Frequently Asked Questions
The privacy and confidentiality of all parties involved in a complaint of sexual misconduct must be respected, unless the safety of the community is at risk or it interferes with the university’s obligation to fully investigate allegations of sexual misconduct. Where privacy is not strictly kept, information will be tightly controlled and used on a need-to-know basis. Dissemination of information verbally or written to persons not involved in the complaint process is strictly prohibited and could lead to disciplinary action by the university.
All parties will be informed of the outcome of the investigation. University administrators (e.g. President of the university, Dean of Students, Chief of Police) may be informed of the outcome within the bounds of the student/employee privacy. University officials may choose to make a public statement about the alleged incident if it is believed to be a threat to community safety. Local law enforcement officials may be notified if there is evidence that a felony occurred. Crime statistics reports are also updated annually but reports do not contain personally identifiable information.
No, the university will generally not inform your parents about the alleged incident. However, we strongly encourage students to inform parents when major medical, disciplinary, or academic events may occur. University officials will inform parents at the student’s request, in a life-threatening situation, or if the accused students gives written consent to do so.
The University takes seriously all allegations of sexual misconduct and is responsible for addressing them. If the alleged sexual misconduct involves criminal behavior, students are strongly encouraged to contact the local law enforcement or University Police. The Dean of Students office will also assist students in contacting law enforcement if the student requests help. Students should also be aware that an incident can be reported even if the student decides not to pursue legal action. Students may report incidences to responsible employees as defined by the Sexual Misconduct Policy 2.14. And students may also report sexual misconduct to the Title IX Coordinator or Deputy Coordinators. Please refer to the resources page for all contact information in the event of an incident.
If you choose to report an incident to a responsible employee, your disclosure will be sent to the Title IX Coordinator for investigation. You may choose to report directly to the Title IX Coordinator if you feel comfortable doing so.
Once the Title IX coordinator is informed of the incident, an investigation will commence. You will receive resource options and any reasonable assistance and support will be coordinated throughout the university.
If the incident warrants notification to law enforcement officials, the responsible employee or Title IX coordinator will inform UDPS about the incident. Instructions about what happens next will be given to the complainant.
Investigations both administratively and criminally may be simultaneous and require that the complainant provide pertinent details, advise of witnesses, or answer follow up questions. Respondents will be interviewed and university responsive actions will be determined based on the nature of the sexual misconduct.
DO NOT contact the alleged victim. You may want to immediately contact someone in the campus community who can act as your advisor. You may also contact the Dean of Students or Human Resources Office, who can explain the university’s procedures for addressing sexual misconduct complaints. You may also want to talk to a confidential counselor at the counseling center or seek community assistance.
The University takes all reports of sexual misconduct seriously and the use of alcohol and/or drugs by either party may be a contributing factor in the incident. Whenever possible, the University will respond educationally rather than punitively to the illegal use of drugs and/or alcohol. The seriousness of sexual misconduct is a major concern and the university does not want any circumstances (e.g. drug or alcohol use) to inhibit the reporting of sexual misconduct. It should be noted that if there is a compelling reason to believe that prior use or abuse is relevant, it may need to be considered in the investigation.
If you believe that you have experienced sexual misconduct, but are unsure if there was a violation of the university’s sexual misconduct policy, you should contact the Title IX Coordinator, Deputy Coordinator, or the Dean of Students. The institution will help you define and clarify the event(s) and advise you of your options.