EO and Nondiscrimination Procedures (Students)

Introduction and Purpose

Muhlenberg College (“College”) is committed to stopping prohibited discrimination and harassment (“Prohibited Conduct”) as defined in the Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination Policy (“EO Policy”); removing any identified hostile environment caused by Prohibited Conduct; and preventing recurrence of Prohibited Conduct. The purpose of the Student Equal Opportunity Report and Resolution Procedures (“Procedures”) is to provide prompt, fair, and equitable resolution of allegations of Prohibited Conduct.

Any person who believes that they have been subjected to prohibited discrimination or harassment by a student(s) may make a Report of an alleged violation of the EO Policy to the College to initiate the procedures outlined below. In addition, if the Office of Equity and Title IX is made aware of an allegation and a Reporting Party (defined below) is unknown, does not want to initiate institutional proceedings under the EO Policy or is not willing to participate in the Report resolution process, the Director of Equity & Title IX and the Vice President for College Life (“VPCL”) [1] may decide to initiate the procedures below with the College as the Reporting Party if information has been presented that reasonably indicates a potential violation of the EO Policy.

¹ At all times throughout this document, when the Director of Equity & Title IX or the VPCL are addressed, such College officials may have a designee if the President deems that a designee is appropriate, e.g. if the College official is not present, if the College official has a conflict, or if the College official is the subject of the investigation. Generally, a designee will be another College official with a similar title and/or position, and/or of similar knowledge, skill, and professional judgment.

Standard of Review

Muhlenberg College utilizes a preponderance of the evidence standard during the investigation process, as well as in all related proceedings, including disciplinary hearings. A “preponderance of the evidence” standard requires that the evidence supporting each finding be more convincing than the evidence in opposition to it; that is, it is more likely than not that the alleged conduct occurred. A Responding Party (See Section III.g. for definition of “Responding Party”) is presumed not to have violated the EO Policy unless a preponderance of the evidence establishes a policy violation.

III. Definitions

a. Advisor

Reporting Party and Responding Parties have the right to have one advisor of their choice present with them at any meeting related to a report or investigation made under this EO Policy. An advisor of choice may be a friend, mentor, family member, attorney, or any other person a party chooses to have as long as the advisor is available and willing to participate with the party in all meetings and proceedings as requested by the party.

A party may also choose to not have an advisor or to change advisors during the process. It is the party’s responsibility to ensure that their advisor of choice is willing, able, and available for meetings. Advisors may confer quietly with their advisees as necessary during any meetings or proceedings as long as they do not disrupt any part of the process. An advisor who interferes, is verbally abusive, is disruptive to the process, causes unreasonable delay, or persists in trying to substantively participate in the process after a warning to cease and desist may be asked to leave and may be precluded from attendance at future meetings.

If a party chooses not to have an advisor, an advisor will be appointed to the party should a matter go to a live hearing (see Section V.D. below) for purposes of conducting cross examination on behalf of the party.

b. Reporting Party

A Reporting Party is an individual or group of individuals identified in a Report and/or Report as having been subjected to alleged conduct in violation of the EO Policy regardless of whether that person(s) makes a report or seeks action under the EO Policy. This term does not imply pre judgment concerning whether the individual(s) was subjected to prohibited conduct. A Reporting Party may be self-identified or identified through another person or a mandatory report. In addition, if the Office of Equity and Title IX is made aware of an allegation and a Reporting Party is unknown, does not want to initiate institutional proceedings under the EO Policy or is not willing to participate in the Report resolution process, the Director of Equity and Title IX and the VPCL may decide to initiate the procedures below with the College as the Reporting Party if information has been presented that reasonably indicates a potential violation of the EO Policy. A Reporting Party may also be referred to as a “party.”

c. Report

A Report is an oral or written account of an incident of harassment, discrimination, or other prohibited conduct under the EO Policy by a Reporting Party wishing to initiate action under the EO Policy which may be resolved formally or informally according to the procedures outlined below. A Report must be signed by the Reporting Party, or if a Reporting Party is not identified, signed by the Director of Equity & Title IX on behalf of the College.

d. Decision-maker

A Decision-maker is a person with the authority to make a determination on Responding Party’s responsibility and/or determine the appropriate sanction following a finding of responsibility for a violation of the EO Policy. The VPCL, panel members, and appeal officer are examples of a Decision-maker.

e. Investigator

An Investigator is a trained staff member, or a trained outside investigator, who conducts an impartial, fair, and unbiased investigation into allegations of violations of the EO Policy under the guidance of the Director of Equity & Title IX . The Director of Equity & Title IX may serve as the Investigator and may also designate more than one Investigator to conduct an investigation as needed.

f. Relevant Evidence or Information

Relevant evidence or information are facts that have a logical connection to the conduct alleged – whether to prove or disprove, and may also include contextual facts that provide Investigators and decision-makers with a fuller understanding of what occurred. Generally, information about a person’s character, statements of personal opinion, and past sexual history are not considered relevant, unless to help the Investigator(s) and Decision-maker’s assess credibility or consent. Lie detector/polygraph evidence is not relevant and shall not be admissible or considered. The Investigator(s) and decision-makers have sole discretion in determining the relevance of evidence/information.

g. Report

A Report is an oral or written account of an alleged incident of harassment, discrimination, or other prohibited conduct under the EO Policy. A Report without a Report does not initiate an investigation. The Report shall be kept confidential by all parties and shall be maintained by the Director of Equity & Title IX and the VPCL.

h. Responding Party

A Responding Party is an individual, group of individuals or an entity (student organization, department, or office) that has been alleged to have engaged in Prohibited Conduct under the EO Policy. This term does not imply pre-judgment concerning whether the person, group or entity committed the prohibited conduct. A Responding Party may also be referred to as a “party.”

i. Witness

A witness is a person believed to have relevant information regarding an investigation, including but not limited to someone who was present when the incident occurred, someone the Reporting Party or Responding Party communicated with about the incident, or someone who otherwise possesses relevant information regarding the investigation. Witnesses may be identified by the parties and/or by the Investigator. The number of witnesses presented by a party is not determinative of the final outcome.

