OIG Attorney Investigators Madeline Buitelaar and Lauren Numeroff team up to present on credibility assessments in Title IX matters at the Association of Title IX Administrators (ATIXA) Annual Conference in Baltimore.

Program Description

Credibility assessments are among the most challenging aspects of Title IX investigations and adjudications. While the principles guiding credibility analysis may be similar, the realities of evaluating evidence can differ meaningfully between K-12 and higher education settings. This session will explore how investigators, decision-makers, and hearing officers assess credibility across the educational spectrum, examining factors such as developmental differences, parental involvement, peer influence, social media evidence, trauma responses, intoxication, and corroboration.

Through real-world case studies and interactive audience exercises, presenters will compare common credibility challenges in K-12 and higher education, including absent parties or witnesses, delayed reporting, recantation, evolving recollections, and cases with little or no corroborating evidence. Participants will leave with practical tools for evaluating evidence, identifying reliable corroboration, and developing well-reasoned credibility analyses in complex Title IX matters.

For more information about the conference, please visit the ATIXA Annual Conference website.