Spotlight on
Higher Education

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Examining the 2024 Title IX Regulations: Practical Takeaways and Key Considerations

May 23, 2024 - ELA Webinar

On April 29, 2024, the U.S. Department of Education published the new final rule in the Federal Register amending the regulations implementing Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Join us as our panelists discuss some of the key provisions of the final regulations, share practical takeaways related to institutional sex-based discrimination and harassment grievance procedures, and highlight jurisdiction specific issues. This webinar is meant to help institutions as they now contemplate what changes to make to their policies and processes in response to the new regulations and other considerations for their individual campuses.

Student Athletes in the United States (NIL & Athletes as Employees)

March 28, 2024 - ELA Podcast

In today's episode, we discuss changes in Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) compensation for college athletes, as well as the student-athlete employment debate.

Crisis Communications in US Higher Education

December 12, 2023 - ELA Podcast

In today's episode, we discuss changes in Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) compensation for college athletes, as well as the student-athlete employment debate.

Labor Negotiations in US Higher Education: Bargaining with Student Workers and Non-Traditional Employees

Wednesday, October 25, 2023 - ELA Webinar
Time: 3:00pm Eastern Daylight Time

Join us as we discuss hot topics in higher education labor negotiations. Our panelists will address recent NLRB decisions with reference to Cemex & Title IX procedures, as well as the current landscape of student workers and the ways negotiations are being handled.



Aftershocks from the SFFA Cases: How the US Supreme Court’s Affirmative Action Rulings Impact National and Global Employers’ DEI Programs

Thursday, September 07, 2023 - ELA Webinar
Time: 3:00pm Eastern Daylight Time

The Supreme Court’s recent rulings regarding affirmative action in university and college admissions are already having an impact on employers’ diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) efforts and policies. Join ELA thought leaders as we partner with Aperian Global to discuss the aftermath of these decisions from an employment perspective. Our session will briefly discuss the cases, and touch on related considerations for hiring & retention, best practices for national and global organizations, and how employers can best mitigate risks.

The ELA is excited to work with our long-standing partner, Aperian, on this webinar. Aperian provides international organizations with leading diversity & inclusion, cultural competence, and global mobility solutions.

Open for Comment: The Impact of Proposed Changes to the Title IX Regulations for US Higher Education

Thursday, September 08, 2022 - ELA Webinar
Time: 12:00pm Eastern Daylight Time

On July 12, 2022, the U.S. Department of Education released for public comment proposed changes to the Title IX regulations put in place to protect victims of sexual harassment, assault, and sex-based discrimination. 

The Employment Law Alliance Higher Education Council plans to submit formal comments to the Department of Education. In anticipation of such comments, please join us for an interactive webinar on September 8, 2022, to discuss the proposed changes and their impact on higher education.

Transgender Athletes in the US: Understanding the Legal Playing Field

Thursday, September 01, 2022 - ELA Webinar

Time: 1:30pm Eastern Daylight Time

Numerous legal and practical issues arise when transgender athletes compete on intercollegiate teams. Some states have enacted laws prohibiting such involvement, while others provide legal protection for transgender athletes to participate on the teams that match their gender identity. Current federal guidelines seek to protect transgender athletes - the NCAA and the U.S. Olympic Committee have also weighed in on these issues.

Join us for a discussion of the current environment, its complications, and practical advice for college attorneys and their clients.

Where the US Constitution Meets the Campus: The Academic Scholar Perspective

August 19, 2022 - ELA Podcast

Today, we are connecting with two academic scholars who will be sharing their insights about Title IX as well as the impact of constitutional issues for higher education communities.

Title IX 50th Anniversary

August 18, 2022 - ELA Podcast

In this episode, we reflect on Title IX – what it has meant to higher education and gender equity, how it has evolved, the 2022 proposed changes and where it might be headed in the future.

US Supreme Court Ruling - Fiduciary Duties in Defined Contribution Retirement Plan Investments

July 21, 2022 - ELA's Instant Access Webinar

The US Supreme Court’s ruling in an Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) lawsuit known as Hughes v. Northwestern University reiterated a need to focus on the appropriate ways to discharge fiduciary duties, including the fiduciaries’ continuing duty to monitor investments and to remove imprudent ones. This webinar provides an overview of this case and highlights ways that plan fiduciaries can help ensure their duties are met.

Distressed Institutions of Higher Education: An Exploration of Options

November 3, 2021 - ELA Webinar
Time: 2:00pm Eastern Daylight Time

As higher education’s post-pandemic landscape begins to emerge, many institutions are finding that the enrollment, fiscal and competitive challenges they faced before COVID are reappearing in even more stark relief. Some institutions are having to face the difficult realization that any sustainable path forward requires major strategic and operational changes. These changes can include sale of assets; significant downsizings; renegotiation of collective bargaining agreements, leases, and other long-term debt and legal obligations; mergers; and consolidations.



