation Membership Scholarship or NASPA Foundation Professional Development Access Scholarship, which can be used for this event.

For a comprehensive listing of NASPA registration policies, please visit this page.

 

REGISTRATION FEES

 
NASPA Member
$579
Non Member
$779

Register Online for Student Affairs Law and Policy Training Symposium

Location and Lodging

Courtyard Nashua

All training symposium activities will take place at the Event Center, adjacent to the Courtyard by Marriott Nashua. 

Address: 2200 Southwood Drive, Nashua, New Hampshire, USA, 03063

Phone: 1-800-321-2211

Group Room Rate: $157/night using this link 

Beware of Housing Pirates

Each year, NASPA receives reports of unauthorized housing solicitations targeting conference participants, exhibitors, and members. These entities—often known as “housing pirates”—may offer misleading rates or request personal and financial information.

Please protect your reservation by booking only through our verified link or directly with the hotel you’ve confirmed a reservation with. The Courtyard by Marriott Nashua is the only official conference hotel.

Schedule

The schedule has been designed to provide participants with interactive and engaging learning expierences. These will include: programming, opportunities for deeper discussion, and networking. As details are finalized, this schedule will be updated. Registration to one conference grants access to content on both days. Please note: the schedule is subject to change based on presenter availability. 

   

All times are in Easten Time and are subject to change

September 16th - September 17th 2025
September 16th - September 17th
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

Presenters

Presenters