Safety & Equity at UWO
Contact
Rachel Cromheecke
Title IX Coordinator
Call on Teams, search name "Cromheecke"
(920) 424-0835
titleix@uwosh.edu
Dempsey Hall Room 337, Oshkosh Campus
Monday-Friday 7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Processes
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 protects individuals from discrimination based on sex in any educational program or activity operated by recipients receiving federal financial assistance. Sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual exploitation are forms of sex discrimination prohibited by Title IX and UWO Policy.
Title IX and Sexual Misconduct General Complaint Process
| What is Happening | What to Expect |
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1. An Incident is Reported The University will focus on a prompt and compassionate response with supportive and/or protective measures, as appropriate.
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The Title IX Coordinator will reach out to do an interview with the individual named on the reporting form as the victim/survivor to assess needs for safety and support, or supportive measures. The victim/survivor may bring a support person to this interview. |
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2. A Formal Complaint is Received The University is focused on initiating the grievance/conduct process with an investigation into the alleged charges of misconduct and continuing supportive and/or protective measures. A formal complaint can be filed by a complainant or the Title IX Coordinator.
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The University will send out a written Notice of Allegations/Investigation to all Parties. The victim/survivor will be named the complainant and the accused individual will be named the respondent. An investigator or a team of investigators will be assigned to the case. All parties have a right to an advisor of their choice beginning at this stage. All parties and their advisors, if identified, will be sent the notice of allegations/investigation. The University must dismiss a Title IX complaint, with written notice to all Parties, if the allegations of conduct do not meet the Title IX definition of sexual harassment. The University may still proceed with the complaint under UWO sexual misconduct policies and processes. Any party has the right to appeal the decision to dismiss the complaint as Title IX related. Please see the advisor section below for more details on choosing advisors for each part of the grievance process.
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3. Investigation and Pre-hearing Preparation The University is focused on supporting the needs of all Parties during the investigation and pre-hearing preparation process.
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All Parties will be contacted by the investigator(s) to meet virtually or in-person to gather information and to collect relevant evidence and witness information, which will be used to prepare an investigative report and for a hearing. An investigation may extend past required deadlines for prescribed extenuating circumstances. All Parties have the right to bring an advisor of their choice to any interviews or meetings. All Parties will receive written notification of the initial investigative report and be able to respond to it within 10 days before the final report is completed. All Parties will receive written notification of the final investigative report to prepare for the hearing. The final report will be sent at least 10 days before the hearing is scheduled to begin.
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4. Possible Informal Resolution The University is focused on fair and impartial resolution of the complaint to ensure safety, accountability, and sanctioning appropriate to the situation and evidence, and to maintain equal access to University programs and activities.
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Any Party (University, complainant, and respondent) may request an informal resolution or settlement at any time after a formal complaint is filed and before a decision is rendered. Settlements must be voluntary and mutually agreed upon in writing by all parties. If a settlement is reached, this ends the process with no appeal rights. The complainant and respondent are waiving their rights for a hearing. Please see more information below in the informal resolution of Title IX Grievance Process section. |
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5. Hearing The University is focused on preparing for and providing a hearing. The timeline for a hearing may be delayed for prescribed extenuating circumstances like a parallel criminal proceeding. All Parties may still enter into a settlement agreement.
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A hearing will be composed of a hearing examiner or committee, both Parties and their advisors, witnesses, the investigator(s), and any other University official needed to conduct or manage the proceedings. All parties may also bring a support person who will have no role in the proceedings. All parties will be asked to testify and be cross examined by the other party’s advisor. Any party can refuse to testify and be cross examined but their pre-hearing statements will not then be considered in the final decision making. All Parties will receive written notification of the findings and can appeal the decision of the hearing examiner or committee. Both complainant and respondent have right to question adverse witnesses (by their advisor), to present information and witnesses, to be heard on their own behalf, and to have an advisor of their choice (can be an attorney). If a complaint or respondent does not have an advisor, the University will provide a trained advisor of the University’s choice.
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6. Decision implementation The University will focus on implementing sanctions against the respondent and other remedies for the complainant, if any, and continue to provide supportive measures as appropriate.
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The hearing examiner/committee will prepare and deliver to the complainant and respondent written findings of facts and decision regarding responsibility within 14 days of the completion of the hearing. This report will include the right to appeal the decision of the hearing examiner/committee. |
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7. Appeal The University will focus on notifying all Parties of their right to appeal the hearing examiner/committee’s decision.
