Trainings for Individual Institutions, Consortia, or Systems of Higher Education

On-Site Clery Act Training Classes for Individual Institutions, Consortia, or Systems of Higher Education

D. Stafford & Associates provides on-site training classes for individual institutions of higher education as well as consortia or systems that wish to bring Clery Act training to their employees/members.

DSA has several options for classes that can be held at an individual institution, including standard 1 or 2 day classes, depending on the level of detail requested by the client. If an institution or system is having specific challenges in certain areas of complying with the Clery Act and would like the training to focus on those areas, DSA can customize the training to fit the institution’s needs.

DSA can suggest individuals and offices to invite to attend to ensure that all aspects of the Clery Act (including the VAWA and HEOA amendments) are understood by key administrators who are, or will be, involved in the compliance effort.

We also offer on-site training sessions for Campus Security Authorities and we facilitate round-table discussions with the senior leadership, Clery compliance committees, governing board members, and others regarding the key challenges and issues being faced by campuses across the country. DSA is also able to facilitate a ½ day or full day training on the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act, which is also being monitored and enforced by the Office of Federal Student Aid (the same Office that monitors and enforces compliance with the Clery Act).

DSA has provided on-site training at more than 160 campuses across the country. D. Stafford also conducts regular national training classes for individuals who need to attend a Clery training class.  Click here to learn more about our national Clery Act Compliance training programs or to register an individual to attend one of the training programs.

Sexual Misconduct (Title IX) Training Classes for Institutions, Consortia, or Systems of Higher Education

D. Stafford & Associates provides on-site or live, virtual training classes for individual institutions of higher education as well as consortia or systems that wish to bring Title IX and VAWA training to their employees/members. DSA will suggest the involvement of various campus administrators, depending on the identified needs of the institution.

DSA has numerous options for classes that can be held at an individual institution, as listed below. If a campus is having a specific challenge in certain areas of complying with Title IX and/or VAWA and would like the training to focus on those areas, DSA can customize the training to fit the institution’s needs.

We also offer on-site or live, virtual training sessions for Responsible Employees/Title IX Mandated Reporters and we facilitate round-table discussions with the senior leadership, governing board members, and others regarding the key Title IX challenges and issues being faced by institutions. DSA has provided on-site training at more than 100 campuses across the country. DSA also conducts regular national training classes around the country for individuals who need to attend a Title IX Coordinator or Investigator (criminal or civil rights) training class. Click here to learn more about our national Title IX and Sexual Misconduct training programs or to register an individual to attend one of these programs.

Most Frequently Requested Standard On-Site or Live, Virtual Class Options:

  • Title IX High Level Overview: 2-4 hour class
  • Title IX/VAWA for Board of Trustees/Regents- Legal Overview: 30 minutes to 2 hours
  • Title IX (Detailed Overview): 1 Day Class
  • Title IX Coordinator Training: 2 Day Class
  • Title IX Investigation Training (Sexual Harassment & Violence): 2 Day Class
  • Title IX Investigation Training (Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, & Stalking)): 2 Day Class
  • Responsible Employee/Title IX Mandated Reporter Training: 90 minute session
  • Senior Leadership Round Table Discussion: 2 Hour, 1 Hour, and 90 Minute Options Depending on Identified Needs
  • Title IX Decision Maker Training: New class in compliance with 2020 Regulations—see description below. (Primarily delivered as a live, virtual class unless our team is already on campus teaching other classes on this list).
  • Title IX Advisor Training: New class in compliance with 2020 Regulations—see description below. (Primarily delivered as a live, virtual class unless our team is already on campus teaching other classes on this list).
  • APPELLATE OFFICER Training: New class in compliance with 2020 Regulations—see description below. (Primarily delivered as a live, virtual class unless our team is already on campus teaching other classes on this list).

Title IX Decision-Maker Training

DSA offers a live, virtual Title IX Decision-Maker Training Class designed for individual institutions (this class is not available for consortia or systems, as the class is informed by each individual institution’s Title IX Policy and Procedures). The class is appropriate for your staff who are responsible for responding to allegations of Sexual Misconduct.   The class provides decision-makers with the tools needed to make fair and impartial determinations and addresses the training topics mandated by the 2020 Title IX Regulations and the Clery Act at 34 C.F.R. §668.46(k)(2)(ii). The class can be held for 7 hours in one day or it can be broken up into 3.5 hour sessions that are held over two consecutive days.

