• Describe the role of a Title IX Investigator as it relates to the formal grievance process.
• Understand investigation procedural requirements under Title IX.
• Identify steps to designing a thorough investigation plan.
• Develop a trauma-informed interviewing style, including crafting sound questions.
• Prepare a comprehensive and informative investigation report.

Title IX Solutions’ Managing Member, Pat Mathis, reviews the Title IX Regulations, including the three-pronged definition of sexual harassment, a school’s obligation to provide supportive measures, the formal complaint process, investigations, informal resolution options, standards of evidence, and hearings.

Lessons include:

• • • • Introduction to the Title IX Regulations
      • Sexual Harassment and Recipient Response
      • Title IX Grievance Process for Formal Complaints

Session Three: Role of the Title IX Investigator (1 Hour)

Speaker: Elizabeth Abdnour, J.D. 

Title IX expert Elizabeth Adbnour explains the role of a Title IX Investigator, discusses the objective of a Title IX investigation, and emphasizes the importance of recognizing and addressing potential biases or conflicts of interest. Elizabeth also addresses the standard components of a Title IX investigation and potential obstacles faced by Title IX Investigators.

Lessons include:

• • • • Placeholder

Session Four: Investigation Planning and Design (40 Minutes)

Speaker: Adrienne Mathis

Title IX Solutions’ Executive Director Adrienne Mathis, reviews important investigative communications and walks course users through the investigative planning process. This chapter addresses best practices regarding investigative teams, scheduling interviews with parties and witnesses, and drafting a comprehensive investigative plan for efficient, compliant Title IX investigations.

Lessons include:

• • • • Forming Your Investigative Team
      • Reviewing Key Documents
      • Drafting an Investigative Plan

Session Five: Investigative Interview Techniques (1.5 Hours)

Speaker: Thomas A. Denton, Jr. 

Title IX Solutions’ Co-Founder and Director of Investigations, Tom Denton, dives into the foundations of Title IX interviewing. Centered around treating all individuals with respect, Tom highlights the importance of body language, boundaries, patterns of questioning, and interview scripting. This chapter emphasizes specific tactics for establishing trust, rapport, and fostering a safe space for interviewees.

Lessons include:

• • • • Preparing a Preamble
      • Recording Interviews
      • Building Rapport and Trust
      • Questioning the Parties
      • Interviewing Minors

Session Six: Investigative Report Writing (1 Hour)

Speaker: Susanna Murphy, J.D.

Professional Title IX Investigator Susanna Murphy walks investigators through the purpose and required contents of an investigative report and file. Topics include how to accurately synthesize interviews and evidence, present the facts, and incorporate parties’ responses to the report. Susanna leverages sample report language to bring these concepts to real-world application.

Lessons include:

• • • • Elements of the Investigation Report
      • Summarizing Interviews 
      • Summarizing Evidence
      • Reviewing the Report
      • The Investigation File
      • Sample Report

Session Seven: Understanding Trauma (1 Hour)

Speaker: Dr. Jessica Groleau

Clinical psychologist Dr. Jessica Groleau provides attendees with a foundational understanding of trauma and its impact on the Title IX investigative process. Dr. Groleau presents strategies for investigators to recognize biases and tips for conducting a trauma-informed investigation.

Lessons include:

• • • • Introduction to Trauma
      • Recognizing Personal Bias
      • Trauma-Informed Communication
      • Promoting Empowerment
      • Understanding Trauma as an Investigator

Session Eight: Sample Interview (45 Minutes)

Speaker: Thomas A. Denton, Jr. 

This concluding chapter illustrates many of the key lessons shared throughout this training. Title IX Solutions’ experts, Tawny Alonzo and Tom Denton, set the stage for a real-world scenario by introducing a mock complaint and interviewing the Complainant in the case. Course users are presented the opportunity to see the foundations and best practices of Title IX investigative interviewing in action.

Lessons include:

• • • • Scenario Introduction
      • Interview and Commentary
      • Interview Summary

Meet Your Instructors

PATRICK B. MATHIS, J.D., L.L.M., M.B.A. | Founding Member

With over 30 years of legal experience, Patrick Mathis is a Founding Member of TIXS as well as a shareholder of Mathis, Marifian & Richter, Ltd. (MM&R), a law firm based in Southern Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri. As a certified Title IX investigator, Patrick has advised clients on a wide variety of legal issues, he has a developed awareness of the broad implications of incidents which may affect victims, alleged assailants, and educational institutions. With that understanding, he can work with colleges, Title IX Coordinators, school counsel, and TIXS investigators to develop a comprehensive understanding and approach to addressing the issues which arise in incidents of alleged sexual assaults to ensure prompt and equitable resolutions. Patrick also coordinates the training of our investigators regarding the legal aspects of Title IX, DOE guidelines, state law issues, and related areas. He is a training instructor for TIXS, specializing in the Title IX Regulations, compliance, and issues related to sexual assault affecting students studying abroad. On June 10, 2021, Mr. Mathis submitted oral public comments to the United States Department of Education at the Office of Civil Rights Public Hearing Regarding Current Title IX Regulations.