IV. Supportive and Interim Remedial Measures

Upon notice of an alleged violation under this EO Policy or upon request by a Reporting Party or Responding Party, the College will evaluate whether initial or interim supportive, remedial, responsive, and/or protective actions are necessary. Such actions are non-disciplinary, non-punitive, individualized services offered as appropriate, as reasonably available, and without fee or charge to the parties to restore or preserve access to the College’s education program or activity, including measures designed to protect the safety of all parties or the College’s educational environment, and/or deter harassment, discrimination, and/or retaliation.

Such measures could include but are not limited to:

No contact orders;
Referrals to counseling and/or medical services;
Academic support or accommodations;
Living or working arrangement adjustments;
Transportation accommodations;
Visa and immigration assistance;
Student financial aid counseling;
Providing campus escort;
Referrals to campus and community support resources; and/or
Other academic or work schedule and assignment accommodations deemed appropriate by the Director of Equity & Title IX Coordinator.

To every extent possible, the College will limit disclosure of any accommodations or protective measures, provided that it does not impair the College’s ability to provide the accommodations or protective measures and that it does not infringe upon the rights of a Reporting Party or Responding Party.

Consideration for these measures include, but are not limited to, the impact on all parties and the ability to stop the alleged behavior, prevent any recurrence, and maintain a safe campus environment that is as free from disruption as possible.

Supportive and interim measures may be adjusted or removed at the discretion of the Director of Equity and Title IX or the VPCL, as appropriate, based on the information collected during the investigation.[2]

In all cases in which an interim measure is imposed on a Responding Party, the Responding Party will be given the opportunity to meet with the Director of Equity & Title IX and the VPCL prior to the interim measure being imposed, or as soon as reasonably possible after the measure is imposed, to show cause why the interim measure should not be implemented or should be revised. The Director of Title IX and VPCL have sole discretion to implement or stay an interim measure and to determine its conditions and duration based on the conditions detailed above.

Violation of a supportive or interim measure may be grounds for student disciplinary action, including immediate suspension or expulsion.

2 For example, parties subject to a no-contact order may decide that it is more restrictive than protective and mutually request that the no-contact order be lifted; or information disclosed in an investigation leads to a determination that the initial allegation is not substantiated and the interim measure is no longer protective or remedial.

A. Emergency Removal

Under the College’s Student Code of Conduct, whenever the VPCL determines that the continued presence of a student or student group at the College poses a substantial and immediate threat to the student or to others, or to the stability and continuance of College functions, the VPCL may, without prior notice, immediately suspend a student or student group from the College; restrict a student’s or student group’s access to College property, activities or functions, in whole or in part; remove a student or members of a student group from College housing; and/or impose such other interim measures as deemed appropriate.

In the case of a Responding Party who has been accused of a potential violation under the EO Policy, the Responding Party may be interimly suspended entirely or partially from the College’s education program or activities on an emergency basis when an individualized safety and risk analysis has determined that an immediate threat to the physical health or safety of any student or other individual justifies removal. This risk analysis is conducted by the Title IX Coordinator and VPCL in conjunction with the CARE team using its violence risk assessment procedures.

As with any other supportive or interim measure imposed on the Responding Party, the Responding Party will be given the opportunity to meet with the Director of Equity & Title IX and the VPCL prior to the emergency removal being imposed, or as soon as reasonably possible following removal, to show cause why the emergency removal should not be implemented or should be revised.

The Title IX Coordinator and VPCL have sole discretion under this policy to implement or stay an emergency removal and to determine the conditions and duration. Violations of an emergency removal under this policy will be grounds for discipline, which may include expulsion from the College.

V. Procedures for Investigation and Adjudication of Allegations of Violations of the Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination Policy

The procedures described below will apply to any allegations that have been made against a student under the EO Policy.

A. Intake Process

Once on notice of an alleged violation of the EO Policy, the Director of Equity & Title IX or designee will meet with the Reporting Party (and with the Reporting Party’s advisor if the Reporting Party chooses to have one) to discuss the allegation, gather additional information if necessary, and make an initial determination regarding whether the Responding Party and the behavior alleged are potential violations of the EO Policy. At any point during the intake process (or any other process defined below), the Reporting Party may request and/or the Director of Equity and Title IX and VPCL shall consider whether any supportive or interim measures are appropriate.

If the conduct alleged is not a potential violation of the EO Policy, the Reporting Party may be referred to another office who would have jurisdiction; the Director of Equity & Title IX may discuss the matter with the VPCL to determine if respectful communication, remedial actions, education, and/or effective conflict resolution mechanisms that do not lead to disciplinary action would be appropriate; or the report will be documented and the matter closed for information only.
In instances where a student is alleged to have violated both the EO Policy and the Student Code of Conduct, at the discretion of the Dean of Students, all allegations may be resolved utilizing the procedures applicable to the EO
If no Reporting Party is identified but the conduct alleged is a potential violation of the EO Policy and a known Responding Party has been identified, the Director of Equity & Title IX will discuss the matter with the VPCL to determine whether the College will move forward as the Reporting Policy rather than the procedures applicable to the Student Code of Conduct.
If no Reporting Party is identified, the conduct alleged is not a potential violation of the EO Policy, and/or a known Responding Party has not been identified, the Director of Equity & Title IX will discuss the matter with the VPCL to determine whether community-based education, training, or other prevention or remedial actions would be appropriate; or the report will be documented and the matter closed for information only.
If a Reporting Party chooses to move forward with a Report, the Reporting Party will be presented with formal or informal resolution options.

Typically, the Reporting Party may choose to move forward with either of these options. However, informal resolution options may not always be appropriate and the Director of Equity & Title IX , in discussion with the Reporting Party, shall determine whether it is appropriate on a case-by-case basis. If the Reporting Party chooses to pursue a formal resolution, then formal proceedings shall commence. (See Section V.C. below).

B. Adaptable Resolution Options

Recognizing that every situation is different and every individual’s needs are different, the College seeks to provide as many types of fair resolutions as possible to adapt to the needs of our community members. Therefore, in lieu of the formal investigation and resolution processes defined below, the parties may voluntarily agree to resolve the Report by one of the following adaptable resolution methods:

The parties voluntarily agree to engage in a restorative justice process to resolve thematter,
The parties agree to resolve the matter through a negotiated resolution facilitated by theDirector of Equity & Title IX and/or designee, or
The parties agree that the Responding Party accepts responsibility for violating the EOPolicy and the parties agree to engage in an interactive process with the Director of Equity & Title IX and the VPCL to determine an appropriate sanction(s) and resolution.