Join our panel of thought leaders, comprised of a business professor, financial restructuring lawyer, and labor and employment attorneys, and moderated by a former system board chair, as they consider a hypothetical troubled university and explore the critical risks, opportunities and decisions confronting distressed higher ed institutions today., etc.

NLRB General Counsel Opines That College Athletes Are Employees: Ramifications in Athletics and Beyond

October 26, 2021  - ELA INSTANT ACCESS WEBINAR

The General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board has taken a position that certain college athletes are employees under the National labor Relations Act. This enforcement position, taken in a publicly released General Counsel Memorandum, raises a number of interesting issues for those in higher education. On a micro level, the memorandum raises the question of which college athletes might be “employees?” From there, the questions are many, including what rights college athletes have to engage in protected activity, organize into unions and bargain, etc. But the questions and possible implications do not stop there – what does this position imply for higher education institutions more generally – for example, what are the implication for student employees, faculty bargaining units, and shared service arrangements?



Our panel will discuss all of this – from the impact of the General Counsel Memorandum on college athletes and the broader impacts for higher education and beyond. Please join us for a look at the direction in which the NLRB is heading and some practical implications and recommendations for consideration right now.

NLRA Employee Status of Players at Academic Institutions

October 14, 2021  - ELA Podcast

We discuss the memo received by the NLRB's General Counsel on student athletes and their possible status as employees. Subscribe to our podcast today to stay up to date on employment issues from law experts worldwide.

Considerations and Protections for LGBTQ+ Students in Higher Education

September 22, 2021  - ELA Podcast

Colleges and Universities pave the way for future management of many of our social injustices in the workplace.  During this episode, we discuss the advancing policies and procedures regarding LGBTQ+ individuals in higher education, particularly the expanded coverage of Title IX.

Back to Campus - Back to Title IX: Confronting the Challenges of the 2020 Regulations

September 21, 2021  - ELA Webinar
3:00pm Eastern Daylight Time

Last fall, educational institutions were thrown headfirst into implementing sweeping new Title IX regulations, which went into effect just as the academic year was starting. What are the lessons learned from the past year, and what has already changed since the regulations were implemented in August 2020? Join our seasoned panelists as they provide a quick overview of recent changes.

Click below to register and listen OnDemand!

Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) Regarding College Athletes



September 14, 2021 - ELA Podcast



In this episode, we discuss what NIL is and new laws that now allow student athletes the potential to earn money from their name, image and likeness. We delve into restrictions on licensing, the role of universities, risks, and much more. Subscribe to our podcast today to stay up to date on employment issues from law experts worldwide.

Beyond Students: Strategies for Managing Faculty & Staff Mental Health Issues

April 28, 2021  - ELA Webinar
2:00pm Eastern Daylight Time

The past year has brought innumerable stressors to higher education – changing teaching modalities, campus shut-downs and re-openings, addressing COVID-19 outbreaks among student populations, and coordinating vaccination efforts – are only a few of the past year’s challenges. This ever-changing landscape has taxed all levels of higher education employees from staff to faculty to administrators. Not surprisingly, institutions of higher education are seeing an increase in employee mental health concerns. This webinar will delve into addressing such challenges from both a legal and practical standpoint. 

Click here to register and listen OnDemand! (you may register for just one webinar or both higher ed webinars at once)

Tuition Refund Lawsuits: Problematic Pandemic-Related Claims

April 14, 2021 - ELA Webinar
2:00pm Eastern Daylight Time

Over the past year, students have filed COVID-19 class actions against hundreds of higher education institutions across the country claiming an entitlement to tuition and fee refunds because of the required move to on-line education.  Our legal experts will provide a summary of these cases and insights as to what the results in cases to date mean for future defense or proactive steps to avert further claims.

Click here to register and listen OnDemand! (you may register for just one webinar or both higher ed webinars at once)

NLRB Developments Impacting Higher Education

March 29 - ELA Podcast

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Issues Arising with US Employees Working Remotely in Other Countries

March 17 - ELA Podcast

In this episode, we will be discussing issues in long term working relationships with foreign citizens working remotely from their home countries.

Peeking into the Crystal Ball: Expert Predictions on Higher Education Policy Initiatives

March 4, 2021 - ELA Podcast

In this episode, we discuss recent updates on Higher Education policy in the United States under the new Biden Administration, as well as predictions for the future. Subscribe to our podcast today to stay up to date on employment issues from law experts worldwide.

Impact of the Biden Administration and Democratic Congress on Higher Education

Feb 3, 2021  - ELA Podcast

In this episode, we discuss our predictions for the Biden Administration's legislative agenda as it relates to higher education. Subscribe to our podcast today to stay up to date on employment issues from law experts worldwide.