Session Descriptions

Wednesday, May 28

 

1:00 p.m. | Welcome

Jay Rothman and Dr. Eric Fulcomer


1:15 p.m. | Keynote: Is this "Edupocalypse"? The Context and State of Law, Policy, and Regulatory Compliance in Higher Education

 Peter F. Lake, Professor of Law and Charles A. Dana Chair and Director, Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law and Policy, Stetson University College of Law

Higher education is simultaneously experiencing multiple polycrises, perhaps dominated by profound threats in the law and policy dimension. The field has seen unprecedented law and policy attacks on funding, tax status, academic/ institutional freedom and autonomy, and even our inclusion of international students on American campuses. Even the rule of law itself as we have known it is in transition— along with the roles of lawyers. The fuel seems to be widespread distrust— even antipathy towards— higher and education and the ease of transforming major social and political issues into college issues. Professor Peter Lake will help to frame both the context and state of higher education in a time when legal “compliance” raises more than mere challenges but existential questions for the field. This session will also serve to imagine pathways forward for colleges and universities towards an eventual renaissance in higher education. 

Learning Outcomes:

  1. Participants will learn how various challenges to the higher industry overlap and are symbiotic, resulting in more than a set of independent existential crises.
  2. Participants will learn more about how the current regulatory climate is fueled by social and political perspectives on higher education.
  3. Participants will be offered the opportunity to consider new ways to reframe higher education's legal roles moving forward particularly as courts and regulators rewrite higher education law of the 20th Century.
  4. Participants will learn more about how changes in legal services and training - and accreditation of law schools - may impact the legal climate for colleges moving forward.


2:30 p.m. | Session 1: Washington Update: Approaching Legislative and Regulatory Developments

Jon Fansmith, Senior Vice President, Government Relations and National Engagement, American Council on Education (ACE)

Learn more about the current political climate for higher education in Washington and what is on the horizon. Join an expert from the American Council on Education who will address priority issues for federal policymakers and the unprecendented actions of the new Administration. This session will cover developing trends in federal legislation and regulation as well as detailed dive into key issues impacting students, campuses and accreditors.

Learning Outcomes:

  1. Learn how the current political climate is driving federal policymaking on higher education.
  2. Become aware of specific pending legislative and regulatory actions impacting colleges and universities, including possible risks to institutional operations that may result from them.
  3. Understand how the priorities and policies of the new Administration are impacting federal policymaking for higher education and what that will mean for campuses.


3:30 p.m. | Session 2: Supreme Court Update

Erwin Chemerinsky, Dean and Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law, University of California, Berkeley School of Law.

Thursday, May 29

9:00 a.m. | Session 3: Concurrent Sessions

·         Law and Executive Order - What's New in the Regulatory Title II, IV, IX Regulatory Landscape

Christine Taylor, Husch Blackwell

Since January 20, 2025, institutions have seen significant changes in the regulatory landscape impacting howe we provide services to our students. This session provides an update on the executive orders, legal challenges, and the implications for colleges and universities.

·         Research Compliance in a Changing Environment

Matt Lind, Senior System Legal Counsel for the Office of General Counsel at the Universities of Wisconsin and Chris Ashley

We will discuss some of the basics of Federal Legal Compliance with a specific focus on international restrictions and reporting requirements.

Learning Outcomes:

  1. Attendees will be able to identify high risk research programs and identify tools to manage those risks.

10:15 a.m. | Session 4: Concurrent Sessions

·         Stop Campus Hazing Act - New Year, New Laws in 2025: How the New Law Affects your Institution

Christine Taylor, Husch Blackwell

One of the most recent laws impacting the higher education is the new federal Stop Campus Hazing Act. This session details how the new law affects your institution, what definitions apply, what programming is required, what statistical reporting and policy statements must be included in the ASR, what the new Transparency Report will entail, as well as the deadlines associated with the changes.

