Harter Secrest & Emery LLP, a full-service business law firm with offices throughout New York, announced that Theresa A. Conroy and Julia E. Green, partners in the firm’s Higher Education practice group, will lead a discussion on how higher education institutions can prevent and address sexual harassment on their campuses. The discussion will take place on October 23 at the Eastern Association of College and University Business Officers (EACUBO) Annual Meeting in Buffalo.
In a presentation entitled “Sexual Harassment Complaints: What HR Can Learn from the Student Side,” Conroy, Green, and Nazareth College Associate Vice President for Human Resources and Deputy Title IX Coordinator Jo Ellen Pinkham will discuss the ways in which college and university human resources professionals can benefit from a deeper understanding of the work student affairs professionals have carried out to combat student sexual misconduct on their campuses, including: gauging the campus climate; increasing prevention-focused education; maximizing on-campus resources and response measures; strengthening anti-harassment policies and reporting systems; conducting thorough and impartial investigations; and delivering effective bystander and compliance training, all with campus leaders spearheading these efforts and ensuring accountability.
EACUBO was founded nearly 100 years ago as the role of the higher education business officer came into existence in the late 19th and early 20th century. EACUBO was founded on the principles of shared expertise and collaboration, the effective implementation of best practices and support for the important work of higher education institutions. A volunteer-led association, EACUBO is centered on professional development, technical expertise and creative value-added, problem-solving. As business officers are summoned to serve as strategic leaders, EACUBO remains focused on assisting business officers in that critical undertaking.
Harter Secrest & Emery’s Higher Education attorneys guide institutions through the unique legal, operational, and regulatory challenges colleges and universities face. The group has extensive experience and brings a perspective that goes well beyond the legal questions at hand. The breadth and depth of the team’s knowledge as legal counsel is enhanced by experiences gained by members of the group who serve in various higher education roles. The team counsels institutions on a wide range of matters including compliance with Title IX and other state and federal governmental regulations; conducting and responding to internal and government investigations; governance, operational, business and employment matters; and crisis management and response, among others.