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All parties will receive written notice of their right to appeal, the timeframe in which to respond to the notice, and how to respond to the notice if they wish to appeal. All parties will be provided written notice of the outcome of an appeal, if any. If no Party files an appeal, the decision of the hearing examiner/committee is final. |
There are three potential outcomes for a formal sexual misconduct grievance process:
- findings of responsible or not responsible by a preponderance of the evidence after a hearing or appeal process; or
- a settlement (informal resolution); or
- dismissal.
Informal Resolution of Title IX Grievance Process
Informal Resolution of Title IX Complaints Policy and Procedure
Policy UWS 17.156 Settlement for sexual misconduct -Students
(1) The procedures set forth in this chapter allow the University, the respondent, and the complainant to voluntarily enter into a settlement agreement or informal resolution regarding the alleged misconduct, any time after the notice of allegations/investigation has been distributed to the complainant and respondent and prior to any final determination regarding responsibility. Any such agreement and its terms shall be in writing and signed by the complainant, respondent, and the Title IX Coordinator or their designee except in any of the following circumstances:
(a) There is no identified complainant.
(b) The complainant has chosen not to participate in proceedings pursuant to this subchapter.
(c) Title IX misconduct is involved, and the complainant has withdrawn the formal Title IX complaint.
(2) In the circumstances described in sub. (1), the agreement and its terms may be signed by only the respondent and the Title IX Coordinator or their designee. The case is concluded when a copy of the signed agreement is delivered to the complainant, if any, and respondent. At any time prior to agreeing to a resolution, either party has the right to withdraw from the settlement process and resume the process under ss. UWS 17.152 to 17.155.
Procedures for Entering and Exiting Informal Resolution Process
Parties who do not wish to proceed all the way through the grievance process to a determination in a live hearing, and instead seek the University’s assistance to resolve allegations of sexual misconduct, may elect to enter the informal resolution or settlement process. Informal resolution options may be less time intensive than a full grievance process, while still affording individuals an opportunity to actively participate in a process led by the University for resolution of their complaints.
All Parties may elect to voluntarily enter the University’s informal resolution or settlement process through informed written consent at any time after the filing of a formal complaint and before a determination of responsibility.
No Party may be required to participate in informal resolution, and the University may never condition enrollment, employment, or enjoyment of any other right or privilege upon agreeing to a settlement or informal resolution.
The Parties may elect to leave the informal resolution process at any point until the settlement process is concluded. If a Party elects to leave the informal resolution process, the formal resolution process recommences. In participating in the informal resolution process, the Parties understand that the timeframes governing the formal process temporarily cease, and only recommence upon reentry into the formal process.
Determination to Approve Entry into Informal Resolution Process
Even where all Parties voluntarily agree to submit a matter to informal resolution, the Title IX Coordinator or their designee must approve the decision to move the matter to the informal resolution process and may determine that informal resolution is not appropriate under the circumstances.
Factors that the Title IX Coordinator or their designee may weigh in considering the appropriateness of the informal resolution process include, but are not limited to, the gravity of the allegations, whether there is an ongoing threat of harm or safety to the campus, whether the respondent is a repeat offender, and whether the Parties are participating in good faith. This determination is not subject to appeal.
Informal resolution is only permitted to address allegations of student-on-student Title IX sexual harassment and is never allowed as an option to resolve allegations that an employee sexually harassed a student. See, 85 Fed. Reg. 30026, 30054 (May 19, 2020).
At any time after the commencement of the informal resolution process, the Title IX Coordinator or their designee may determine that the informal resolution process is not an appropriate method for resolving the matter and may require that the matter be resolved through the formal process. This determination is not subject to appeal.
Role of the Facilitator
Informal resolution or settlement processes are managed by facilitators, who may not have a conflict of interest or bias in favor of or against complainants or respondents generally or regarding the specific Parties in the matter. The Title IX Coordinator or their designee may serve as the facilitator, subject to these restrictions.
All facilitators must have training in the definition of sexual harassment under 34 C.F.R. § 106.30(a), the scope of the institution’s education program or activity, how to conduct informal resolution processes, and how to serve impartially, including by avoiding prejudgment of the facts at issue, conflicts of interest, or bias.
