Advanced Training in Restorative Justice for Campus Sexual Harm

This training program is specifically designed to prepare higher education administrators to implement and facilitate restorative justice options for campus sexual misconduct ranging from prevention (Tier I) to cases of harm (Tier II) and reintegration after harm (Tier III). Participants will leave with an understanding of restorative justice philosophy and practices, common restorative justice approaches for sexual misconduct, impacts of sexual harm, neurobiology of trauma, confronting shame for respondents, how to build restorative justice into campus sexual misconduct policies, restorative case management approaches, restorative approaches for community harm, and how to use restorative practices in sexual misconduct prevention programming. While this training is focused on college/university student misconduct, the approaches and skills taught in this training may also be applied to employee misconduct as TIX regulations and your policies allow.

The three-part training will equip participants with the skills and knowledge to implement and facilitate a restorative justice approach for college/university sexual misconduct cases.

Next Training: This program will be offered again in 2027.
Applications will open in August 2026.

To stay updated when applications open, subscribe to our monthly newsletter and select Sexual Harm/Title IX as your area of interest.

Higher education administrators, including Title IX staff, advocates, prevention professionals, student conduct officers, dean of students’ staff, or any other college/university personnel who are charged with creating or implementing their campus sexual misconduct policy and procedures. No previous experience with restorative justice is necessary.

1. Restorative Justice & Campus Sexual Harm: Philosophy & Approaches

Section 1 focuses on understanding restorative justice philosophy and practices, common restorative justice approaches for sexual misconduct, impacts of sexual harm, neurobiology of trauma, confronting shame for respondents, how to build restorative justice into campus sexual misconduct policies. This course meets 8 times over a semester on Zoom.

2. Restorative Justice Facilitation and Skill-Building Intensive

Section 2 focuses on developing skills to facilitate restorative justice practices, including RJ dialogues, circles, conferences, and shuttle processes. This in-person 4-day training provides the practical skills necessary to implement restorative justice for campus sexual harm.

3. Restorative Justice Facilitation Practicum

Section 3 offers an opportunity for ongoing skill-building through in-class facilitation. It also provides a space for participants to articulate their personal philosophy on facilitating cases of sexual harm. This course includes a series of guest speakers who are currently facilitating cases or overseeing the implementation of RJ for sexual harm at their own college or university.

The schedule below reflects a prior offering of this training and is provided as a reference. Dates and format for the 2027 training may vary.

Part 1:

Thursdays, 2-4pm Eastern/11am-1pm Pacific

• January 9, 2025
• January 23, 2025
• February 6, 2025
• February 20, 2025
• March 6, 2025
• March 20, 2025
• April 3, 2025
• April 17, 2025

Part 2:

• June 24-27, 2025 at the University of San Diego
  • Daily, 9am-4pm
• Optional follow up -- Online Check-in Sessions
  • Thursday, July 10, 2025; 2-4pm Eastern/11am-1pm Pacific
  • Thursday, August 7, 2025; 2-4pm Eastern/11am-1pm Pacific

Part 3:

Thursdays, 2-4pm Eastern/11am-1pm Pacific

• September 4, 2025
• September 18, 2025
• October 2, 2025
• October 16, 2025
• October 30, 2025
• November 13, 2025
• November 20, 2025

Alissa R. Ackerman, PhD is a “pracademic” and “survivor scholar” in that she incorporates her academic training, practitioner, and personal experiences with sexual violence into her public speaking. Alissa is the co-founder and owner of Ampersands Restorative Justice and is a Criminal Justice professor at California State University, Fullerton. Alissa has dedicated her career to understanding everything she can about sexual offending, the impacts of sexual victimization, and restorative options for those impacted by sexual harm.

Co-Author of Healing from Sexual Violence: The Case for Vicarious Restorative Justice (2019)

Kaaren M. Williamsen, PhD is an instructor and trainer with the University of San Diego Center for Restorative Justice. She co-edited Applying Restorative Justice to Campus Sexual Misconduct: A Guide to Emerging Practices and consults with New York University’s Center on Trauma and Recovery on evaluating restorative justice responses to sexual assault and intimate partner violence. With more than 20 years of leadership experience, she also consults nationally with colleges, universities, and organizations to build sustainable structures for prevention, community well-being, and restorative approaches.

Co-Editor of Applying Restorative Justice to Campus Sexual Misconduct: A Guide to Emerging Practices (2023)

Questions? Contact center4rj@sandiego.edu