Preliminary Inquiry
Following receipt of notice or a report of misconduct, the Title IX Coordinator1 engages in a preliminary inquiry to determine if there is reasonable cause to believe the Policy has been violated. This inquiry may also serve to help the Title IX Coordinator to determine if the allegations evidence violence, threat, pattern, predation and/or weapon, in the event that the reporting party has asked for no action to be taken. In any case where violence, threat, pattern, predation, and/or weapon is not evidenced, the Title IX Coordinator may respect a reporting party’s request for no action, and will investigate only so far as necessary to determine appropriate remedies. As necessary, the University reserves the right to initiate resolution proceedings without a formal report or participation by the reporting party.
In cases where the reporting party wishes to proceed or the University determines it must proceed, and the preliminary inquiry shows that reasonable cause exists, the Title IX Coordinator will direct a formal investigation to commence and the allegation will be resolved through one of three processes discussed briefly here and in greater detail below:
- Conflict Resolution – typically used for less serious offenses and only when both parties agree to conflict resolution
- Informal Resolution – a resolution without a hearing panel, or
- Formal Resolution – a resolution of contested allegations with a hearing panel.
The specific resolution process to be followed is at the discretion of the Title IX Coordinator.
If a formal investigation is commenced, the Title IX Coordinator will provide written notification of the investigation to the responding party and the reporting party at an appropriate time during the investigation2. The University aims to complete all investigations within a sixty (60) calendar day time period, which can be extended as necessary for appropriate cause by the Title IX Coordinator with notice to the parties as appropriate.
1 If circumstances require, the President or Title IX Coordinator may designate another person to oversee the process below, should an allegation be made against the Coordinator or the Coordinator be otherwise unavailable or unable to fulfill their duties.
2 Notification will be made in writing and may be delivered by one or more of the following methods: in person; mailed to the local or permanent address of the parties as indicated in official University records; or emailed to the parties’ University-issued email account. Once mailed, emailed and/or received in-person, notice will be presumptively delivered. The reporting party is typically copied on such correspondence.
If, during the preliminary inquiry or at any point during the formal investigation, the Title IX Coordinator determines that there is no reasonable cause to believe that policy has been violated, the process will end unless the reporting party requests that the Title IX Coordinator makes an extraordinary determination to re-open the investigation or to forward the matter for a hearing. This decision lies in the sole discretion of the Title IX Coordinator.