To initiate one of the adaptable resolution processes, the Reporting Party must first file a formal Report with the Office of Equity & Title IX. At the time of filing the formal Report, the Reporting Party may simultaneously request to participate in one of the adaptable resolutions, and the Responding Party shall be notified of both the notice of Report and the Reporting Party’s request to engage in an adaptable resolution. The Responding Party may accept or reject the option to engage in an adaptable resolution. Alternatively, either party may request to engage in an adaptable resolution process any time after the formal resolution proceedings have been initiated. The request must be made in writing to the Director of Equity & Title IX. Once received, the Director of Equity & Title IX will notify the other party who can agree to or reject the offer to engage in an adaptable resolution.

Once the parties agree to engage in an adaptable resolution, the formal resolution proceedings shall be placed on hold. If the adaptable resolution process results in an outcome agreed upon by both parties, the formal resolution proceedings shall be closed. If the adaptable resolution process breaks down and does not reach a result agreeable to both parties, the formal resolution proceeding will initiate or resume.

Adaptable resolution is not available in situations where a student has alleged sexual harassment against an employee.

The Director of Equity & Title IX may consider the following factors to assess whether an adaptable resolution process is appropriate, or which form of adaptable resolution may be most successful for the parties:

The parties’ amenability to Alternative Resolution
Likelihood of potential resolution, considering any power dynamicsbetween the parties
The nature and severity of the alleged misconduct
The parties’ motivation to participate
Civility of the parties
Results of a violence risk assessment/ongoing risk analysis
Disciplinary history of the Responding Party
Whether an emergency removal is needed
Report complexity
Emotional investment/capability of the parties
Rationality of the parties
Goals of the parties
Adequate resources to invest in the adaptable resolution process (time, staff,etc.)

It is ultimately up to the Director of Equity & Title IX and the VPCL to determine if an adaptable resolution process is available or successful. Adaptable resolution outcomes are not appealable.

i. Restorative Justice (RJ) Process

Restorative Justice is a philosophy of accountability focused on the reparation of harm, recognition or solving of any underlying problems that may have led to harm, and reconciliation of interpersonal conflict. RJ is an intentional practice that identifies who has been harmed, what actions are necessary to repair the harm, restore relationships, and prevent recurrence of harm. An RJ process may involve a restorative circle, a restorative conference, restorative statements, or another restorative process designed by the facilitator to best address harm and reconciliation.

If parties agree to engage in an RJ process, the first step will be for the parties to separately meet with the RJ facilitator to determine the most appropriate RJ process for the situation. The RJ facilitator will guide and communicate with the parties throughout the entire RJ process. The RJ process will be documented, as well as any resolution reached during the RJ process, and kept in a confidential file in the Dean of Students Office and the Office of Equity & Title IX.

Failure by the parties to abide by the RJ resolution may result in appropriate responsive or disciplinary action. If no resolution is reached through the RJ process, the RJ facilitator will refer the matter back to the Director of Equity & Title IX to determine appropriate next steps.

To promote candor, honesty, and genuine participation, and recognizing that the RJ process requires a certain level of vulnerability from participants, information disclosed during the RJ process will remain confidential. The RJ facilitator will not share information disclosed during the RJ process, for example, to the Investigator and Decision-makers, should the RJ process break down and revert to the formal process.

ii. Negotiated Resolution

The Parties may agree to engage in a negotiated resolution facilitated by the Director of Equity & Title IX, or other appropriate College official, where parties can negotiate an agreement to resolve the Report. The first step in this process will be for the facilitator to meet with each party separately and assess the needs of the party and their desired outcome. Some possible outcomes of a negotiated resolution include:

Consent Workshop
Healthy Relationships Workshop
Counseling Sessions
Alcohol Education Classes
No Contact Order
Bi-weekly or monthly check-in meetings with the Director of Equity & Title IX or otherappropriate College official
Restriction from participation in specific clubs and/or organization
Restriction from participation in particular events
Community Service

The negotiated resolution shall be documented and kept in a confidential file in the Dean of Students Office and the Office of Equity & Title IX. Failure by the parties to abide by the negotiated resolution may result in appropriate responsive or disciplinary action.

Similar to the RJ process, to promote candor, honesty, and genuine participation, information disclosed during the negotiated resolution will remain confidential. The facilitator will not share information disclosed during the negotiated resolution process, for example, to the Investigator and Decision-makers, should the resolution process break down and revert to the formal process.

iii. Responding Party Accepts Responsibility

At any time prior to the completion of Formal Resolution options (see below), the Responding Party may choose to accept responsibility for one, some, or all of the allegations. The Responding Party shall notify the Director of Equity & Title IX of their choice to accept responsibility, pause the formal resolution, and resolve the matter through an interactive process with the Reporting Party, the Director of Equity & Title IX and the VPCL to determine an appropriate sanction and resolution. The Director of Equity & Title IX will notify the Reporting Party. The Reporting Party may choose to pause the formal resolution and resolve the matter through an interactive process with the Responding Party, the Director of Equity & Title IX and the VPCL, or choose to continue with the formal resolution process.

If the Responding Party accepts responsibility for one or some of the allegations, the parties may choose whether to resolve all allegations through the interactive process, resolve only the allegation(s) for which the Responding Party accepted responsibility through the interactive process and proceed with the formal resolution process on the remaining allegations, or move forward with the formal resolution process noting in the investigation report for decision-makers that the Responding Party had accepted responsibility for one or some of the allegations.

The resolution reached through the interactive process shall be documented and kept in a confidential file in the Dean of Students Office and the Office of Equity & Title IX. Failure by the parties to abide by the resolution may result in appropriate responsive or disciplinary action.

Should the interactive process break down and revert back to the formal process, the Responding Party’s acceptance of responsibility for some or all of the allegations shall be shared with the Investigator and Decision-makers, as the Responding Party’s acceptance of responsibility is relevant and pertinent to the Decision-makers.

