Setting Goals
Driven by a strong sense of purpose, Sutton’s journey began as early as grade school, when she knew she wanted to be an attorney. Her determination was a major factor in guiding her academic pursuits that put her on a path leading up to her current position.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in history from UNC Pembroke before entering the Master of Public Administration program at UNC-Chapel Hill. During her graduate studies, she interned with the North Carolina Department of Transportation, which led to her first job in public service. She completed law school at UNC-Chapel Hil in 1997 and chose a law career working with smaller firms.
“In private practice, I worked a lot with family and domestic violence law, so I have a deep understanding of individual rights, both from a legal perspective and also as an advocate for those in vulnerable positions,” she explains.
After ten years working in litigation, Sutton experienced a personal transition that led her back to Pembroke, where she worked in her father’s law firm. Shortly after, she received a call from Joshua Malcolm, the general counsel at UNC Pembroke, who offered her a position as assistant general counsel. “I had spent over 12 years in private practice,” she says. “I didn’t know what I was getting myself into, but I made the jump to higher education and have loved every minute of it.”
Sutton worked as assistant general counsel for five years before taking on dual roles as Title IX and Clery Compliance Coordinator for the next ten years.
Understanding Title IX and the Clery Act
Title IX is a federal law that prohibits sexual discrimination in education institutions receiving federal funding. It addresses issues such as sexual harassment, including sexual violence, and it outlines policies for reporting and responding to these incidents.
The Clery Act, on the other hand, focuses on campus safety and crime reporting, requiring colleges and universities to disclose information about crime occurring on campuses, including statistics on specific types of crimes. Schools must also provide timely warnings and notifications when anticipating or experiencing dangerous events and provide information about security policies and emergency response procedures.
“With the creation of my office at UNC Pembroke, I wanted to make sure people understood Clery Compliance is an institutional responsibility,” she says. “From gathering data to communicating safety resources, every department plays an essential role.”
Not only was Sutton central to developing the frameworks and protocols to comply with federal regulations, but she was also the longest serving Title IX and Clery Compliance Coordinator in the UNC System.
Clery at UNC-Chapel Hill
In a change from her previous role, Sutton’s primary focus at UNC-Chapel Hill will be on Clery compliance. Her responsibilities include submitting annual crime and fire statistics to the Department of Education and managing institutional compliance with the Clery Act. This includes developing and communicating Clery compliance policies, preparing the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, and ensuring its availability to current and prospective students and employees.
“One of the first things I tell parents is to review the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, which many don’t even realize exists,” she says. “The report is posted on the UNC Police website and has three years of crime and fire statistics, campus security policies, emergency procedures and safety resources available for the entire campus community.”
Sutton began her role in August 2024 and has spent her first months learning the processes being used at UNC-Chapel Hill. “I had a systematic process of obtaining information that I needed to have and a timeline of when I did it at UNC Pembroke,” she says. “With Carolina, the campus is much bigger, and more people are involved in the information process. Right now, my goal is to physically meet and talk with everyone that is a part of that process and gather feedback to figure out the best system for us.”
While Sutton maintains her North Carolina law license, she is also a certified Clery Compliance professional through the National Association of Clery Compliance Officers and Professionals, a certification she renews annually through continuing education. Additionally, she is pursuing a doctorate in higher education leadership at UNC Wilmington. She just completed a two-week internship in Ireland, where she collaborated with faculty at Maynooth University on trauma-informed education as part of her dissertation.
“I am genuinely passionate about how we, in this field, work with students and colleagues who are going through these events,” she explains. “I want to make sure that if a student or a colleague is coming forward with information, that we are equipped to handle that information in a supportive environment.”
Learn more about Clery Compliance at UNC-Chapel Hill and access the 2024 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.