·         Labor and Employment Law

Tom O'Day, Husch Blackwell

 

11:00 a.m. | Session 5: Concurrent Sessions 

·         Understanding the Covid Cohort, Key Trends from Incoming Fall 2024 Students

Charity Stutzman and Mike Martynowicz, Vector Solutions

University administrators have sought to understand the COVID cohort, particularly the pandemic's impact on this generation's attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors. Research indicates that mental health, sexual assault, diversity and inclusion, belonging, and substance abuse significantly influence personal and academic success. While other data points from nationally known assessments may point to enrollment numbers, retention rates, general state of health and wellbeing on a campus, the data collected through our surveys provides administrators with a unique glimpse of students attitudes and perceptions around critical issues on campus. The session will provide insights into how the COVID cohort understands the world around them and navigate their relationships with the community. The program will highlight pre-matriculation data from four of our primary trainings (AlcoholEdu, Sexual Assault Prevention, Mental Health and Wellbeing and Diversity, Inclusion Belonging); and provides analysis on year over year trends from the same surveys. The data shared will include national aggregated data, as well as aggregated data from Wisconsin campuses that currently utilize these trainings. The session will address key trends that make this COVID cohort uniquely different than their peers and takes a more in depth look at the data by student demographics.

Learning Outcomes:

  1. Participants will be able to explain how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors of the current student cohort, particularly in relation to mental health, substance abuse, diversity and inclusion, sexual assault, and belonging.
  2. Participants will be able to analyze pre-matriculation data, year-over-year trends to gain insights into how students' experiences during the pandemic shape their views and behaviors as they enter college.
  3. Participants will be able to use insights from student surveys to develop strategic wellbeing programs and interventions that address the needs of incoming students and support their academic and personal success.

·         The Fast-Moving State of Student Financial Aid

Helen Faith, University of Virginia

Helen will share the state of financial aid and related issues such as the status of Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment regulations and her perspective on the future of Pell, campus-based aid programs, and student loans. Helen will also provide updates on the FAFSA processing, financial aid trends, and other issues impacting financial aid and bursars' offices.

Learning Outcomes:

  1. Awareness of the current and fast-moving state of financial aid across the nation.
  2. Insights into accountability frameworks and potential impacts at the campus level.
  3. Understanding of current status of FAFSA simplification.
  4. General updates on issues impacting financial aid and bursars' offices.

12:45 p.m. | Session 6:  Taking the Long View on Civil Rights: Connecting Data to Action to Vision in a Challenging World

Joe Storch and Blaze Bowers, Grand River Solutions


1:45 p.m. | Session 7: Rebuild Trust in Higher Education: Practical Considerations to Bridge the Divide

Jennifer Savino and Molly Dillman, KW2

In today’s shifting cultural and political landscape, higher education is both a promise and a lightning rod. The value of a higher education credential is well-studied – but the growing skepticism toward colleges and the dynamics fueling anti-college sentiment has inadvertently contributed to a new ‘us versus them’ mindset. In this session, we’ll examine the disconnect between higher education institutions and working-class communities and how resentment is being harnessed in rhetoric. Then, we’ll dive into strategies to shift messaging about colleges at a category level and build anti-stigma communications that elevate higher education more authentically amongst these hard-to-reach populations.

Learning Outcomes:

  1. Understand why higher education communications must move beyond communicating value  
  2. How to shift messaging about higher education from explaining value to rebuilding trust
  3. Tips to build anti-stigma communications


3:00 p.m. | Workforce Outlook, Trends, Demographics, and Technology

Frank Otis, Department of Workforce Development


3:45 p.m. | Panel Discussion

Peter Lake, Blaze Bowers, Chris Ashley, Charity Stutzman, Molly Dillman and Helen Faith

Friday, May 30

9:00 a.m. | Session 8: The Future of AI is Now

Sarah Alt, Micheal Best

Learning Outcomes:

  1. Latest guidance on governing AI and responsible use in higher education.
  2. Insights and lessons learned from how institutions are using AI to drive operational efficiencies in their business offices.
  3. Perspectives from the legal profession on AI in the classroom and what this means for developing our future workforce.

10:00 a.m. | Session 5: Tabletop Discussions with Presenters

  

11:30 a.m. | Thematic Wrap-up Capstone

Peter F. Lake, Professor of Law and Charles A. Dana Chair and Director, Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law and Policy, Stetson University College of Law

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