The MSU Legal Issues Conference will take place in the Colvard Student Union.
DECEMBER 3
Noon – 4:30 p.m.
NASPA Region III – Mississippi Drive-in Pre-Conference (Click HERE for the schedule.)
Bill R. Foster Ballroom U, Colvard Student Union
Susan Powell-Jones, Ed.D., Executive Director of College Access, Jackson State University
Karolina Kastsiuchenka, Program Coordinator
Jackie Mullen, Ph.D., Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, Mississippi State University
3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Check-in for Legal Issues Conference
Courtyard Starkville MSU at The Mill
5:30 p.m.
Social @ Two Brothers Smoked Meats (Upstairs)
DECEMBER 4
7:45 – 8:30 a.m.
Continental Breakfast
2nd Floor, Colvard Student Union
8:30 a.m.
Conference Welcome & Announcements
Bill R. Foster Ballroom M & S, Colvard Student Union
Dr. Cat Walker, Associate Dean of Students
Mississippi State University
8:45 – 10:15 a.m.
“Edupocalypse” – The Current State of Higher Education
Bill R. Foster Ballroom M & S, Colvard Student Union
Stetson University College of Law
10:30 – Noon
Shock and Awe 2025: Higher Education’s Tortured Era
Bill R. Foster Ballroom M & S, Colvard Student Union
John Wesley Lowery, Ph.D., Professor of Student Affairs in Higher Education, University College
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Lunch & Networking
Bill R. Foster Ballroom U, Colvard Student Union
1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Concurrent Session I
A. The Challenges of Managing Presidential Executive Orders and Associated Regulatory Actions Affecting Higher Education
Bill R. Foster Ballroom M & S, Colvard Student Union
Peter Lake, JD, Professor of Law, Charles A. Dana Chair and Director, Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law and Policy
Stetson University College of Law
B. Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: Balancing Innovation, Responsibility, and Compliance
Bill R. Foster Ballroom U, Colvard Student Union
Kyle McDill, Project Manager, Center for Cyber Education
Mississippi State University
C. Cyber Crime Trends in Mississippi - Part I (Cyber Fraud)
Fowlkes Auditorium (3rd floor), Colvard Student Union
Nelson Chisholm, Cyber Crime Investigator
Lindsay Cranford, Deputy Attorney General
Shawn J. Wolfe, Cyber Crime Director
Office of the Attorney General, State of Mississippi
2:30 – 2:45 p.m.
Break
2:45 – 3:45 p.m.
Concurrent Session II
A. A Discussion about Free Expression on Campus
Bill R. Foster Ballroom M & S, Colvard Student Union
Peter Lake, JD, Professor of Law, Charles A. Dana Chair and Director, Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law and Policy
Stetson University College of Law
B. FERPA: Student Privacy and Student Affairs Practice
Room 328, Colvard Student Union
John Wesley Lowery, Ph.D., Professor of Student Affairs in Higher Education,Indiana University of Pennsylvania
C. How Trauma-Informed Pedagogy Fosters Retention and Resilience in Gen Z College Students
Room 329, Colvard Student Union
Kelli Wallace, Assistant Dean of Students, Mississippi State University – Meridian
D. Cyber Crime Trends in Mississippi - Part II (Internet Crimes Against Children)
Fowlkes Auditorium (3rd floor), Colvard Student Union
Lindsay Cranford, Deputy Attorney General
Richard Gulledge, Commander of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force
Shawn J. Wolfe, Cyber Crime Director
Office of the Attorney General, State of Mississippi
3:45 – 4:00 p.m.
Break
4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Concurrent Session III
A. Managing Legal Issues from the Senior Student Affairs Officer Perspective
Bill R. Foster Ballroom U, Colvard Student Union
Moderator – Regina Young-Hyatt, Ph.D., Vice President for Student Affairs
Mississippi State University
Roland Bullard, Ph.D., CFRM, Vice President for Student Success
Stillman College
Jessica Harpole, Vice President for Student Affairs
The W - Mississippi University for Women
Eddie Lovin, Ed.D., Vice President for Student Affairs
Delta State University
Tommy "T.J." Walker, Ed.D., Dean of Student Services, Raymond Campus
Hinds Community College
B. Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act: Key Considerations for Student Affairs Practice
Room 328, Colvard Student Union
John Wesley Lowery, Ph.D., Professor of Student Affairs in Higher Education, University College
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
C. Campus Threat Assessment and Threat Management Teams – AI, Mental Health and Emerging Trends Among Juveniles and Young Adults
Fowlkes Auditorium (3rd floor), Colvard Student Union
Brian Locke, Assistant Chief of Police
Mississippi State University
Nicholas Amiano, Special Agent
FBI Jackson Field Office
5:00 p.m.
Time on your own
5:30 p.m.
Live Music Social @ The Little Dooey
DECEMBER 5
8:00 – 8:45 a.m.
Continental Breakfast
2nd Floor, Colvard Student Union
8:45 – 10:15 a.m.
Effective Social Media for Student Engagement
Bill R. Foster Ballroom M & S, Colvard Student Union
Thomas Broadus, Chief Marketing Officer, Office of Public Affairs
Mississippi State University
10:30 – Noon
Beyond Burnout: Building Coping Skills for Ourselves and Our Students
Bill R. Foster Ballroom M & S, Colvard Student Union
Bobbie Jo Bensaid, Project Manager, Department of Psychology
Mississippi State University
Conference adjourns