The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 amended the Clery Act, in part, to require that officials involved in disciplinary proceedings receive “annual training on the issues related to Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking and on how to conduct an investigation and hearing process that protects the safety of victims and promotes accountability.”
The National Association of Clery Compliance Officers and Professionals (NACCOP) partnered with subject matter experts and student conduct administrators on their team who are recognized as leaders in the field who have developed this course, an online training program specifically designed for institutional officials involved in the development and management of the resolution process (i.e., disciplinary proceedings) for Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking offenses involving students and employees (collectively, “VAWA Offenses”).
Institutional officials who will benefit from this training program may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Students, Faculty and Staff/Administrators involved in the adjudication of VAWA Offenses; and
- Students, Faculty, Staff/Administrators involved in the consideration of any appeals involving VAWA Offenses, as well as senior institutional leaders such as Vice Presidents, President/Chancellor, and/or members of institutional governance boards to whom students may appeal findings and/or sanctions pursuant to institutional, system-wide or state policies.
- Anyone who has responsibility and/or oversight in the disciplinary process.
The training program is 2.5 hours, but is broken down into smaller segments (typically, 10-15 minute sessions) to allow the participants to do this over multiple days, if that is preferred.
NOTE: It is important to understand that this program is designed to assist institutions of higher education in coming into and maintaining compliance with the training requirements under the VAWA amendments to the Clery Act. This program is not designed to meet the training requirements outlined in the 2020 Title IX Regulations. Those regulations require specific training and procedures unique to those VAWA offenses that fit the applicable Title IX criteria. NACCOP recommends that individuals who are adjudicating those VAWA offenses attend a live decision-maker training class (in person or virtual) where they can actively participate in learning the detailed and enhanced requirements.
For more information on a 1-day Decision Maker class offered by a NACCOP partner organization, D. Stafford & Associates, go to www.dstaffordandassociates.com The decision maker training class includes topics suggested in the Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting on relevant evidence and how it should be used during a proceeding; proper techniques for questioning witnesses; basic procedural rules for conducting a proceeding; and avoiding actual and perceived conflicts of interest.
Program Benefits
This online, self-paced training program provides participants with an affordable, convenient way to meet the basic VAWA annual training requirement. Each campus will be able to enroll their own learners into a customized training portal in which they can manage enrollments, monitor program completion, and run administrative reports. Learners will be provided with a certificate of completion following successful fulfillment of all program modules and related assessments.
The training program is delivered via the dialogEDU learning management system and meets key standards set by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to provide accessibility to people with disabilities. If an institution has a learner with a disability that is not currently accommodated by the platform, please notify Dolores Stafford at dstafford@naccop.org to discuss available options for accommodation.
Learning Outcomes
Although this training will not replace institution-specific training regarding the policies and procedures for resolving complaints related to the VAWA Offenses, participants that successfully complete the program will be able to:
- Articulate the requirements for Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) under VAWA specific to managing acts of Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, and Stalking
- Define the VAWA Offenses and identify issues related to Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking
- Understand the intersection of Title IX and VAWA
- Assess reports to determine the appropriate resolution process
- Develop student and employee conduct proceedings in a manner that “protects the safety of victims” and “promotes accountability”
- Identify additional training needs for adjudicators
Note: The learning outcomes are applicable to any official with responsibility regarding non-Title IX related Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault or Stalking cases involving students or employees. Although the language of student conduct is used throughout the training, the general principles discussed in the training are transferable to employee misconduct as well. Additionally, there is a dedicated section that covers special considerations personnel involved in the resolution of VAWA offenses involving employees.
Refresher Courses
NACCOP periodically adds new courses (what we are calling “Refresher Courses”) to the VAWA Adjudicator Platform. The refresher courses allow our instructors to get into more detail about specific topics that will meet two goals (1) to provide additional information to your personnel about important topics and (2) to assist your institution in maintaining compliance with VAWA’s requirement of providing “annual training” for your adjudicators. (The requirement is to receive: annual training on the issues related to Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking and on how to conduct an investigation and hearing process that protects the safety of victims and promotes accountability). We are providing this service at no additional cost. Our intent is to periodically add additional courses to the platform that our clients can use, if they so choose. Thus, you have options, as you can use some, all, or none of the refresher courses, as you see fit.
For example, the refresher courses added in 2018 are:
- Ensuring Parties’ Rights
- The Investigative Reports
Cost
Institutions may purchase the training for up to 20 users for $325.00. If an institution needs to purchase more licenses, they can do so for $5.00 per person for each additional license.
Purchasing Guidelines
Customers purchasing the online training platform must be an individual college, university or institution of higher education. Any other parties wishing to purchase this training platform must receive written permission from Dolores Stafford and can contact her to make the request at dstafford@naccop.org
An institution of higher education for these purposes is defined as: an institution of higher education that participates in Title IV, student financial assistance programs and is required by Federal Law to comply with the Clery Act. An institution of higher education is defined as a college or university that has its own President/Chancellor (or position with an alternate title but serves in a similar capacity) leading the organization. Typically, a college or university will have its own OPE ID number and its own listing in the Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Collection Tool (available at https://ope.ed.gov/campussafety/#/).
Institutions that are part of a “system” must purchase a training platform for each college/university within the system that is an independently accredited institution or that has its own President/Chancellor, etc. (even if the system has one Board of Trustees/Regents). Typically, a college or university will have its own OPE ID number and its own listing in the Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Collection Tool (available at https://ope.ed.gov/campussafety/#/).
Annual Closure Notice
The NACCOP training system closes for enrollment at the end of each calendar year (or during the calendar year, if changes are made to laws and/or regulations that would require a mid-year update to the program content) to allow the NACCOP Team to re-date all of the courses for the new calendar year. This is necessary for managing the recertification programs available in the training center. This transition of courses will occur between the last week of December and the first week of January, thus the courses are unavailable during this short timeframe. The site administrator for each client institution will be notified in advance of the exact dates for the closure.
This form will allow you to purchase a new subscription, renew a current subscription, or purchase additional users/licenses.
Training Development and Review Team
- Dolores Stafford, Executive Director, National Association of Clery Compliance Officers and Professionals
- Michael M. DeBowes, Ph.D., Director of Research & Strategic Initiatives, National Association of Clery Compliance Officers and Professionals; and former Chief Student Conduct Administrator
- Adrienne Meador Murray, Director, Training & Compliance Activities, National Association of Clery Compliance Officers and Professionals
- Cathy Cocks, D. Stafford & Associates Consultant, Student Affairs, Title IX, and Equity Compliance Services; former Chief Student Conduct Administrator; and former President of the Association for Student Conduct Administrators (ASCA)
- Beth Devonshire, Esq., D. Stafford & Associates Consultant; and former Chief Student Conduct Administrator
- Ann Todd, Esq., former D. Stafford & Associates Consultant, Equity Compliance and Civil Rights Investigations and former Human Resources professional