The class will provide training on the definition of sexual harassment; the scope of the recipient’s education program or activity; conducting hearings; impartiality, including avoiding prejudgment of the facts at issue, conflicts of interest, and bias; using technology at a live hearing; and issues of relevance of questions and evidence; and other institution-specific issues related to hearings and decision-making.

This class will include training on the following:

  • The definition of sexual harassment in § 106.30,
  • The scope of the recipient’s education program or activity
  • Training on any technology to be used at a live hearing
  • How to conduct an investigation and grievance process including hearings, appeals, and informal resolution processes, as applicable
  • Issues of relevance of questions and evidence
  • Including when questions and evidence about the complainant’s sexual predisposition or prior sexual behavior are not relevant
  • How to serve impartially, including by avoiding prejudgment of the facts at issue, conflicts of interest, and bias.

Title IX Advisor Training

DSA offers a virtual title IX Advisor Training Class designed for individual institutions (this class is not available for consortia or systems, as the class is informed by each individual institution’s procedures and practices). The class is appropriate for individuals who will be serving in the role of advisor to parties in a sexual misconduct complaint. The class will be held for 4 hours in one day or it can be broken up into 2 hour sessions that are held over two consecutive days.

The class will provide training on the Title IX regulations; the role of the advisor; participating in hearings; relevant issues related to technology; relevance of questions and evidence; and other institution-specific issues related to hearings and advisors.

Appellate Officer Training

This 4-hour virtual training class is specifically designed for Appeals Officers. DSA can be contracted to provide this class for individual institutions. The class is also offered by NACCOP, a DSA partner organization, where individuals can register for the class (go to www.naccop.org to see available class options).

The Appellate Officer Training class will provide training required by the 2020 Title IX regulations to Decision Makers tasked with hearing appeals for Title IX complaints. The class will include the instructors facilitating a mock appeal whereby attendee(s) will practically apply what they learned to determine an appellate outcome.

The 4-hour course will include training on the following (items in quotations are required by the Title IX regulations for all Decision Makers):

  • Fulfills the basic Title IX requirements for appellate decision-makers (Definition of sexual harassment, scope of the recipient’s education program or activity, how to conduct the appeal, and how to serve impartially)
  • Conducting an appeal for Title IX Signed Formal Complaint dismissals as well as original findings from live hearings
  • The three required grounds for appeals
  • Determining timeliness of appeal
  • Determining if appellate grounds have been met
  • Determining appeal outcomes based on provided information
  • Ensuring a bias-free decision-making process
  • Identifying conflicts of interest

On-Site or Virtual DFSCA Training Classes for Institutions, Consortia, or Systems of Higher Education

D. Stafford & Associates provides on-site or virtual training classes for individual institutions of higher education as well as consortia or systems that wish to bring DFSCA training to their employees/members. DSA will suggest the involvement of various campus administrators, depending on the identified needs of the institution.

Training options include a 2 hour, half-day, full-day, or 1.5 day training. Training can be customized to meet the needs and interests of the institution/system but will generally cover:

  • the content that must be included in each institution’s Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Program (DAAPP);
  • requirements and strategies for annually distributing the DAAPP to students and employees; and
  • conducting biennial reviews and preparing biennial review reports.

As part of the full-day training option, participants will have an opportunity to evaluate the adequacy of their institution’s DAAPP and its distribution via exercises facilitated by the instructor. Furthermore, for consortia or systems of higher education that engage DSA to provide a full-day training, a survey of participating institutions will be distributed prior to the session to provide the instructor with insights regarding current compliance practices at participating schools to help inform the training’s content, focus, and/or exercise facilitation (if applicable).

Maxient Training for Clery Compliance

D. Stafford & Associates is available to conduct training (in-person or virtual) regarding how to configure and/or use Maxient for Clery compliance purposes. Training can be customized to meet the needs and interests of the institution or system requesting training. Topics can include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Adding or updating relevant Clery configuration items in Maxient, such as Incident Locations and/or Charges/Issues;
  • Steps involved in creating, reviewing, and classifying cases in Maxient for Clery Act purposes;
  • Using built-in analytics as internal controls to ensure all reports have been reviewed, classified, and categorized (by location) for Clery Act purposes;
  • Special considerations for classifying and categorizing (by location) the VAWA offenses of Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, and Stalking;
  • Using Maxient for other Clery compliance purposes (such as creation of a Daily Crime Log, intake and processing of Campus Security Authority reports, etc.)

