Northern Illinois University
Ethics and Compliance Office
Office of the President

Various employees of the university serve different roles as it relates to the Sexual Misconduct Policy, in addition to their day-to-day duties. The Title IX coordinator manages, implements and administers the Sexual Misconduct Policy, including enforcement of sexual misconduct complaint procedures, providing oversight to the sexual misconduct training programs, and ensuring the prompt and appropriate resolution of sexual misconduct complaints.

There are also deputy Title IX coordinators throughout different areas at the university, investigators, hearing officers and appeal agents. Questions or concerns regarding sexual misconduct, Title IX or the Sexual Misconduct Policy may be directed to the Title IX coordinator.

Sarah Garner, J.D.
Ethics and Compliance Officer
Title IX Coordinator
Ethics and Compliance Office

Vernese Edghill-Walden
Chief Diversity Officer
Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Training
Academic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Omar Ghrayeb
Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies
Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Academic Affairs
Executive Vice President and Provost

Lindsay Hatzis, J.D.
Director of Investigations
Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Investigations
Ethics and Compliance Office

Dan Pedersen
Senior Director of Housing
Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Housing
Housing and Residential Services

Theresa Melidis
Investigator
Ethics and Compliance Office

Manuel Valdez, J.D.
Investigator
Ethics and Compliance Office

Beth Ingram
Executive Vice President and Provost
Appeal Agent
Office of Executive Vice President and Provost

Chad McEvoy
Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs
Appeal Agent
Office of Executive Vice President and Provost

Kelly Olson
Assistant Dean of Students
Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Student Affairs
Division of Student Affairs

Courtney Vinson
Senior Associate Athletic Director of Sports Administration
Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Athletics
Intercollegiate Athletics

Training Materials for Personnel

From September through December 2021, the Ethics and Compliance Office provided training for the university’s sexual misconduct and Title IX personnel. All sexual misconduct and Title IX personnel were required to complete this training. Below are the training components.

Reading the following documents:

• NIU Sexual Misconduct Policy and Complaint Procedures 
• NIU Sexual Misconduct Reporting and Investigations Flowchart 
• Questions and Answers on the Title IX Regulations on Sexual Harassment, by U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights
• The Hidden World of Unconscious Bias and its Impact on “Neutral” Workplace Investigator, by Ashley Lattal 
• Implicit Bias – The Hidden Investigation Killer, by Gerry Zack

Watching the following:

• SPARC Webinar – Stalking & Sexual Violence: Understanding the Connections
• SPARC Webinar – Stalking and Intimate Partner Violence
• Ethics and Compliance Office pre-recorded Presentation – What is Sexual Misconduct? Terms You Should Know
• Live virtual training with Safe Passage
• Live virtual training on NIU’s formal grievance process

Additional Training

Additional Training

Below is a list of training completed since August 2020, by one or more of the sexual misconduct and Title IX personnel:

• Association of Title IX Administrators (ATIXA). 
  • 20-Minutes-to-Train: Assessing Credibility Module, June 2022.
  • 20-Minutes-to-Train: Assessing Credibility Part II Module, June 2022.
  • Title IX Hearing Officer and Decision-Maker Training and Certification Course, June 2022.
  • Civil Rights Investigator Four Training and Certification Course, May 2022.
  • 20-Minutes-to-Train: Understanding Sexual Violence Module, April 2020.
• Dan Schorr, LLC, Decision Makers: Best Practices and Challenges, March 29, 2022. 
• National Association of Clery Compliance Officers and Professionals (NACCOP), Investigating Complaints of Past Misconduct: Challenges and Considerations for Title IX Coordinators and Investigators, January 11, 2022. These materials are copyright of NACCOP © 2022. All rights reserved.
• Dan Schorr, LLC, Materials are available online. 
  • Conducting investigative Interviews, December 15, 2021.
  • Title IX Hearings: Lessons Learned in 2021, November 17, 2021.
  • Conducting Title IX Hearings after the Cardona Decision: New Guidance and Best Practices, September 29, 2021.
• Chicagoland Title IX Consortium, The Title IX Hearing Process, April 9, 2021.
• D. Stafford and Associates, Advanced Investigations Course: Investigations of Sexual Misconduct, November 16-20, 2020. These materials are copyright of D. Stafford & Associates, LLC © 2020. All rights reserved.
• D. Stafford and Associates, Combined Course: Investigation of Sexual Misconduct and Dating Violence, Domestic Violence and Stalking, August 3-7, 2020. These materials are copyright of D. Stafford & Associates, LLC © 2020. All rights reserved.