What to Do When Facing a Title IX Allegation
When facing an accusation of sexual harassment or discrimination at a university or college, you have the right to retain legal counsel. Although a Rochester Title IX attorney typically cannot accompany you into an internal conduct hearing at your school, they could counsel you beforehand on what to expect and how best to defend yourself and your best interests. Furthermore, they could help you address any criminal charges and penalties that may come hand in hand with certain accusations.
To make sure your rights are being protected, speak with a qualified Rochester Title IX lawyer from Tully Rinckey PLLC. Our seasoned legal team has helped dozens of students, professors, and staff members resolve their Title IX disputes, whether they were the ones filing the complaint or a complaint was filed against them.
When to File a Title IX Complaint
In Rochester, students, faculty, staff members, and even applicants for admission can contact their school’s designated Title IX Coordinator to ask questions, seek assistance, or learn more about formal reporting options. More specifically, you may have grounds to file such a claim if you:
- Have experienced sex discrimination, sexual harassment, or sexual assault
- Have learned about a situation involving sexual misconduct that may require a university investigation
- Are seeking ways to de-escalate or address sex discrimination issues
- Have questions or concerns regarding your school’s Title IX policies/procedures
Possible Title IX Resolutions in Rochester
There are a number of ways individuals who face sex-based discrimination on campus can seek to resolve or de-escalate their situation. At the University of Rochester, for example, you could meet with the school’s Title IX staff to discuss options, make a formal report to the University Department of Public Safety (DPS), call 911 to report the incident to the police, or contact RESTORE, a 24-hour hotline for sexual assault victims.
Students may also request interim measures or accommodations, including no-contact orders, adjustments to class schedules, or alternative on-campus housing. If you wish to remain anonymous when reporting an incident, you may be able to file a proxy report online, which does not include any personally identifiable information.
The Title IX Hearing Process
When a student makes a Title IX report that warrants a university investigation, investigators who are specially trained in Title IX policies and procedures meet with all the parties involved and interview witnesses to gather information about the incident. After the investigation is complete, the investigators summarize their findings by drawing up a formal report. The next step in the Title IX process—a formal hearing—is based on the conclusions in this report.
During the sexual misconduct hearing, a university hearing board made up of trained administrators reviews the investigative report and looks over any additional evidence. They may also ask questions of both the person who made the complaint and the person accused of the misconduct.
Taking all this evidence into consideration, the hearing board decides if the university’s sexual misconduct policy was violated. If the board determines that a violation occurred, it notifies the judicial office and recommends specific sanctions.
