This session will discuss the current state of the legal landscape in higher education for addressing and preventing sexual harassment. It will consider how executive orders, federal agency actions and guidance, conflicting state and federal policy, and ongoing lawsuits are changing the landscape, including how issues related to Title VI enforcement may be affecting and overlapping with efforts related to Title IX and Title VII within higher education institutions. In addition to providing information on the current state, panelists will also discuss strategies for how higher education institutions are navigating the current landscape to maintain efforts to prevent and address sexual harassment in higher education.

This panel explores the growing issue of digital harassment in higher education, examining its impact on students, faculty, and institutional climate. Panelists will discuss what behaviors and experiences are defined as digital harassment and the legal and policy frameworks connected with digital harassment. The session will specifically explore strategies higher education institutions can implement for prevention, response, and support in digital harassment cases.

A group from the Prevention Working Group in the Action Collaborative is gathering information on prevention and response tools for leaders. As part of this work, this session will hear from department chairs and Principal Investigators, and those who can speak to the experiences of these groups, to identify what challenges they are experiencing in preventing and responding to sexual harassment in their departments and labs, and about what tools they need or think could be useful.

This session will examine the critical role academic leaders play in shaping organizational climate and contributing to institutional efforts to prevent and address sexual harassment. Drawing on current research and recent initiatives, the session will highlight strategies, leadership development resources, and practical approaches for assisting chairs, deans, and other academic leaders with making a positive contribution to institutional efforts to prevent sexual harassment. 

During this session, the Action Collaborative will host an informal, in-person networking session where attendees can connect with peers from other organizations to discuss specific topics of interest. Tables will be labeled with different discussion topics reflecting various areas of interest. Attendees will choose a table with a topic that aligns with their work or interests and join others to exchange experiences, share resources, and build connections. The discussion groups will be unmoderated to allow attendees to network informally and based on the interests of those attending.

We encourage virtual attendees to utilize the "Attendee Directory" for virtual networking.

Building on the Action Collaborative’s recently published issue paper on the topic of supporting postdoctoral scholars experiencing sexual harassment, this session will explore the details of potentially promising approaches, the current changing environment for postdoctoral research, and lessons learned from international efforts to support postdoctoral scholars. 

This session will explore the need to recognize, prevent, and address a wider range of abusive, bullying, and disrespectful behaviors in academic research environments—beyond what is often considered misconduct or sexual harassment. Panelists will discuss how these behaviors, and particularly bullying in higher education, impact the well-being, development, and retention of research trainees, and share about institutional efforts to address this wider range of behaviors. Strategies for communication, early intervention, accountability, and support will be shared. The conversation will be informed in part by insights from the 2021 AAMC Report on the Appropriate Treatment of Research Trainees and reflect work done in response to the AAMC report. 

This session will explore example Action Plans developed at different institutions to address sexual harassment, sexual violence, and to effect change on campus. Speakers will examine the structure of these Action Plans, what data were used to inform the objectives and strategies included in the plans, and how they developed buy-in from those who hold responsibility for implementing the actions.

To conclude the public portion of the meeting, in-person attendees are welcome to join us for lunch and informal networking.