THOMAS A. DENTON | Co-Founder & Director of Investigations

Thomas Denton is Title IX Solutions Co-Founder & Director of Investigations with over 31 years of law enforcement experience and 17 years as a licensed private detective. In 2005, he founded Tactical Investigations, LLC and has been a licensed private detective for over 17 years. Tom has extensive experience investigating child sexual assaults and Title IX violations, including an investigation at Northwestern University which involved hazing incidents, sexual harassment, and an alcohol fatality as well as a high-profile investigation into the gang rape of a student at Washington and Lee University.

ELIZABETH ABDNOUR | Investigator & Advisor

Elizabeth (Liz) Abdnour is an experienced civil rights and employment attorney. She represents students and provides investigative, consulting, and training services to educational institutions, groups, and nonprofits of all sizes. After a career in legal services, where she learned how to advocate for underserved clients from a trauma-informed perspective and supervised a law school practice clinic, Liz transitioned into higher education where she spent three years in the civil rights office at a large and grant university. Liz then opened her own law and consulting practice where she now serves both individual and institutional clients. The combination of Liz’s legal experience and her years as an investigator and equity coordinator give her unparalleled expertise regarding educational institutions’ obligations with respect to civil rights and Title IX response.

ADRIENNE MATHIS | Executive Director

Title IX Solutions Executive Director works one-on-one with Title IX Coordinators at client universities to interpret federal and state sexual harassment statutes and advises universities on best practices for implementing the Regulations. She works closely with TIXS professional investigators, hearing officers, informal resolution facilitators, and advisors to facilitate the provision of Title IX services to client universities. Adrienne occasionally works with student victims of sexual harassment to explain their rights under Title IX when non-client institutions may inadequately respond. She also Adrienne audits and drafts sexual misconduct policies for colleges, creating guidebooks and templates for Title IX administrators, and designing training programs for Title IX personnel. As a leader at TIXS, Adrienne collaborates with company co-founders to identify barriers to proper implementation of Title IX and expand service offerings to further establish best practices in a way that is attainable for institutions and trauma-informed for parties.

SUSANNA MURPHY, ESQ. | Advisor & Investigator

Susanna Murphy began her work as an independent Title IX advisor and investigator after 20 years of legal experience, first as a trial attorney and then as an investigator, in the criminal justice system. Susanna serves as an advisor for both complainants and respondents, as well as an independent investigator. She also has testified as an expert witness on Title IX investigations and provided educational prevention programming to private secondary schools and college and university organizations. Throughout her career, Susanna has put respect, discretion, objectivity, attention to detail and professionalism as her top priorities in every Title IX case. She is mindful of the sensitive nature of these kinds of allegations and is skilled at making parties and witnesses as comfortable as possible while discussing topics of a very sensitive nature.

TAWNY ALONZO, M.S. | Director of Training

A graduate of Texas A&M University, Tawny has blended careers in higher education and law enforcement to address issues of sexual misconduct on college campuses. Tawny took an interest as a police officer in working with victims of sexual assault, child abuse, and domestic violence. She immersed herself in trainings on trauma-informed interviewing, violence against women and children, as well as community approaches to prevention. This passion led to a jump into higher education and the world of Title IX. She previously served as a Title IX Investigator at Texas Woman’s University, Director of Violence Prevention at Southern Methodist University, and Title IX Program Manager at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Her areas of expertise include conducting compliant investigations, creating dynamic student and employee trainings, and building holistic campus violence prevention programs.

JESSICA GROLEAU, Ph.D. | Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Dr. Groleau earned a Ph.D. in Clinical Health Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and joined the Center for Student Health and Well-Being at Davidson College in 2019. She has conducted research on the impact of trauma in college students, with an emphasis on positive psychology and post-traumatic growth. Her clinical interests include young adult development, working with survivors of sexual abuse and intimate partner violence, LGBTQ issues, relationship concerns, and anxiety.