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complainant's rights

The University will provide a timely and thorough investigation, and will treat the complainant with respect before, during, and after the student conduct process. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, cases of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment shall be resolved within a 60-day period once the incident has been reported. 

The complainant will be informed of the University’s conduct process and possible outcomes. The University will also inform the complainant of available counseling services, medical services, mental health services, and other campus and off campus resources for victims of sexual assault. 

Complainants have the right to report a sexual assault to local law enforcement, which will not prevent University disciplinary action. 

Complainants may request changes to academic and living situations after a sexual assault occurs. Title IX will assist to help facilitate such changes. 

Complainants have the right to have one advisor throughout the student conduct process, including meetings and hearings. The advisor may not be a witness in the case. In meetings with Judicial Services or in a hearing, the advisor may not participate directly and may only communicate with the complainant via whispering or writing notes. 

A complainant has a right to a campus “no-contact order,” which prohibits the alleged respondent from having contact of any kind (including electronic contact or contact from third parties acting on the alleged violator student’s behalf) with you. 

The University will make reasonable efforts to protect confidentiality, within the parameters of FERPA (Family and Education Privacy Act of 1974), HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) and the University conduct process. 

The complainant is afforded the right to be updated on the investigation and be informed of the outcome of a hearing. 

The complainant has the right to have prior, irrelevant sexual behavior or history with other individuals excluded from a hearing. As a reminder, prior consensual behavior with the alleged respondent does not indicate consent on subsequent occasions. 

Prior to a hearing, the complainant is allowed to inform the hearing officer of relevant witnesses the victim wishes to include at the hearing and to what the witnesses plan to testify. 

Prior to a hearing, the complainant may also meet with a hearing officer to discuss hearing procedures. 

During a hearing, the complainant has the right to give opening and closing statements and ask questions of the alleged respondent, via the hearing officer. 

Once a decision has been rendered to the alleged respondent by the University, the complainant will be notified.  A complainant will also have the right to appeal the decision within 1 business days of receiving notification of the decision.