Title IX Grievance Procedure for Students
Purpose
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any education programs or activities by recipients of federal financial assistance, including the University of Notre Dame. The University provides this grievance procedure because it is critical that students are treated fairly and receive prompt responses to problems and complaints concerning sex discrimination. The Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) is available to assist with this procedure, which should be used freely and without fear of retaliation. The procedure outlined below should be used if a student feels that she/he has been discriminated against based on her/his sex. If the problem involves Discriminatory Harassment and/or Sexual Harassment, reference to those policies should be made to initiate a complaint. When unsure which policy applies, the student should contact the OIE for assistance.
Step One (Informal Resolution):
Discuss Complaint with the Accused Individual
The University encourages informal resolution of complaints. If appropriate, a student should feel free to first discuss the complaint directly with the individual against whom the complaint is made. If the alleged discrimination involves a department or unit rather than an individual, the reporting party should discuss the complaint with a representative of that department/unit. In any case, the conversation should occur within ten (10) business days of the alleged discrimination whenever possible. If the complaint is not resolved as a result of this discussion, or if the student does not wish to proceed informally, she/he should proceed to Step Two.
Step Two (Formal Resolution):
Submit Written Complaint to the OIE
A student may submit a formal written complaint to the OIE for investigation. A written complaint should include the name, address, telephone number, class year, and college of enrollment of the reporting student; a detailed description of the conduct that the reporting party alleges to be discriminatory; name(s) and contact information of the person against whom the complaint is made (or, if the alleged discrimination involves a department or unit rather than an individual, a representative of that department/unit); and the name(s) and contact information of witnesses (if any). The reporting party should make every effort to submit the written complaint within thirty (30) business days of the alleged conduct.
The OIE will investigate the complaint. Depending on the nature of the allegations, the investigation could include interviews with the reporting party, the accused individual (or, if the alleged discrimination involves a department or unit rather than an individual, with a representative of that department/unit), and/or witnesses; review of written documentation and relevant policies; and any other steps necessary to thoroughly investigate the allegations. The OIE will make every effort to conclude the investigation within thirty (30) business days. If the investigation cannot be completed in that time period, the OIE will contact the reporting party and provide a time frame in which the investigation will be completed. At the conclusion of the investigation, the OIE will notify the reporting party whether any University policy was violated. Please note that, in many situations, OIE cannot provide information about the sanctions assessed (if any) because of the privacy rights of the accused individual.
Step Three (Appeal):
Reporting Party May Appeal the Decision of OIE
If the reporting party is not satisfied with outcome of the Step Two decision, she/he may proceed with the complaint within ten (10) business days of receipt of the Step Two decision by submitting the formal written complaint from Step Two and any additional information to the appropriate Dean or Officer of the University (or her/his designee) as identified by the OIE.
The Dean or Officer will issue a written decision within ten (10) business days of her/his receipt of the complaint. In reviewing the matter, the Dean or Officer shall have access to any information necessary to reach a decision regarding the student’s complaint.
General Information:
The time limits above are subject to modification on a case-by-case basis due to operational requirements, travel away from campus, indepth investigations, etc. The President of the University shall have final authority to resolve any disputes regarding the implementation of this Grievance Procedure, including determination of the appropriate decision makers.
Title IX Coordinator:
The University has designated the Director of its Office of Institutional Equity to handle all inquiries regarding its efforts to comply with and carry out its responsibilities under Title IX and under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Title IX and Section 504 coordinator may be contacted as follows:
Director
Office of Institutional Equity
414 Grace Hall
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN 46556
(574) 631-0444