Confidentiality
In entering the informal resolution process, the Parties agree that any testimony and evidence (including admissions of responsibility) they share or receive during the informal resolution process concerning the allegations of the formal complaint is confidential while the parties are participating in the informal resolution process. No evidence concerning the allegations obtained within the informal resolution process may be disseminated to any person, provided that any Party to the informal resolution process may generally discuss the allegations under investigation with a parent, friend, advisor, or other source of emotional support, or with an advocacy organization. Should the Parties withdraw from the informal resolution process, information disclosed or obtained for purposes of the informal resolution process may be incorporated into the formal investigation and live hearing, provided that this information is disclosed and reviewed by the Parties under the investigatory and hearing procedures described in the Title IX Grievance Process.
Informal Resolution Options
The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh offers the following informal resolution procedures for addressing formal complaints of sexual misconduct covered under Title IX and UWO Policy.
Administrative Resolution
Should the Parties mutually determine to enter an informal resolution or settlement process, the University may administratively resolve the formal complaint. If an informal resolution is reached and signed by all Parties, this ends the grievance process with no appeal rights. Complainants may choose to have a written impact statement be part of the settlement process.
Advisor Information
Individuals who report sexual misconduct (complainants), or are accused of sexual misconduct (respondents), have a right to an advisor to accompany them throughout a formal complaint process (investigation through decision). An advisor can be a friend or relative, a volunteer, an employee of UWO, an attorney or anyone else of their choosing. Advisors have two main roles, which may be performed by the same person, or performed by two or more individuals (one at a time) on behalf of the advisee. The University has identified the two roles below:
Support Advisor– this advisor can be anyone of the parties’ (complainant and respondent) choice and can attend all meetings after a formal complaint is filed – from the first investigative interview to completion of hearing/appeal, or from the first investigative interview to completion of an informal resolution or settlement.
Hearing Advisor- this advisor can take the place of a support advisor at this stage in the grievance process. Advisors in the hearing portion of the process have the role and responsibility to conduct cross examination of parties/witnesses. These advisors can be attorneys. If a student does not have access to an advisor for this stage of the grievance process, the University will supply a trained advisor of the University’s choice. Each party can only have one advisor in the hearing.
In either role, advisors are not meant to be “zealous advocates” for their advisees, as may be the case for attorneys in legal proceedings, and all advisors’ will be expected to follow University Rules of Decorum (below) during all stages of the grievance processes as well as the privacy and retaliation policies.
Note: Both parties in a complaint process will also be allowed to bring one support person of their choice to the hearing. The support person for either party will not have any role in the hearing other than emotional support and will not be permitted to speak to or interact with any other party other than the individual they are supporting at the hearing. If a party does not have a support person, the University can supply one of the University’s choice. Either party can decide not to bring a support person, but their decision will not impede on the other party’s ability to bring a support person. All support persons will be expected to follow University Rules of Decorum during all stages of the hearing as well as the privacy and retaliation policies.
See Policies page for more information.
Advisor Resource Guide (Student Conduct Institute 2021)
The following guide was created by the State University of New York, Student Conduct Institute (SUNY/SCI) and serves as model guidance for those serving as advisors in Title IX Grievance Processes. The University encourages all advisors to read this guide and familiarize themselves with university policy and state and federal law before assisting victims/survivors of sexual misconduct.
Note: Although the University uses SUNY/SCI for training of Title IX personnel and for resource materials used in Title IX and sexual misconduct cases and processes, University policies, state law, and federal regulations supersede any guidance given in this guide.
Advisor Resource Guide (Student Conduct Institute 2021) (PDF)
University Rules of Decorum for Sexual Misconduct Grievance Processes (PDF)
Hearing Information
All UWO sexual misconduct hearings will be held virtually in Microsoft Teams or in-person with video capabilities allowing for complainants and respondents to be in separate rooms upon request. All parties must be able to see and hear each other for the purposes of cross examination by advisors. These requirements will be accomplished by video and audio equipment (cameras and microphones) being enabled during the hearing. All steps will be taken to limit the stress on all parties during the hearing, and all parties are expected to act within the University Rules of Decorum for Sexual Misconduct Grievance Processes.
Title IX hearings are not civil or criminal proceedings and are not designed to mimic formal trial proceedings. This guidance applies to all stages of the university grievance process.
These rules are based on all parties being treated with respect and applies equally to:
- all parties, witnesses, advisors of choice, appointed advisors, institutional staff, and any individuals involved in the process.
- all processes for employees and/or students.
- all individuals involved in the process regardless of sex, gender, or other protected class, and regardless of their role in the process.
Please see the University Rules of Decorum for Sexual Misconduct Grievance Processes (PDF).