Carley Dix, L'15

Carley's headshot

Current Title and Employer: Title IX Coordinator, Section 504/ADA Coordinator, and Compliance Officer at Davidson College

Current Location: Davidson, North Carolina

How would you describe your job? I coordinate institutional policies and procedures to ensure compliance with federal civil rights law in the areas of sex/gender and disability. I oversee the processes for receiving and resolving complaints of sexual harassment, interpersonal violence, and disability discrimination. In addition, I facilitate training programs on these topics. Finally, I act as a liaison/consultant to campus departments, student organizations, and individuals regarding issues of sex equity and disability accessibility.

How did your Richmond Law experience prepare you for you career? The Education Rights Clinic and a Clinical Placement with CMG Foundation (Conflict Management Services) provided me with the knowledge of education law, disability law, and mediation that related directly to my first job in higher education as an Equal Opportunity Compliance Officer. I was not knowledgeable about compliance within higher education before my 3L year. Once I determined that I wanted to work in higher education, I reached out to professionals in the field who pointed me to trainings and other resources that prepared me to speak directly to current issues in higher education law. In addition, I completed interview preparation with the CDO and Professor Lain specifically focusing on the areas where higher education interviews are unique.

What makes you passionate about your work? I am passionate about creating cultural change in the areas of gender, gender-based violence, race, and disability rights. My work allows me to go beyond legal compliance to partner with students, faculty, and staff to create a campus culture of inclusivity, equity, and accountability. What makes me most passionate about my work, though, is that the effects are not bound to Davidson’s campus. I empower future leaders with the skills they need to address issues of inequity in their future professional endeavors creating a ripple effect of positive cultural change.

What are 3 pieces of advice you’d offer to current students interested in an alternative or emerging career path like yours?

  1. Follow your interests and then find a job that matches those interests. Do not try to direct your experiences at Richmond around the one job you think you want.
  2. Equity compliance in higher education is an increasingly popular field for attorneys, therefore it is important to bring in both legal skills that specifically address civil rights law and legal adjacent skills such as working with marginalized populations, mediation, investigative practices, and training facilitation.
  3. Reach out to professionals in this field. Through them you will learn how to mold your experience to the needs of universities. In addition, attend trainings and conferences offered by ATIXA, NACUA, and NASPA. They provide extensive information about the important issues that universities will want to hear you speak about during your interviews.