C. Formal Investigation and Resolution for non-Title IX allegations

If an adaptable resolution is not chosen by the parties, the Report shall proceed under the formal resolution process detailed in Section V.C. or D. The formal resolution begins with an investigation. The Director of Equity & Title IX shall appoint a trained impartial Investigator or Investigators (“Investigator”) to conduct the investigation.

Investigations will be thorough, reliable and impartial, and will entail interviews with all relevant parties and witnesses, obtaining available evidence and identifying sources of expert information, if necessary. Interviews will be conducted separately and individually with parties and witnesses.
Investigations are completed as expeditiously as possible. Investigations may take longer, however, in exigent or extenuating circumstances.
The College’s investigation and resolution process will not typically be altered or precluded on the grounds that civil or criminal charges involving the same incident have been filed or that criminal charges have been dismissed or reduced.
The Investigator shall provide both parties with the opportunity to provide a statement, evidence, and names of potential witnesses.
Parties are permitted to ask questions of the other party and witnesses through the impartial Investigator during the investigation process.
While the parties may disagree with the Investigator as to the form of the question or the relevance, the Investigator is the sole determiner of relevance and form of questions asked.
Parties and witnesses are expected to cooperate with and participate in the College’s investigation. Interviews may, in certain circumstances, be conducted virtually by video or phone, and written statements may be provided if a live interview is not possible.
If a Responding Party elects to not participate in the investigation, the Responding Party will not have the opportunity to offer new evidence during the appeal stage of the process. (See Section VII Appeals below)

Dismissal of Report

At any point during the intake or investigation, if it is determined by the Director of Equity and Title IX or the Investigator that there is no reasonable cause to believe that the EO Policy has been violated, the Director of Equity & Title IX in consultation with the VPCL, shall have authority to terminate the investigation and end formal resolution proceedings. Dismissal will not preclude continuation of appropriate supportive or interim measures, or referral to another department to review if appropriate.

Investigation Timeframe

Typically, an investigation will be completed within sixty (60) calendar days from the filing of a formal Report with the Office of Equity and Title IX, or the date upon which the Office of Equity and Title IX decides to pursue an investigation, whichever is first. In some circumstances, it may be necessary to extend that timeframe for good cause . If good cause exists to extend the[3]investigation timeframe beyond 60 days, as determined by the Investigator in consultation with the Director of Equity & Title IX , both parties will be promptly notified.

3 “Good cause” may be due to the complexity of the investigation, availability and scheduling of witnesses, the occurrence of a simultaneous criminal investigation and request from law enforcement that the College delay its investigation, College breaks, or other factors which unavoidably delay the investigation.

Advisor Participation in a Formal Investigation

For longer or more involved discussions, the parties and their advisor should ask for breaks or step out of meetings to allow for private conversation. A party with their advisor may request to meet or speak with the Investigator in advance of any interview for a pre-meeting. This pre meeting will allow an advisor to clarify any questions they may have and allows the College an opportunity to clarify the role the advisor is expected to take.

There may be instances in which a party will wish to disclose documentation related to the allegations with their advisor. In such cases, an advisor is expected to maintain the confidentiality of the records disclosed to them. These records may not be disclosed to third parties, disclosed publicly, or used for purposes not explicitly authorized by the College. The College may seek to restrict the role of any advisor who does not respect the sensitive nature of the process or who fails to abide by the College’s confidentiality expectations.

Student Groups

Student groups are responsible for fully cooperating with College officials investigating alleged violations of the EO Policy and for ensuring that their members provide complete, accurate, and truthful information and any potentially relevant documentation in any format. Members of a Responding Party student group are required to provide statements and/or answer questions in connection with any investigation of alleged violations of the EO Policy by the Responding Party student group. Responding Party student groups have the right to choose one current student member to represent it in any investigation or informal or formal resolution process.

i. Formal Investigation Conclusion

Draft investigation report: At the conclusion of the investigation, the Investigator will draft a preliminary investigation report (“draft report”) and provide both parties with the opportunity to review the draft report and submit feedback or corrections. The draft report is the collection of all relevant evidence that will be presented to any Decision-maker.
The parties will have seven (7) calendar days to provide feedback, corrections, or questions to the Investigator. At times, feedback may necessitate further investigation or inquiry. If further relevant information is gathered by the Investigator, the Investigator will issue a supplement to the draft report to the parties for review and response and will determine a reasonable amount of time for feedback to the supplemental information, which will generally not exceed five (5) calendar days.
While the parties may disagree with the Investigator as to the form or contents of thedraft report, or the relevance of evidence included or omitted or which amendments or comments will be added or not, the Investigator in consultation with the Director for Equity and Title IX has discretion of what will go into the report though the Investigator should note a party’s disagreement in the final report. Parties may appeal on this basis if they wish. (See Section VII Appeals below.)
Final Report: The Investigator then prepares the final investigation report that incorporates the draft report, feedback to the draft report, and an analysis and recommendation as to whether the evidence meets a preponderance of the evidence standard that the alleged Prohibited Conduct occurred. The final report is reviewed by the Director of Equity & Title IX and legal counsel, when necessary, prior to issuance to the parties and the VPCL. The Investigator shall issue the final report within two (2) weeks after receipt of the last feedback to the draft report unless good cause exists for an extension. If the Investigator is unable to issue the final report within the two-week time frame, the Investigator will provide written notification and explanation to the parties.
The parties and their advisors shall hold the draft report, the final report and all accompanying documentation in confidence and shall not reproduce or distribute any such documents, in whole or in part. Reproduction or distribution of these confidential documents may lead to student conduct charges.
Within five (5) calendar days of receipt of the final report, the parties must elect inwriting to the Director of Equity & Title IX whether they intend to move forward with VPCL adjudication (Section V.C.ii.) or formal panel adjudication (Section V.C.iii.). If one party elects or both parties elect to go to a formal panel, the formal panel will be convened by the Director of Equity & Title IX to adjudicate the matter.

ii. VPCL Adjudication and Resolution

The VPCL shall review the final report and if the VPCL determines that further information is needed from the Investigator, the VPCL may remand the report to the Investigator for further questioning or investigation. Within seven (7) calendar days after receipt of the final report (or the updated report if it is remanded to the Investigator), the VPCL shall determine, based on the final report, whether by a preponderance of the evidence the Responding Party’s conduct occurred as alleged and whether such conduct is a violation of the EO Policy. If the VPCL determines by a preponderance of the evidence that the Responding Party’s conduct as alleged did not occur or did not constitute a violation of the EO Policy, the VPCL shall advise the parties in writing.

