Do you speak higher education legalese? The WAICU Compliance Summit provides a learning opportunity for members

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Professor Peter Lake of Stetson University College of Law, an internationally renowned expert on higher education law and policy, was the keynote speaker. Professor Peter Lake of Stetson University College of Law, an internationally renowned expert on higher education law and policy, was the keynote speaker.
Professor Peter Lake of Stetson University College of Law, an internationally renowned expert on higher education law and policy, was the keynote speaker.

It goes without saying that higher education is a highly regulated industry. Those who work at or with colleges and universities will no doubt find themselves swimming in a sea of acronyms (think FERPA, ADA, FMLA, etc.) and working to stay abreast on the latest changes in procedure. For the past five years, the annual WAICU Compliance Summit has helped administrators and staff at WAICU members as they navigate the waters of higher education law and policy.

The Summit is designed to provide resources on hot topics, trending issues, and legal updates. It is an opportunity for those who are new to higher education to receive an introduction to topics such as Title IX, the Clery Act, disability law, and athletics regulation compliance. Seasoned professionals also benefit from the event by sharing best practices and getting the latest updates from national experts.

This year’s Summit, held on July 29 and 30 at Marian University, featured presentations given by speakers from Husch Blackwell, SecurIT360, and Spark LLC, as well as colleagues from Concordia University Wisconsin, Lawrence University, Marian University, and Marquette University. Peter Lake, J.D., — a highly sought-after speaker and repeat favorite of Summit attendees — provided the keynote address.

A Compliance Advisory Steering Committee comprised of WAICU members from five institutions identified and vetted topics for the Summit to ensure that the content was as relevant and useful as possible. Compliance is important to WAICU members not just as a practice of fulfilling obligations, but because they want to do what is best for students, faculty and staff, and their communities.