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 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 cases, 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 discrimination and harassment policy and procedures
• How investigation and hearings are conducted that protect the safety of Complainants and Respondents, and promote accountability
• Implicit bias
• Disparate treatment and impact
• Reporting, confidentiality, and privacy requirements
• Applicable laws, regulations, and federal regulatory guidance
• How to implement appropriate and situation-specific remedies
• How to investigate in a thorough, reliable, and impartial manner
• How to uphold fairness, equity, and due process
• How to weigh evidence
• How to conduct questioning
• How to assess credibility
• Impartiality and objectivity
• Types of evidence
• Deliberation
• 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 investigations and grievance process 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
• 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
Director of Student-Athlete Success/Athletic Development Officer
Athletics
Tucker Coliseum
(479) 498-6071
aanderson41@atu.edu

Dr. Jeff Aulgur
Associate Professor of Professional Studies
Professional Studies
Online Learning Center
715 North El Paso Ave
(479) 964-3637
jaulgur@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
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

Deidra Dillard
Coordinator of the First-Generation Student Experience
Student Affairs
Doc Bryan Student Services Center, Suite 233
(479) 968-0343
ddillard1@atu.edu

Stacy Galbo
Assistant Dean for Student Conduct/Deputy Title IX Coordinator/Investigator
Title IX Office
Doc Bryan Student Services Center, Suite 233
(479) 964-0583 ext. 4714
sgalbo2@atu.edu

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

Luke Hams
Director of Residence Education
Department of Residence Life
Doc Bryan Student Services Center, Suite 153
(479) 964-0583 ext. 3834
lhams@atu.edu

Leigh Hill
Human Resources Generalist
Office of Human Resources
715 N. El Paso Avenue
(479) 964-0583 ext 2216
lhill18@atu.edu

Brent Hogan
Senior Instructor
English Language Institute
Tomlinson 009
(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

Alisha Nix
Human Resources Generalist
Office of Human Resources
715 N. El Paso Avenue
(479) 964-0583 ext. 2206
anix3@atu.edu

Laura Palmer
Assistant Dean for Residence Life
Department of Residence Life
Doc Bryan Student Services Building, Suite 153
(479) 964-0583 ext. 2610
lpalmer9@atu.edu

Mitzi Reano
Project/Program Specialist and Deputy Title IX Coordinator-Ozark Campus
Office of Human Resources
Technology and Academic Support Building, Room 154
(479) 667-2117 ext. 6532
mreano@atu.edu

Melissa Riffle
Director of Human Resources, AA/EEO Officer/Deputy Title IX Coordinator
Office of Human Resources
715 North El Paso Ave
(479) 968-0396
mriffle@atu.edu

Dr. Robert Stevens
Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation Science
Behavioral Sciences
Witherspoon Hall 336B
(479) 964-0545
rstevens5@atu.edu

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

David Waterson
Programmer/Analyst
Office of Information Systems
Corley Hall 259A
(479) 964-0583 ext 1513
dwaterson@atu.edu

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

Alisha Williams
Executive Director for Advancement Services
Development Office
Administration Building, Room 209
(479) 964-3245
awilliams116@atu.edu