Grievance Pool

What is the grievance process pool?

The Formal Grievance Process relies on a pool of administrators (“the Pool”) to carry out the process. Members of the Pool are trained annually, and can serve in in the following roles, at the direction of the Title IX Coordinator:

• To act as an Advisor to the parties
• To serve as a hearing facilitator (process administrator, no decision-making role)
• To serve as a Decision-Maker regarding the complaint

The Title IX Coordinator, in consultation with the President, appoints the Pool, which acts with independence and impartiality. Although members of the Pool are typically trained in a variety of skill sets and can rotate amongst the different roles listed above in different complaints, ATU can also designate permanent roles for individuals in the Pool, using others as substitutes or to provide greater depth of experience when necessary. This process of role assignment may be the result of particular skills, aptitudes, or talents identified in members of the Pool that make them best suited to particular roles.

annual pool training

The Pool members receive annual training jointly. This training includes, but is not limited to:

• The scope of ATU’s Equal Opportunity, Harassment (Sexual Misconduct), and Nondiscrimination Policy and Procedures
• How investigation and hearings are conducted that protect the safety of Complainants and Respondents, and promote accountability
• Implicit bias
• Disparate treatment
• Reporting, confidentiality, and privacy requirements
• Applicable laws, regulations, and federal regulatory guidance
• How to implement appropriate and situation-specific remedies
• Trauma-informed practices pertaining to investigations and resolution processes
• How to uphold fairness, equity, and due process
• How to weigh evidence
• How to conduct questioning
• How to assess credibility
• Impartiality and objectivity
• How to render findings and generate clear, concise, evidence-based rationales
• The definitions of all offenses
• How to apply definitions used by ATU with respect to consent (or the absence or negation of consent) consistently, impartially, and in accordance with policy
• How grievance processes are conducted including hearings, appeals, and Informal Resolution processes
• How to serve impartially by avoiding prejudgment of the facts at issue, conflicts of interest, and bias against Respondents and/or Complainants, and on the basis of sex, race, religion, and other protected characteristics
• Any technology to be used at a live hearing
• Issues of relevance of questions and evidence
• Issues of relevance to create an investigation report that fairly summarizes relevant evidence
• How to determine appropriate sanctions in reference to all forms of harassment, discrimination, and/or retaliation allegations
• Recordkeeping

A list of materials used to train members of the Title IX Team and Grievance Process Pool can be accessed here.

pool members

Amy Anderson
Senior Woman Administrator/Director of Student-Athlete Success/Athletic Development Officer
Athletic Department 
Tucker Coliseum
(479) 498-6071
aanderson41@atu.edu

Dr. Jeff Aulgur
Professor of Organizational Studies
Organizational Studies
Dean Hall 110C
(479) 964-3637
jaulgur@atu.edu 

Megan Bell
Coordinator of Civic and Community Engagement and Student Leadership Development
Department of Campus Life
Doc Bryan Student Services Center, Suite 171
(479) 968-0276
mbell11@atu.edu

Will Cooper
Associate Dean for Student Conduct
Department of Student Conduct
Doc Bryan Student Services Center, Suite 233
(479) 968-0334
wcooper@atu.edu

Kristy Davis, LPC-S
Associate Dean for Student Wellness/Health and Wellness Center Director and ADA/504 Coordinator
Health and Wellness Center
Doc Bryan Student Services Center, Suite 119
(479) 968-0329
kdavis51@atu.edu

Shawna Davis
Upward Bound Target School Liaison
Upward Bound
Brown Hall, Suite 333
(479) 964-0888
sdavis39@atu.edu

Drew Dickey
Director of Facilities Management
Facilities Management
2505 Red Hill Lane
(479) 968-0261
mdickey1@atu.edu

Deidra Dillard
Coordinator of the First-Generation Student Experience
Department of Campus Life
Doc Bryan Student Services Center, Suite 171
(479) 968-0409
ddillard1@atu.edu

Shelly Hall
Coordinator for Veteran Services
Office of Veteran Services
Doc Bryan Student Services Center, Suite 104
(479) 968-0445
shall2@atu.edu

Leigh Hill
Human Resources Generalist
Office of Human Resources
Brown Building, Suite 420
(479) 964-0583 ext 2216
lhill18@atu.edu

Brent Hogan
Senior Instructor of English, Supervisor of Concurrent Instructors
English and World Languages Department
Witherspoon 155
(479) 356-2105
bhogan@atu.edu

Ashlee Leavell
Assistant Dean for Student Wellness and Deputy Title IX Coordinator
Disability and Testing Services
Doc Bryan Student Services Center, Suite 141
(479) 968-0302
sleavell8@atu.edu

Josh McMillian
Chief of Public Safety
Department of Public Safety
716 North El Paso Avenue
(479) 968-0222
jmcmillian1@atu.edu

Mitzi Reano
Human Resources/Deputy Title IX Coordinator-Ozark Campus
Office of Human Resources
Technology and Academic Support Building, Room 154
(479) 508-8500 ext. 6532
mreano@atu.edu

Melissa Riffle
Director of Human Resources, AA/EEO Officer/Deputy Title IX Coordinator
Office of Human Resources
Brown Building, Suite 420
(479) 968-0396
mriffle@atu.edu

Dr. Robert Stevens
Associate Professor of Rehabilitation Science
Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Science
Browning Hall 305
(479) 964-0583 ext. 3018
rstevens5@atu.edu

Dr. James Stobaugh
Associate Professor of Sociology
Behavioral Sciences
Witherspoon Hall 361
(479) 968-0463
jstobaugh3@atu.edu

Yushia "Yoshi" Thao
Career Counselor
Norman Career Services Center
Rothwell Hall, Suite 107
(479) 964-0843
ythao1@atu.edu

Kristian Thompson
Director of Compliance/Game Day Operations
Tucker Coliseum
Athletic Department
(479) 964-3230
kthompson29@atu.edu

William Titsworth
Assistant Dean for Student Conduct/Lead Investigator
Department of Student Conduct/Title IX Office
Doc Bryan Student Services Center, Suite 233
(479) 968-0239
wtitsworth@atu.edu

Scott Tomlin
Coordinator of Tech Learning Center
Tech Learning Center
Ross Pendergraft Library, Room 124
(479) 968-0249
wtomlin@atu.edu

Brandi Tripp
Senior Associate Registrar
Office of the Registrar
Brown Hall, Suite 307
(479) 890-5093
btripp@atu.edu

Heath Whorton
University Emergency Manager
Department of Public Safety (Office of Emergency Management)
716 North El Paso Avenue
(479) 968-0222
mwhorton1@atu.edu

Jennifer Willbanks
Senior Instructor
Behavioral Sciences
Witherspoon 336E
(479) 956-2102
jlynch@atu.edu

Alisha Williams
Executive Director, Advancement Operations
Development Office
Alumni House
1313 North Arkansas Avenue
(479) 964-3245
awilliams116@atu.edu