If the VPCL determines by a preponderance of the evidence that the Responding Party’s conduct occurred as alleged and such conduct is a violation of the EO Policy, the VPCL shall also determine the appropriate sanction(s). Prior to the determination of an appropriate sanction(s): (i) the VPCL shall review the Responding Party’s disciplinary record at the College; (ii) the Reporting Party will be given an opportunity to submit a written impact statement, i.e. how the Reporting Party has been impacted and what the Reporting Party believes would be appropriate sanctions and resolution; (iii) and, the Responding Party will be given an opportunity to submit a written mitigating factors statement and what the Responding Party believes would be appropriate sanctions and resolution. These statements shall be submitted to the VPCL within a reasonable timeline set forth by the VPCL. In addition, the VPCL may, solely in the VPCL’s discretion, schedule a meeting with the parties, individually, after determining that the Responding Party violated the EO Policy.

Within five (5) calendar days after receipt of the statements or deadline for submission, the VPCL shall issue a written decision and sanction(s) determination to the parties. If the VPCL determines that the appropriate sanction for a Responding Party student is expulsion or for a Responding Party student group is disciplinary termination, the VPCL shall consult with the President of the College before issuing the final sanction determination.

Notification to the parties will be made in writing and may be delivered by one or more of the following methods: in person; mailed to the local or permanent address of the parties as indicated in official College records; or emailed to the parties’ College-issued email account. Once mailed, emailed and/or received in-person, notice will be presumptively delivered.

iii. Formal Panel (“Panel”) Adjudication and Resolution

The Panel shall consist of three (3) elected and/or appointed faculty and staff members. The Director of Equity & Title IX shall convene the Panel. When convening a Panel, the Director of Equity and Title IX, in consultation with the VPCL when appropriate, shall choose panel members considering, but not limited to, potential conflict of interest, potential bias or perception of bias, availability, and understanding of particular issue(s) presented in a particular case.

The parties shall be advised of the names of the Panel members and each party shall have the right to challenge the participation of a Panel member for reasons such as a personal bias towards a participant or a preformed judgment in the particular matter. If such a challenge is made, the decision to remove a Panel member will be made by the Director of Equity & Title IX or the VPCL, as appropriate, after consultation with the remaining Panel members. In all instances, the parties shall not, directly or indirectly, contact any Panel member regarding the proceedings.

A majority decision (two out of three) is necessary in order to make a determination.

The Panel shall review the final report and if the Panel determines that further information is needed from the Investigator, the Panel may remand the report to the Investigator for further questioning or investigation. Within seven (7) calendar days after receipt of the final report (or the updated report if it is remanded to the Investigator), the Panel shall determine, based on the final report, whether by a preponderance of the evidence the Responding Party’s conduct occurred as alleged and whether such conduct is a violation of the EO Policy. If the Panel determines by a preponderance of the evidence that the Responding Party’s conduct as alleged did not occur or did not constitute a violation of the EO Policy, the Panel shall advise the parties in writing.

If the Panel determines by a preponderance of the evidence that the Responding Party’s conduct as alleged did occur and did constitute a violation of the EO Policy, the Panel shall also determine recommended sanctions. Prior to the determination of recommended sanctions, the Reporting Party will be given an opportunity to submit a written impact statement, i.e. how the Reporting Party has been impacted and what the Reporting Party believes would be appropriate sanctions and resolution, and the Responding Party will be given an opportunity to submit a written mitigating factors statement and what the Responding Party believes would be appropriate sanctions and resolution. These statements shall be submitted to the Panel within the reasonable timeline set by the Panel.

Within five (5) calendar days after receipt of the statements or deadline for submission, the Panel shall issue a written decision and recommended sanction(s) determination to the VPCL.

The VPCL shall review the Panel’s finding and recommended sanction(s) determination. The VPCL makes the final sanction determination in writing within five (5) calendar days of receipt of the Panel's recommendation or deadline for submission and shall issue the written decision and final sanction(s) determination to the parties. The VPCL shall provide to the parties, in writing, the Panel’s finding and recommended sanction(s) determination, the VPCL’s final sanction(s) determination, and include an explanation if the VPCL determines that a different sanction(s) is more appropriate. The VPCL may extend this deadline as reasonably necessary and, if so, shall provide written notification to the parties.

If the VPCL determines that the appropriate sanction for a Responding Party student is expulsion or a Responding Party student group is disciplinary termination, the VPCL shall consult with the President of the College before issuing the final sanction determination.

D. Title IX Formal Investigation and Resolution with Live Hearing

The U.S. Department of Education has prescribed a specific formal resolution process that schools subject to Title IX must follow for certain sexual harassment allegations that fall within the U.S. Department of Education’s definition of Title IX Sexual Harassment (see EO Policy). The Title IX Coordinator determines whether allegations fall within the U.S. Department of Education’s definition of Title IX Sexual Harassment such that the formal resolution process detailed in this section must be followed. Allegations that do not fall within the U.S. Department of Education’s definition of Title IX Sexual Harassment shall not follow the formal process detailed in this section and will follow the formal process detailed in Section V.C. above. If there are allegations of Title IX Sexual Harassment and non-Title IX discrimination (such as race discrimination) within the same Report, the procedure in this section shall be followed.

The process detailed here does not foreclose the parties’ option to choose an adaptable resolution process (see Section V.B. above) in lieu of this formal process.

Investigation

The investigation procedures in this section shall follow the same approach and format as detailed in Section V.C. above with the following key differences:

Draft investigation report: Instead of a report that contains only relevant evidence as determined by the Investigator, the draft report shall include all evidence obtained as part of the investigation and directly related to the allegations whether relevant or not.
The parties will be given ten (10) calendar days, subject to extension for good cause, toreview and submit to the Director of Equity & Title IX a written response to the draft report.
The final report will be submitted to the parties and the hearing Decision-makers at leastten (10) calendar days prior to the live hearing.

