Published on: March 24, 2026
An ATIXA Tip of the Week by Advisory Board Member Julie Langholdt, M.A., Metropolitan Community College
As I step into my role on the ATIXA Advisory Board and begin thinking about how to contribute to the field before retirement in a few years, I find myself reflecting on a career grounded in problem-solving, careful listening, and an unwavering commitment to students.
I have spent nearly three decades at Metropolitan Community College (MCC) in Nebraska, working at the intersection of student affairs, civil rights compliance, and institutional accountability. The path has not been linear, but it has been purposeful and deeply meaningful.
Aligning Civil Rights and Student Support
Before I became MCC’s Title IX Director in 2015, my work in civil rights compliance began in student affairs leadership roles, where I oversaw elements of Title IX, Title VI, student conduct, behavioral intervention, and student advocacy.
I have often been the only person at my institution responsible for this work. In 2011, I attended my first NABITA conference and distinctly remember realizing I had found my professional community. Connecting with others who understood the complexity and weight of student support responsibilities was both affirming and clarifying, shaping how I approached the work.
After attending ATIXA training in 2015, I returned to campus and told my vice president, “We need to get this organized.” That statement extended beyond Title IX. It reflected a broader vision to align our compliance, civil rights, and student support efforts. That same year, I became an ATIXA member and began actively engaging with the association’s training and resources.
The Community College Perspective
Working at a community college has profoundly shaped my perspective. We are a non-residential institution without an athletics program, serving a substantial population of working adults and dual-enrolled students. Our risk profile, resource structure, and student realities differ significantly from four-year institutions.
Community colleges often have limited staff and resources, so Title IX responsibilities are frequently added to existing roles in compliance, student affairs, and human resources. Financial constraints restrict our access to national conferences, professional training, and leadership development.
Most national regulations are designed for four-year residential universities and don’t align with the realities of community colleges. Our students are often on campus for only short periods, so they interact with campus systems differently. This, along with factors like inconsistent orientation, hybrid learning, and competing student priorities, creates structural barriers to success. Together, these challenges make it difficult for community colleges to fully influence or implement national Title IX guidance in ways that fit their unique environments.
I have consistently believed that community colleges must remain visible in national conversations on Title IX and compliance. Community college students, faculty, and staff members deserve systems intentionally designed to address their circumstances. I have appreciated that ATIXA has increasingly recognized and incorporated this perspective, and I’m eager to bring that lens to the ATIXA Advisory Board.
My goal on the ATIXA Advisory Board is to support the work behind the scenes by mentoring new professionals, contributing to conference planning, and identifying gaps in available resources for community college professionals, because I remember how overwhelming this work can feel at the beginning. Often, what makes the greatest difference is not a policy template but a conversation with someone who understands.
Shape Your Career
Rather than stepping into a predefined role, I built one. I helped design a structure that aligned Title IX, disability support services, non-clinical advocacy counselors, behavioral intervention, and student conduct. Each of these areas carries significant compliance and student rights responsibilities. Bringing them together created a more intentional, coordinated, and effective response system.
Over my career, I have redesigned my position three times, writing my own job descriptions each time. When the scope felt overwhelming, I reminded myself that I deliberately chose this path. Shaping the role allowed me to focus on building systems, solving complex problems, and creating structure for work that keeps higher education administrators up at night.
Most recently, my title shifted to Dean of Compliance and Financial Aid and Title IX/VI Coordinator. Each transition reflected institutional need, and I was fortunate to grow alongside those evolving responsibilities.
Advice From Three Decades in Civil Rights Compliance
At this stage of my career, I recognize how essential clear policies, trusted relationships, institutional credibility, and access to reliable professional resources are for developing effective compliance roadmaps.
For those new to the field, I encourage you to ask questions and seek out a professional community. Also, use the tools available through ATIXA and NABITA so you don’t have to build those roadmaps from scratch. For those further along, share your knowledge as a mentor, and help the entire field to advocate for the inclusion of community college perspectives in national dialogues.
ATIXA and NABITA should be your professional home. The relationships formed through conferences and training can provide technical guidance and steady reassurance that this work does not have to be done in isolation. Over time, those professional connections will become sources of growth, accountability, and grounding.
I still approach this field as a student, even after three decades. I attend as many ATIXA and NABITA webinars and trainings as possible. Early in my career, I focused on absorbing information. Now, I revisit material with experience as context, returning with sharper questions and a clearer understanding of practical application.
In a regulatory environment defined by shifting federal guidance, evolving case law, and increasing operational complexity, ongoing education is not optional. Staying curious, adaptable, and willing to ask difficult questions is as important as any credential.
Become a member of ATIXA and NABITA today!