An ATIXA Tip of the Week by Brett A. Sokolow, J.D.
We are less than ten weeks away from ATIXA’s 13th Annual Conference! ATIXA is excited to host hundreds of our members and future members at our conference. How will you benefit from attending? Here are ten reasons why you should join us for “ATIXACon” 2024 in October:
1. Returning to Our Roots: We’re back in Philly at the Loews, our home city and a great site for a conference. With its history, award-winning food, and attractions, Philadelphia is a special gem, it’s easy to get to, and there will be soft pretzels and cheesesteaks! We are also partnering to identify local businesses owned by BIPOC and LGBTQ+ individuals, should our attendees wish to patronize them.
2. A Gathering for All: ATIXACon is a reunion, even for first-timers and non-members. That’s just the kind of coming-together it is. Whether it is your thirteenth conference or your first, you’ll find a professional home and family with ATIXA. We can’t wait to see friends, new and old.
3. Navigating the “Regspocalypse”: ATIXACon 2024 is the first time for the field to gather to process the “Regspocalypse” and its effect on schools and colleges. Are you using the 2024 Regulations? 2020 regs? Some combination? You’ll find that ATIXACon has sessions and certification courses for both, ensuring that whatever your approach, ATIXA will continue to offer the training you need. More importantly, we’ll all learn from each other, sharing the impact these changes are having in our communities, the perceptions people are sharing about Title IX, and how we can best navigate the political challenges of state v. federal and the frequent intervention of the courts.
4. Keynote Address: Our opening keynote will feature Sarah Vincent, J.D., of Husch Blackwell, who will speak on “Balancing Legal Guidelines with Authentic Inclusion,” emphasizing the importance of aligning Title IX compliance, Title VI, and DEI initiatives. Sarah’s address will emphasize how schools and colleges can transcend legal compliance to embrace authentic inclusivity and expansive access. This topic is front of mind for many schools and campuses, especially as Title VI-related conflicts based on shared ancestry, nationality, and ethnic characteristics remain at the forefront.
5. Certification Opportunities: Get yourself certified or update your certification. The most respected Title IX certification is an ATIXA Certification (66,000 professionals certified and counting). Our conference is always bookended by pre-con and post-con certification opportunities, and 2024 is no exception. Twenty-three certification courses will be offered, addressing content specific to the 2020 regs, the 2024 regs, and other essential topics. We will offer Coordinator, Investigator, ADA/504 Compliance, Gender Equity and Sex-Based Harassment certifications for all professionals.
6. Peer Learning and Networking: While you can learn from ATIXA experts during the pre-cons and post-cons, the conference days in between are the chance for peer learning, as we spotlight practitioner presentations and offer opportunities to learn about innovative programs and projects from other schools and colleges. The conference days also provide excellent opportunities for networking, socializing, and enjoying Philly.
7. Diverse Voices: In all, we have 50 speakers lined up for you this year. If you’d like a peek at the featured speaker sessions, click here. In line with our practice of bringing diverse voices together to inform our field, we will have a range of topics specific to higher education and K-12 with intentionality to both speaker and viewpoint inclusion in our offerings.
8. Engaging Roundtable Discussions: We love a good roundtable and know you do, too. Roundtables have been a popular fixture of ATIXACon. These lightly facilitated discussion sessions are divided into twelve topics interspersed between conference sessions. They offer the opportunity to digest what is being presented, kick it around, learn how colleagues perceive the content, and allow space to process all the information the sessions have provided. Processing takes time, and we internalize the content much more effectively with the benefit of roundtable discussions.
9. Expert Access: Grab an expert! That’s right, the country’s leading Title IX experts wander around the lobby, on the loose and in the wild (ok, the Loews Hotel is certainly civilized, but you get the idea). You can walk right up to one of us and ask any Title IX-related questions, or feel free to use our conference app—Whova—to schedule a quick meeting with any on-call consultant. We will have a schedule set up through the app so that a consultant is available to meet during regular conference hours.
10. Looking Ahead: Wrap your brain around where the Title IX field is headed. For fourteen years, ATIXA has offered crucial guidance on Title IX’s evolution and future direction. Where are we headed? What challenges should you anticipate? How can you best position your school or college to adopt and implement the best practices that drive programmatic excellence?
If this top-ten list keeps your attention, you’ll be amazed by ATIXA’s next in-person training event, the 2025 Winter Symposium. Register here.