Live Hearing and Cross-Examination

The U.S. Department of Education mandates that the school must conduct a live hearing for Title [4]IX sexual harassment allegations, and parties and witnesses must be subject to cross examination [5] by a party’s advisor.

The live hearing shall be held by a hearing panel of three trained Decision-makers of which one shall serve as the “Hearing Chair”. While the hearing panel may ask questions of parties and witnesses, cross-examination questions may only be conducted by a party’s advisor. If a party does not have an advisor, the Title IX Coordinator shall appoint an advisor trained to conduct cross-examination for the party who does not have an advisor.

4 “Live” means in real time, but does not require that all persons appear in the same room. The Title IX Coordinator shall work with the parties, witnesses, and hearing panel members to determine the most appropriate and most comfortable set-up for the live hearing, in which some or all involved persons may participate remotely by video.

5 The U.S. Department of Education uses the term “cross-examination” to describe questioning by a party’s advisor. However, “cross-examination” is also a legal term of art with specific rules, custom, and practices in the context of a courtroom. Parties’ advisors should not confuse the school conduct hearing for a courtroom. For purposes of the live hearing, “cross-examination” questions shall be limited to what the hearing chair considers “relevant”, which can include questions challenging credibility.

a) Pre-hearing

Parties shall receive the final report, all relevant evidence to be submitted to the hearing panel, the names of persons who will participate at the live hearing, including the hearing panel, and hearing procedures, at least ten (10) calendar days prior to the hearing.

Any objection to any hearing panelist must be made in writing to the Title IX Coordinator, detailing the rationale for the objection, and submitted as soon as possible and no later than five (5) days prior to the hearing. Decision-makers will only be removed and replaced if the Title IX Coordinator concludes that a Decision-maker’s perceived or actual bias or conflict of interest precludes an impartial hearing.

The live hearing is not a re-investigation of the matter. The purpose of the live hearing is for the Decision-makers and parties to directly question, through their advisor, the other party or witnesses on any unanswered relevant aspect of the allegation(s) or investigation.

Any witness scheduled to participate in the hearing must have been first interviewed by the Investigator(s), unless the witness was, for good cause, unable to participate during the investigation phase, likely has relevant information, and all parties and the hearing chair agree to the witness’s participation in the hearing. The same holds for any evidence that is first offered at the hearing.

Pursuant to Muhlenberg Student Code of Conduct Article V. 1. c states: Student witnesses are responsible for appearing at any disciplinary proceeding when called to do so and providing truthful and complete information to the Hearing Board or the Hearing Officer when asked.

During the ten (10) calendar day period prior to the hearing, the parties have the opportunity for continued review and comment on the final investigation report and available evidence. Comments a party would like to submit to the hearing panel prior to the hearing may be sent in writing to the Title IX Coordinator no later than five (5) calendar days prior to the live hearing and the Title IX Coordinator will forward to the hearing panel and other party. Comments on the evidence a party would like to share with the hearing panel less than five (5) calendar days prior to the live hearing may be shared with the hearing panel during the live hearing.

b) Pre-hearing Meeting

Two to five days prior to the live hearing, the Hearing Chair may convene separate pre-hearing meeting(s) with the parties and their advisors to discuss the following:

Appropriate decorum and questioning during the live hearing.
Advisors may submit in advance to the Hearing Chair questions they (the parties and/ortheir Advisors) wish to ask of the other party or witnesses during the hearing. If so, at the pre-hearing meeting, the Hearing Chair may discuss with the party and their advisor what questions may be allowed or not allowed. This advance review opportunity does not preclude advisors from asking questions at the live hearing that may not have been previously allowed based on any new information or testimony offered at the hearing.
The Hearing Chair may decide, based on the pre-hearing meeting with the party and theiradvisor, that the advisor does not have sufficient knowledge, skill, or preparation to adequately conduct cross-examination. In such a case, the Hearing Chair will notify the Title IX Coordinator and the party may either choose a different advisor or their choice or an appropriately trained advisor shall be appointed.

The Hearing Chair may consult with legal counsel and/or the Title IX Coordinator, or ask either or both to attend pre-hearing meetings.

The pre-hearing meeting(s) will not be recorded.

c) Live Hearing

Participants at the live hearing will include the three hearing panelists, the hearing facilitator (the Title IX Coordinator or designee), the Investigator(s) who conducted the investigation, the parties, advisors to the parties, witnesses, and anyone providing authorized accommodations or assistive services.

The Hearing Chair shall begin the live hearing with an explanation of the hearing procedure and introduce the participants. While the Hearing Chair may decide the most appropriate order of participants to call, the Hearing Chair will typically call participants to testify in the following order:

Investigator(s) (one investigator shall represent if more than one investigator was used)
Reporting Party
Responding Party
Witnesses

The typical order of questioning shall be made first by the hearing panel, the Reporting Party’s advisor, then the Responding Party’s advisor, though the Hearing Chair may decide on a different order of questioning. If needed or requested, the Hearing Chair may allow a second round of questioning to be conducted.

The Hearing Chair shall make a relevance determination on each question asked by the advisors after the question has been asked and prior to the participant answering. If a question is disallowed, the Hearing Chair will provide a brief explanation on the basis that the question is irrelevant, redundant, or abusive.

The Hearing Chair will allow witnesses who have relevant information to appear at a portion of the hearing in order to respond to specific questions from the hearing panel and the parties’ advisors and the witness will then be excused.

If a party or witness chooses not to submit to cross-examination at the hearing, either because they do not attend the hearing, or because they attend but refuse to participate in some or all questioning, the hearing panel may still rely on any prior relevant statement(s) made by that party or witness through the investigation in making the ultimate determination of responsibility. The hearing panelists may not draw any inference solely from a party’s or witness’s absence from the hearing or refusal to answer cross-examination or other questions. Evidence provided that is something other than a statement by the party or witness during the investigation or at the hearing may also be considered.

