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To initiate the process, a Complainant must file a formal complaint , with the Office of Gender Equity and Title IX.  A Complainant may also submit a formal complaint in person in our office located in Suite 250 within the Kent Student Center.

Once a formal complaint is received, a staff member from the Office of Gender Equity & Title IX will:

• Reach out to the Complainant to offer supportive measures;
• Ensure the complaint is filed under the appropriate policy and procedure;
• Notify the Respondent of the complaint in writing;
• Inform both parties of their rights, including the right to an Advisor of their choice; and
• Initiate an investigation, if appropriate.

Yes, a Complainant may request to withdraw their formal complaint in writing by emailing titleix@kent.edu indicating they are making a request to withdraw the formal complaint.

Under current Title IX hearing requirements, parties are not permitted to ask questions of each other or directly question witnesses during the live hearing. Instead, only an Advisor may pose questions on a party’s behalf. 

There are two types of Advisors: 

• Advisor of Choice: Selected by the party, this individual may be a friend, family member, attorney, friend, or any other person of the party’s choosing.
• University-Appointed Advisor: If a Complainant or Respondent does not have an Advisor for the hearing, the university will provide one at no cost.

If you are identified as a party or witness, our office will contact you to schedule an interview with a neutral, impartial Investigator. 

Parties may choose to prepare for the interview with their Advisor in advance, though a written statement is not required beforehand. During the interview, the Investigator will ask questions and take a statement based on your responses. 

You are encouraged to bring any relevant evidence you may have to the interview. 

Parties and witnesses may be accompanied by an Advisor during their interview. They may also be interviewed more than once, depending on the needs of the investigation.

After your interview, the Investigator will compile notes and draft a written statement based on what you shared. You will receive an email with your statement and instructions on how to review and request any edits or changes. 

This process ensures that your words are accurately reflected. Once you confirm the statement is correct and return it to the Investigator, it will become part of the official investigation record.

Once the Investigator completes a draft report, a copy will be shared with each party and their Advisor. You will have ten (10) days to review the report and any evidence collected during the investigation, and to provide a written response or comments. 

After this review period, the Investigator will finalize the and provide the final version to both parties and their Advisors. 

At any point during the investigation, either party may request to explore an informal resolution in writing. If both parties voluntarily agree in writing, the matter may proceed through informal resolution. If not, the final investigation report will be forwarded for a live hearing. 

The hearing is typically scheduled within 2 – 3 weeks after the final investigation report is shared with the parties. This provides adequate time to prepare for the hearing.

Yes, parties can be assisted by their Advisor throughout the hearing. The Advisor is also required to conduct all questioning of the parties or witnesses during the hearing.

Parties must notify the Office of Gender Equity and Title IX prior to the hearing that they need an Advisor for the live hearing.  The Title IX staff will assist with assigning a University Appointed Advisor at no cost for either party.

At the start of the hearing, the parties and Investigator will usually introduce themselves. During the hearing, only the Advisors and the Decision-maker may ask questions of the parties, witnesses, and Investigator. The Decision-maker leads the hearing and may ask follow-up questions as needed. Once the hearing ends, the Decision-maker will take time to review all the relevant evidence, assess credibility, and determine whether it is more likely than not that a policy violation occurred (this is called the “preponderance of the evidence” standard). The parties will receive the outcome of the hearing, and the Decision-maker’s rationale, in writing at the same time.

No. The parties do not speak to or question each other directly during the hearing. Instead, each party’s Advisor asks the questions on their behalf. 

Before any question is answered, the Decision-maker will decide whether it is relevant. If the question is allowed, the person being asked will be told they may answer. If it is not allowed, the Decision-maker will say that the question may not be asked.

Hearings typically last several hours but can take longer depending on the complexity of the complaint. If necessary, the hearing may be scheduled over multiple days to allow sufficient time. Breaks are provided throughout the hearing as needed.

Once the parties are notified of the hearing outcome, any assigned sanctions will take effect unless one or more parties choose to request an appeal. All parties have the right to appeal the decision. The outcome letter from the hearing Decision-maker will include detailed instructions on how to request an appeal and the applicable procedures.

Either party may submit a written appeal of the Decision-maker’s outcome. Appeals must be based on the circumstances outlined in Policy 5-16.2 in Paragraph (E). The Appeal Officer will review the appeal request, decide whether to grant it, and notify both parties in writing of the decision and rationale.