Rationale Writing Workshop for Decision-Makers and Investigators

July 21, 2021 | 11:30am-3:30pm ET
     

Pricing:
$399 non-member
$349 member

*Group pricing available, please contact events@atixa.org for more information.

Course Description: The 2020 Title IX regulations require hearing and appeal rationales (as well as rationales for dismissals and emergency removal decisions). As a result, rationales are under more scrutiny than ever, and it is now easier to litigate against a college or school’s stated rationale, because all the reasoning and analysis is now laid bare for all participants to see and scrutinize. Are your investigators and decision-makers ready to write clear, defensible rationales? If not, ATIXA is here to teach rationale-writing skills and increase the proficiency of your trainees.

This 4 hour (half-day) workshop is fully engaging and hands-on for decision makers and investigators. Often as part of an investigation report, and always as part of the hearing and appeal outcome letter, a rationale must be provided. This rationale includes an analysis of all the facts considered, policy application, a credibility assessment, application of the standard of proof, finding, final determination, elaboration of sanctions, and the reasons therefor.

Rationales are often difficult – we know our decision but how do we reduce it to writing?

Credibility in particular is challenging — how do we explain why we do or don’t believe someone?

This workshop is a hands-on clinic on becoming proficient at rationale writing using a fascinating new ATIXA case study to train your brain on this particular skill. There will be brief Zoom classroom instruction, a discussion of the case study, a break to write your draft, and then selective (anonymous) sharing of the drafts with the group for review and feedback by the instructor and participants. All participants will also receive a copy of ATIXA’s model rationale for the case.

Who Should Attend:

• Title IX Investigators
• Civil Rights Investigators
• Hearing Officers
• Appeal Officers
• Legal Counsel
• Title IX Team Members
• Title IX Coordinators
• Hearing Panel Chairs

Learning Outcomes:

• What is a rationale and how is it used?
• What should be included in a rationale? What should be excluded?
• What should the internal process of rationale review and approval look like?
• How can rationales contribute to litigation vulnerability, and how to ensure your rationales stand up to legal scrutiny.
• How best to distill what decision-makers are thinking and then reduce it to a clear, concise written summary

Certification: This is not a certification course, but all participants will receive an Accredible Completion Badge.