If conduct of a policy violation other than Title IX sexual harassment are considered at the same hearing, the hearing panelists may consider all evidence it deems relevant whether or not the party or witnesses were subject to cross-examination.

If a party’s advisor refuses to comply with hearing decorum, the Hearing Chair may pause proceedings and require the party to use a different advisor of choice or one provided by the College.

The hearing will be audio or video recorded by the College. No other person is authorized to record the hearing.

d) Hearing Conclusion and Notice of Outcome

Each party shall be allowed, but is not required, to make a closing statement to the hearing panel at the conclusion of all testimony and questioning. In addition, the Hearing Chair shall inform the Reporting Party and the Responding Party of their opportunity to submit written impact statements, i.e. how they have been impacted academically, emotionally, financially and or psychologically by the events that brought each of them to the hearing in sealed envelopes that shall not be opened by or read by the Panel unless there is a finding of responsibility. All participants will then be dismissed from the live hearing.

Following the close of the live hearing, the hearing panel shall deliberate all relevant evidence including the investigation report, related documentary and/or tangible evidence, and testimony from the live hearing. Within five (5) calendar days following close of the live hearing, barring an extension for good cause, the hearing panel shall make a determination, whether the Responding Party’s conduct occurred as alleged by a preponderance of the evidence, and whether such conduct is a violation of the EO Policy and other College policy, as applicable.

If the hearing panel determines by a preponderance of the evidence that the Responding Party’s conduct as alleged did not occur or did not constitute a violation of the EO Policy, the hearing panel shall issue its decision in writing to the parties within five (5) calendar days following the close of the live hearing.

If the hearing panel determines by a preponderance of the evidence that that the Responding Party’s conduct as alleged did occur and did constitute a violation of the EO Policy, the hearing panel shall review any written impact statements previously submitted by the Reporting Party and/or the Responding Party and shall, within five (5) calendar days following the close of the live hearing, issue a written decision with rationale and recommended sanction(s) determination to the VPCL.

The VPCL shall review the hearing panel’s findings and recommend sanction(s) determination. The VPCL makes the final sanction(s) determination in writing within five (5) calendar days of receipt of the hearing panel’s recommendation or deadline for submission and shall issue the written decision and final sanction(s) determination to the parties. The VPCL shall provide to the parties, in writing, the hearing panel’s finding and recommended sanction(s) determination, the VPCL’s final sanction(s) determination, and include an explanation if the VPCL determines that a different sanction(s) is more appropriate. The VPCL may extend this deadline as reasonably necessary and, if so, shall provide written notification to the parties.

E. Withdrawal or Resignation While Charges Pending

The College shall place a temporary disciplinary hold on student transcripts in pending disciplinary cases which shall have the effect of preventing any student who is the subject of a disciplinary proceeding from obtaining or authorizing the release of the student’s transcript, withdrawing from the College, being granted a leave of absence or graduating and receiving a diploma until such time as the disciplinary proceeding is finally concluded. Should a Responding Party decide to leave and not participate in the investigation and/or adjudication process, the process will nonetheless proceed in the Responding Party’s absence and, should the determination be that the EO Policy was violated, the Responding Party will not be permitted to return to the College unless all sanctions have been satisfied.

Should a student employee resign while allegations are pending and/or an investigation is proceeding under the EO Policy, the records of the student employee will reflect that status and/or the outcome of the investigation, as will all Muhlenberg College responses to any future inquiries regarding employment references for that individual. The Director of Equity and Title IX, in consult with the VPCL and/or the Vice President of Human Resources, will act to promptly and effectively remedy the effects of the conduct upon the Reporting Party and the community.

VI. Sanctions

This is a list of typical sanctions that may be imposed upon students or organizations singly or in combination who have engaged in harassment, discrimination and/or retaliation in violation of the EO Policy (this list is not exhaustive – see “Student Code of Conduct” for the full list of sanctions):

Educational Session
Disciplinary Warning/Reprimand
Disciplinary Probation
Suspension
Expulsion
Delay of Degree
Revocation of Admission
Organizational Sanctions (See “Student Code of Conduct”)
Restorative Practices (See “Student Code of Conduct”)

Student Employee Sanctions

This is a list of typical sanctions for a student employee who has engaged in harassment, discrimination and/or retaliation include (this list is not exhaustive):

Warning – Verbal or Written
Performance Improvement/Management Process
Required Counseling,
Required Training or Education
Probation
Loss of Annual Pay Increase
Loss of Oversight or Supervisory Responsibility
Demotion
Suspension with pay
Suspension without pay
Termination
Other Actions: In addition to or in place of the above sanctions, the College may assign any other sanctions as deemed appropriate.

Factors considered when determining a sanction/responsive action may include:

The nature, severity of, and circumstances surrounding the violation including:

Whether conduct was directed at a particular individual or group
Whether conduct involved a physical act
Whether conduct involved intentional conduct
Whether the Responding Party was in a supervisory or leadership position

An individual’s disciplinary history;
Previous reports or allegations involving similar conduct that show a pattern or persistenceof behavior;
The need for sanctions/responsive actions to bring an end to the discrimination, harassmentand/or retaliation;
The need for sanctions/responsive actions to prevent the future recurrence ofdiscrimination, harassment and/or retaliation;
The need to remedy the effects of the discrimination, harassment and/or retaliation on thereporting party and the community;
Aggravating or mitigating factors including those articulate by the parties; or
Any other information deemed relevant in the resolution.

VII. Appeals

The parties have a right to appeal the conduct and sanction determinations. Sanctions issued are implemented immediately unless the Director of Equity & Title IX and the VPCL stay their implementation in extraordinary circumstances, pending the outcome of the appeal.

