The Dr. Bernice Sandler Title IX Research Grant Application

Topic: The Hidden Harm: Student on Student Bullying and Retaliation in Title IX Cases

Name and Title: Karen Baddeley, J.D., MFA, B.A., – Director of Investigations, Office of Civil Rights & Title IX

Organization: University of Kansas

Abstract: Social isolation, online bullying, and future reputational harm by classmates and other students due to filing or participating in a Title IX investigation often does meet the legal or institutional definition of retaliation. However, these experiences can have a significant impact on a student’s well-being and ability to succeed academically and may create a barrier to participation in the investigation process. This project aims to understand the impact of these experiences and describe best practices institutions of higher education can utilize to prevent barriers and support students involved in Title IX investigations.  Research for this project will provide case studies and overall insights of students who have experienced what they describe as retaliation as complainants, respondents, or witnesses in Title IX investigations. More specifically, the research will target two groups of students: undergraduates who may experience social exclusion, and graduate students who may experience reputational harm to their future careers. The project will explore the retaliatory behaviors, institutional response, and the impact the behavior had on the student. In addition to providing case studies, this project will utilize existing case law and scholarly articles that have explored this topic. Through this process, the project aims to answer the following questions: how does the fear of retaliation create a barrier to filing Title IX complaints and participating in investigations? What retaliatory behaviors have students experienced and how has that impacted them academically and emotionally? What approaches have institutions implemented that have been successful in supporting students?

Topic: Exploration of Emerging Adults’ Conceptualization of Sexual Violence

Name and Title: Jenn Wiggins, MA, LPC and Emma Desens, M.S. MFT

Organization: Virginia Tech

• Abstract: The researchers are interested in understanding the impact of how college students are defining sexual violence in their own lives, and how that subsequently influences their ability and willingness to report events of sexual violence that fall on the “high frequency, low recognition” area of the sexual violence umbrella. By focusing on the often-ambiguous space between what may be considered “bad sex” and what constitutes harmful or violent sexual encounters, this research will contribute to a deeper understanding of how young adults navigate the grey zone of sexual violence in their daily lives and within campus culture.

ATIXA is pleased to announce the following recipients of the 2025 Research Grant. Congratulations to each winner, and we look forward to the results of their proposed area of research:

• Terence (Terry) Fassanella, Ph.D., M.S.Ed., M.S., Senior Compliance & Title IX Investigator, The College of William & Mary, “Lawyering Up”: Reflections From Students Using Attorneys as Advisors, a Narrative Study
• Marissa Hayes, M.S., Ph.D. Student & Adjunct Instructor, Tarleton State University, An Exploratory Study on Title IX Employees’ Experiences and Perceptions of Institutional Betrayal
• Ashley Ogbonna, J.D., LL.M., Education Attorney; Director of Student Policy and Title IX Coordinator, KIPP DC, Equity and Cultural Competence in Title IX: Addressing Sexual Harassment in Predominantly Black and Brown K-12 School Communities

ATIXA is pleased to announce the following recipients of the 2024 Research Grant. Congratulations to each winner, and we look forward to the results of their proposed area of research:

• Winner: Christina Graziano, General Counsel, VP for Strategy, and Title IX Coordinator, Assumption University
  • Research: Exploring Best Practices in Title IX Administration at Small, Religiously- Affiliated Colleges and Universities: A Proactive Approach to Cultivating a Culture of Reporting
• Winner: Marissa Miller, College of William & Mary
  • Research: Dear Sista, Are You Okay?: A Narrative Inquiry of African American Women as Title IX Coordinators at Predominately White Institutions (PWIs)

ATIXA is pleased to announce the following recipients of the 2023 Research Grant. Congratulations to each winner, and we look forward to the results of their proposed area of research:

• Winners: Molly C. Driessen, M.S.W., Ph.D., LICSW (R.I.)/LCSW (C.T.), Providence College & Lynette M. Renner, M.S.W., Ph.D., LICSW, The University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
  • Research: The Experiences of College/University Title IX Coordinators: Navigating Multiple and Changing Social and Political Climates
  • The Experiences of Title IX Coordinators Navigating Multiple and Changing Social and Political Climates and the Impact on Campus Sexual Misconduct
• Winner: Kijua Sanders-McMurtry, M.A., Ph.D., Mount Holyoke College
  • Research: Supportive Strategies for Black Women Rape Survivors

ATIXA is pleased to announce the following recipients of the 2022 Research Grant. Congratulations to each winner and we look forward to the results of their proposed area of research:

• Winner: Mark Addison, Northeastern University
  • Research: Title IX Investigator Perceptions of Due Process and Fairness
• Winner: Elizabeth Bell, Florida State University
  • Research: Impacts of Policy Management Practices on Sexual Misconduct Reporting
  • The Implications of Implementation Burdens for Title IX Officers and Students
    • Part I: What Evidence Did We Gather? The Survey and Interviews
    • Part II: Barriers to Student Reporting
    • Part III: Current Perceptions of Federal Regulatory Changes by Title IX Officers
    • Part IV: Burnout and Turnover Among Title IX Officers
• Winner: Beth Paris, Virginia Commonwealth University
  • Research: Perceptions, Attitudes, and Experiences Impacting Resident Assistant Help-seeking Behavior

ATIXA is pleased to announce the following recipients of the 2021 Research Grant. Congratulations to each winner and we look forward to the results of their proposed area of research:

• Winners: Sally Hage & Mary Lellamo, Springfield College
  • Research: Compelled Disclosure Policies in Higher Education: Creating Innovative, Effective, and Equitable Institutions
• Winners: Colleen Schoenfeld, The Center for Equity Education, Mary Martinez, Central Michigan University, Katherine Lasher, Central Michigan University, & Heather Cowan, Albuquerque Public School District
  • Research: Institutional Title IX Supportive Measures and Practices Across Large Public Institutions Initiated in the K-12 Arena to Support the College Experience

ATIXA is pleased to announce the following recipients of the 2020 Research Grant. Congratulations to each winner and we look forward to the results of their proposed area of research:

• Winners: Christina Mancini, Virginia Commonwealth University & Sarah Koon-Magnin, University of South Alabama
  • Research: Faculty and Staff Perceptions of Title IX Policies Across Diverse Institutions
• Winners: Rodney Hughes, Erin McHenry-Sorber, & Amanda Rose, West Virginia University
  • Research: An Evaluation of the Impact of the 2011 Dear Colleague Letter on Colleges’ and Universities’ Reporting of Sexual Misconduct

ATIXA is pleased to announce the following recipients of the 2019 Research Grant. Congratulations to each winner and we look forward to the results of their proposed area of research:

• Winner: Sarah Dodd, University of Connecticut
  • Research: The Impact of the Sexual Assault Reporting Climate on Reporting or Disclosing Sexual Assault to College Officials for LGBTQ Identified Students
• Winner: Carla Martinez, Golden West College
  • Research: Title IX Policy in the California Community Colleges

ATIXA is pleased to announce the following recipient of the 2018 Research Grant. Congratulations and we look forward to the results of their proposed area of research:

• Winner: Jennifer Forry, Newbury College
  • Research: Strategies for Achieving Equity in Sexual Misconduct Investigations in Higher Education: Perspectives from Title IX Coordinators and Deputies