Emergency Response Training

D. Stafford & Associates (DSA) can conduct a high-level Emergency Response training class for leaders of a college or university campus. The class can be modified to meet the specific needs of the institution. The class is typically between 5-8 hours in length, depending on the agreed-upon topics to be covered. The class includes key concepts of NIMS (National Incident Management System), ICS (Incident Command System), and developing an all-hazards approach for dealing with critical incidents on campus.

NIMS Training

D Stafford & Associates has certified instructors available to assist an agency in developing a plan to become NIMS compliant and can provide agency specific training in IS300 and IS400, including developing and implementing specific tabletop exercises to enhance the knowledge and understanding of how the concepts in the 300 and 400 level courses apply to the specific response plans developed for a particular campus. NIMS IS100, IS200 IS700, and IS800 are online courses through FEMA. Our consultants can facilitate the completion of those online courses, if necessary.

Behavioral Intervention Team/Threat Assessment Team Training Classes for Institutions, Consortia, or Systems of Higher Education

D. Stafford & Associates provides on-site or virtual training classes for individual institutions of higher education as well as consortia or systems that wish to bring BIT/TAT training to their employees/members. DSA will suggest the involvement of various campus administrators, depending on the identified needs of the institution.

If a campus is having a specific challenge regarding their BIT/TAT and would like the training to focus on those areas, DSA can customize the training to fit the institution’s needs.

In a team or individual setting, DSA has experienced instructors who can deliver programs for new threat team members just getting started, to experienced and established team members and teams.

Depending on the level of experience and training needed, DSA uses a modular approach. From lectures to hands on behavioral intervention team and/or threat assessment scenarios, these classes are geared to give practical and actionable information. The courses will guide professionals to identify threats, mitigate threats from developing further, intervening, response protocols, managing the fear, and managing actual incidents.  Additionally, training will help teams in utilizing case and record management tools in support of behavioral intervention and threat assessment goals.

The modular approach is flexible in half-day, full-day, or longer courses.

Planning a Response to an Active Shooter Situation by Armed Campus Agencies

Designed for Command Level Staff Members of Armed Campus Security, Public Safety, or Police Departments

D. Stafford & Associates has developed a training course designed for supervisory and administrative level employees who have responsibility for developing and implementing plans and response protocols and/or who may be leading or overseeing such a response at the tactical or administrative level. Our associates who developed this course have various instructor level certifications, which include being instructors for Active Shooter Response through the National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA); Instructors in Incident Response to Terrorist Bombings (IRTB) through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); and are trained in Behavioral Threat Assessment.

The planning recommendations for response to an active shooter incident that are presented in this course are based on an all-hazards approach. This 20-hour course will assist an armed department in understanding the basics of active shooter response by armed law enforcement agencies including the tactics of an armed response and how the agency can facilitate an appropriate response in cooperation with municipal law enforcement partners, prevent loss of life, and provide intelligence and information to the appropriate stakeholders. This course covers all of the aspects of a response to this type of incident and assists the campus department in developing a response plan that facilitates the stabilization of the incident and can integrate into the response plans of the other responding agencies.

Training for response to an active shooter incident has become a necessity for armed campus agencies, and is predominantly a requirement for municipal agencies where the campuses are located. The training provided by this course will be modular, to allow departments to adapt some or all of the concepts into their existing policies, protocols and training programs.

Use of Force Program Development for Armed and Unarmed Agencies

D. Stafford & Associates can assist your armed or unarmed agency in designing use of force policies and procedures.  DSA can also recommend equipment, review report writing/use of force reporting form protocols and design a customized instructor training program.

Our experienced consultants have a multitude of instructor and trainer certifications that vary from empty hand control tactics to armed tactical applications of force. They have a significant amount of experience in use of force program and curriculum development for multiple agencies and have presented at international training conferences and served as adjunct faculty.

Community Policing Assessment and Training

D. Stafford & Associates has experience in evaluating the current community policing philosophy and practices of a campus police or public safety agency. We can assist the institution in developing a community policing plan, including suggested practices, programs, and services that should be offered by the department to enhance or change the current policing paradigm.

The plan that is developed may include enhancements to or new recommendations regarding personnel, training, policies/procedures, and programs/services. D. Stafford & Associates has experience conducting community policing training for agency personnel to enhance the knowledge and understanding of the concepts surrounding the community policing philosophy.

To obtain a scope of work that includes a description and cost of any of these services, or to invite D. Stafford & Associates to respond to a Request for Proposals (RFP) to provide these services, contact dolores@dstaffordandassociates.com or call (302) 344-5809 to discuss any of these services and/or a customized scope of work.