All requests for appeal under the EO Policy must be submitted in writing pursuant to the following procedure:

Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Director of Equity & Title IX within seven(7) calendar days after the delivery of the written determination from the Adjudication and Resolution. A party may request additional time to file an appeal for good cause, but must request the time extension within the allotted time to file an appeal. If granted by the Director of Equity & Title IX , both parties shall be granted the time extension. The original finding and sanction/responsive actions will stand as the final determination if the appeal is not timely.
Either party may file an appeal, but all appeals are limited to the following grounds:
1. Error of Judgment: There was a clear error of judgment where the decision was made with no reasonable basis or adequate consideration of all of the relevant circumstances.
2. Bias affecting Judgment: The Director of Equity & Title IX, the investigator(s), decision-maker(s), or VPCL harbored bias for or against the one or both parties, or had a conflict of interest, such that it affected the outcome of the matter.
3. Procedural Error: A procedural error or omission occurred that could have significantly impacted the finding or sanctions (e.g. substantiated bias, material deviation from established procedures, etc.)
4. New Evidence: New evidence is information that was unknown or unavailable during the original investigation that could have significantly impacted the finding or sanctions. A summary of this new evidence, how it was previously unknown or unavailable, and its potential impact must be included in the appeal.
5. Sanction Inappropriate: The sanction is clearly inappropriate or is not commensurate with the conduct violation.
The Director of Equity & Title IX , shall appoint a trained, neutral appeal officer toreview and decide the appeal.
When a party files an appeal, the other party and, if appropriate, the Investigator(s), theVPCL, or the Panel Chair if there was a panel or hearing panel decision, will be notified and given an opportunity to respond to any and all ground(s) on which the appeal is based. Any response to an appeal must be submitted to the appeal officer within seven (7) calendar days of notice. Any responsive person may request additional time to file a response for good cause, but must request the time extension within the allotted time to file a response. If granted by the appeal officer, all responsive persons shall be granted the time extension.
The party filing the appeal has the burden of proof. Such party must show that thegrounds for an appeal have been met, and the other party may respond that the grounds have not been met or that additional grounds are met.
The appeal officer may consult with the Director of Equity & Title IX and/or otherCollege administrators or legal counsel as needed.
The appeal officer shall consider the following principles, but is not limited to such principles, when deciding an appeal:

The decision by the appeal officer is to be deferential to the original decision. Theoriginal finding and sanction are presumed to have been decided reasonably and appropriately.
Appeals are not intended to be a full re-investigation of the original allegation. Inmost cases, appeals are confined to a review of the final report, written adjudication and resolution document, and other pertinent documentation regarding the grounds for appeal.
An appeal granted based on new evidence should normally be remanded to the VPCL or designee, or Panel, respectively, for reconsideration.
An appeal granted based on other grounds may either be remanded to the Investigator, VPCL, or the Panel, to reopen the investigation, clarify findings, or remedy errors.
If the appeal officer grants the appeal based on inappropriate sanctions, the appeal officer may alter the sanction or remand to the VPCL or the Panel, as appropriate, to issue an appropriate sanction. If the appeal officer determines that the appropriate sanction for a Responding Party student is expulsion or a Responding Party student group is disciplinary termination, the appeal officer shall consult with the President of the College before issuing the final sanction determination. Such sanction determination shall be final.
Once an appeal is decided, the outcome is final: further appeals are not permitted.

The appeal officer will issue its decision within seven (7) calendar days of receipt of allinformation and responses. In instances where the appeal officer needs additional time, the appeal officer shall notify the parties, the Director of Equity & Title IX , and the VPCL within the allotted time for issuing a decision.
In Cases of Expulsion of a Student - the appeal officer shall consult with the President before issuing the final determination.
The appeal officer shall issue its decision in writing to the parties, the Director of Equity and Title IX and the VPCL. Notification to the parties will be made in writing and may be delivered by one or more of the following methods: in person; mailed to the local or permanent address of the parties as indicated in official College records; or emailed to the parties’ College-issued email account. Once mailed, emailed and/or received in person, notice will be presumptively delivered.
The appeal officer’s decision is final.

VIII. Disability Accommodations

Muhlenberg College is committed to providing qualified students, employees or others with disabilities with reasonable accommodations and support needed to ensure equal access to all processes at the College. Anyone requesting such accommodations or support should contact the Director of Disability Services or the Vice President of Human Resources, who will review the request and, in consultation with the person requesting the accommodation, as well as the person coordinating the Resolution Process, will determine which accommodations are appropriate and necessary for full participation.

IX. Transcript Notations and Student Files

Students found to have violated the EO Policy and who are expelled from the College shall have the notice of “Expulsion” and the effective date of the expulsion placed upon their academic transcript. Students found to have violated the EO Policy and who are suspended from the College shall have the notice of “Suspension” placed upon or appended to their academic transcript for a period of time equal to the length of the suspension. In addition, to the extent permitted by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and other applicable law, the College reserves the right to have additional sanctions and the effective date of such sanctions placed upon a student’s academic transcript. In addition, sanctions imposed for all violations of the EO Policy shall be noted in a student’s Personnel File. Personnel Files are maintained in the Office of the VPCL. These records are destroyed seven years after graduation, provided that cases involving suspension, expulsion or significant legal implications may be kept on file indefinitely. All documents and other evidence relating to matters heard in accordance with these procedures shall be the property of the College and shall be maintained in the Office of the VPCL for two years after all appeal procedures have been exhausted and the decision is final, after which period they may be destroyed by the College.

X. Revision

These procedures shall be used in connection with all prohibited discrimination, harassment or other conduct under the EO Policy and supersede any other procedures governing student conduct that could arise under the EO Policy.

These procedures will be reviewed and updated annually by the Director of Equity & Title IX in coordination with the VPCL, and in consultation with legal counsel when necessary. The Director of Equity & Title IX , et al, may make minor modifications to the EO Policy and accompanying procedures that do not materially alter the meaning or application of the policy and procedures. The Director of Equity & Title IX , et al, may also vary the EO Policy and procedures materially with notice (on the College’s website, with appropriate date of effect identified) upon determining that changes to law or regulation require policy or procedural alterations not reflected in the EO Policy and accompanying procedures.

Procedures in effect at the time of the resolution will apply to resolution of incidents, regardless of when the incident occurred. The College Policy in effect at the time of the offense will apply even if the policy is changed subsequently but prior to resolution, unless each of the parties consents to be bound by the current policy. If government regulations change in a way that impacts this document, this document will be construed to comply with government regulations in their most recent form.

This document does not create legally enforceable protections beyond the protection of the background state and federal laws which frame such codes generally.

Last Revised: 08/22/2022