2026 Legal Symposium
The Division of Institutional Integrity will host its annual Legal Symposium on October 29, 2026 in the SAC Salons. Breakfast and lunch are included. Please register at the link below, and we look forward to seeing you there!
8:30 – 9:00 Continental Breakfast
9:00 – 9:05 Welcome and Introductions
9:10 – 10:00 Session One (two concurrent sessions; choose one)
Programs, Protests, and Plazas: How University Community Members (and Others!) Can Use Campus Space. Lucian Wilhelm, Senior Associate Director, Conference, Reservations & Event Services (CRES); NiCole Lynch, Director, Demonstration Activity Resource Team (DART); and Amy Kelso, Senior Associate General Counsel.
Wondering whether you need to reserve space for a departmental gathering or why people can make speeches in Cauble Quad? Wondering what rules govern sound amplification, signs, tents, or tables in outdoor space? Wondering how political or other high-profile events are handled on campus? Join the presenters for a review of when and where space reservations are required under University Policy 601.6, Use of University Space, as well as First Amendment principles that dictate how a public university manages its space, and what resources are available to help maintain a safe and productive campus environment.
FMLA and ADA Decoded: What Managers and Staff Need to Know Before, During & After Medically-Related Leave. Tara Minion, Benefits Manager, and André Lindsay, Senior Associate General Counsel.
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) can be challenging to navigate—especially when leave timelines, employee obligations, and supervisory responsibilities intersect. This practical session will focus on critical FMLA and ADA timelines and deadlines, employee responsibilities and notice requirements, and supervisor expectations throughout the leave process. Participants will learn what supervisors should—and should not—do when an employee raises a potential FMLA and ADA need, how and when to involve HR, and how to maintain both effective communication and institutional compliance throughout the process.
10:10 – 11:00 Session Two (two concurrent sessions; choose one)
Guardrails & Governance: Safeguarding Institutional Data at UNC Charlotte. Isabel Alele, Associate General Counsel.
Navigating data privacy and security requires an integrated framework built on legal compliance, internal safeguards, and institutional oversight. This session examines how UNC Charlotte meets statutory, regulatory, and contractual obligations to maintain compliance across university operations. Attendees will review practical internal safeguards—including university policies, security standards, and data handling guidelines—while gaining insight into how institutional oversight and our Data Governance Committee drive strategic stewardship and risk management. Attendees will leave with the practical knowledge and tools necessary to handle university data securely and confidently.
My Mom Wants to Speak to You: FERPA Compliance and Escalated Parental Encounters. Jonathan Harrison, Assistant General Counsel.
If you’ve ever received an urgent call or email from a persistent or assertive parent demanding grade changes, policy exceptions, or record access, you are not alone. Navigating the delicate balance between helpful customer service and federal privacy compliance can leave faculty and staff feeling caught in the middle. In this practical and interactive session, we’ll demystify the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and provide real-world strategies for handling encounters with “helicopter” and “snowplow” parents. We will cut through the legal jargon, clarify what rights parents do (and do not) have once a student enters higher education, and equip you with actionable techniques to set firm, professional boundaries without escalating tension.
11:10 – 12:00 Session Three (two concurrent sessions; choose one)
Between Borders and Bureaucracy: Immigration Updates Every Campus Partner Should Know. Denise Medeiros, Associate Director of the International Student and Scholar Office, and Erica Solosky, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Ethics, Policy, and Compliance and Associate General Counsel.
The immigration landscape is changing rapidly, and the effects are being felt across higher education. This session provides a timely overview of developments affecting F-1 and J-1 students and scholars, H-1B petitions, and explains what those changes mean for University operations, and highlights ways faculty and staff can help foster compliance, stability, and success for UNC Charlotte’s international community. Presenters will discuss recent agency guidance, evolving compliance expectations, and practical strategies for supporting international community members.
Bringing Down the House: How Everyday Decisions Can Become Enterprise-Level Crises. Steven Dunham, Chief Risk Officer, and Jesh Humphrey, Vice Chancellor for Institutional Integrity and General Counsel.
What do a phishing email, a vendor payment change, a missing lab coat, an AI-generated message, and a compliance form all have in common? Each has played a leading role in a real university crisis that resulted in financial losses, regulatory scrutiny, damaged reputations, or national headlines. In this engaging and sometimes surprising session, we’ll examine how everyday workplace decisions can quickly escalate into enterprise-level events and why each employee is one of Charlotte’s most important risk managers. Because, in a world where one email can cost millions, one oversight can trigger federal scrutiny, and one seemingly harmless decision can become tomorrow’s headline, the people closest to the work are often the first and best line of defense.
12:00 – 1:00 Buffet Lunch
1:00 – 1:50 Session Four (two concurrent sessions; choose one)
Whose Line (of Work) Is It Anyway? Navigating University Policy on Conflicts of Interest and Commitment & External Professional Activities Without the Stress. Dr. Deb Thomas, Associate Vice Chancellor for Research; Dr. Eric Heggestad, Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs; and Adrienne Merriott, Assistant General Counsel.
The presenters will outline UNC Charlotte’s core policies governing Conflict of Interest, Conflict of Commitment, and External Professional Activities for Pay, highlighting the key mechanisms for maintaining transparency and institutional integrity, and explaining the practical requirements. Because balancing outside professional pursuits with University commitments affects individuals and departments across campus, faculty, staff, and leadership alike will benefit from understanding how to navigate these boundaries effectively.
System Update Required: Rebooting How Families Respond to Online Risks. Dr. Michelle Reinken, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Civil Rights and Title IX/Title IX Coordinator.
Today’s digital world evolves faster than most families can keep up. This session helps parents and families “update” their understanding of online spaces, emerging risks, and the habits kids need to stay safe. Participants will learn how platforms influence behavior, how to recognize early warning signs, and how to build supportive structures that strengthen digital well-being. You’ll leave this session with refreshed digital skills and a clearer roadmap for navigating what’s next.
2:00 – 2:50 Session Five (two concurrent sessions; choose one)
Navigating the Wake of Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. Harvard: How the 2023 Supreme Court Decision Has Transformed More Than Admissions. Sarah Edwards, Associate Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs and Deputy General Counsel.
In June of 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court effectively ended any consideration of an applicant’s race in college admissions decisions. Changes to admissions procedures were immediate, but the effects of SFFA v. Harvard haven’t stopped there. From scholarships to programming to recruiting and more, colleges are navigating the choppy waves of new federal agency guidance, voluminous enforcement actions, and robust data collection. Join us for a conversation about how universities are charting a course through these turbulent waters!
Much Ado about NIL: A Name, Image, and Likeness Primer. Jesh Humphrey, Vice Chancellor for Institutional Integrity and General Counsel.
College athletics has changed dramatically in the five years since student-athletes first gained the ability to profit from their name, image, and likeness, and the rules are still changing. This session will provide a plain English primer on the current NIL landscape, including what NIL actually is and why the line between NIL, revenue sharing, and old-fashioned pay-for-play has become increasingly difficult to distinguish. Whatever you choose to call it, with schools now permitted to provide $21.5 million annually in direct benefits to student-athletes, NIL sure isn’t nothing.