Student Handbook Audit – December 8, 2026

Tuesday, December 8, 2026 2:00 – 3:30 pm ET Ensure Compliance, Consistency & Protect Your Institution Over years of revisions, additions and quick fixes, student handbooks and conduct codes can quietly become a maze of conflicting language, outdated requirements, duplicated provisions, and procedures that no longer match what actually happens on campus. What may seem like a routine policy problem can create significant legal, compliance, operational and reputational risk. A student handbook is more than a collection of campus rules. Its language can create expectations—and potentially institutional obligations. When policies are unclear, outdated, or inconsistently applied, institutions may find themselves facing allegations of unfairness, compliance concerns, legal challenges and a loss of student trust. Join us on December 8, 2026 when our expert presenter will provide practical strategies for transforming the student handbook from a static document into a proactive risk-management and student-support resource. Participants will learn how to identify and address policy conflicts, obsolete language, and legally risky provisions; create clear policies while preserving appropriate institutional discretion; and ensure published procedures accurately reflect institutional practice. Explore strategies for strengthening critical conduct procedures, improving accessibility and version control, establishing cross-functional responsibility for policy oversight, and engaging legal counsel effectively without making policy development solely a legal exercise. By taking a more strategic approach to handbook review and management, you can reduce risk, promote greater consistency and fairness, respond more confidently to sensitive situations, and create policies that better serve both the institution and its students. Topics Covered Gain tools and strategies to help you: Establish an annual handbook audit by creating a recurring review process with clearly assigned responsibility, deadlines and documentation. Eliminate policy layering and inconsistencies by reviewing the handbook as one integrated document instead of continuing to add isolated provisions over time. Compare written policy with actual practice by confirming that administrators can and do follow the procedures promised to students, particularly in investigations, hearings, interim actions, sanctions and appeals. Draft with clarity and appropriate flexibility by using understandable definitions and procedural expectations while incorporating carefully considered language. Create a reliable publication and distribution system. Build a multidisciplinary review team that involves student affairs, student conduct, Title IX, public safety, counseling, compliance, communications, legal counsel and appropriate faculty or student governance representatives. Presenter Dr. Grant L. Azdell is a higher education leader, consultant, and campus safety expert with nearly 30 years of experience in senior student affairs and executive leadership roles. Throughout his career, he has worked extensively in emergency management, crisis response, campus safety, risk management, higher education law, strategic planning, and organizational leadership. Click here for full bio.