Title IX is a federal law expressed via Roosevelt University’s Sexual Misconduct Policy and was created to protect the entire university community from any discrimination based on gender or sex. The laws and university policy applied to individuals participating or seeking to participate in the educational program or activity. In Roosevelt's Sexual Misconduct Policy, sexual misconduct is defined to include, but is not limited to, the following:
Any act of sexual misconduct that is severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive is a violation of, Sexual Misconduct Policy. Other behavior that does not rise to the level of severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive may be a violation of the University Student Code of Conduct or Anti-Harassment Policy. The Office of Title IX Compliance is responsible for investigating all reports of sexual misconduct where a faculty, staff or a student is involved. The Title IX Coordinator is responsible for receiving all reports and ensuring the incident(s) are investigated. When sexual misconduct of any kind occurs, the Title IX outcome will focus accountability, prevention of future occurrences, and on providing accommodations for the individual(s) affected by the offense, such as:
This policy applies to sexual misconduct:
The Title IX Coordinator reports to the Vice President for Student Affairs and oversees the entire Title IX function of University which includes the education and training component, as well as the University’s centralized review, investigation, and resolution process for reports of sexual misconduct and the University’s compliance with Title IX. The Title IX Coordinator will appoint deputy coordinators and investigators who are trained in state and federal laws that apply to matters of sexual discrimination, as well as University policy and procedure. In all matters related to Title IX, it is the role of the Title IX Coordinator to facilitate the decision-making of the University.
The “Deputy Title IX Coordinator” serves as the investigator for sexual harassment reports that involve an employee of Roosevelt University. The Deputy Title IX Coordinator will investigate and submit an investigation report to the Title IX Adjudicator assigned to the case.
The Confidential Advisor is a person affiliated with the university but reserves the privilege to keep confidential any emergency and ongoing support they provide to Roosevelt University students, staff, and faculty who are survivors of sexual violence. The Illinois Preventing Sexual Violence in Higher Education Act grants confidential advisors the right to provide confidential services to and have privileged, confidential communications with survivors. Thus, the advisor is not a “responsible employee” who would be otherwise obligated to report the sexual violence. Annually, Confidential Advisors receive a minimum of 40 hours of training. They assist survivors by providing reporting options and possible outcomes, sharing resources and services, informing survivors of their rights as well as the University’s responsibilities regarding orders of protection and no contact orders, and helping the survivor understand the sexual misconduct investigatory process. The Confidential Advisor is able to liaise with campus officials, community-based sexual assault crisis centers, and local law enforcement, as well as assist with securing interim protective measures and accommodations for the survivor. Services provided by a confidential advisor must be initiated by the survivor by contacting an advisor at the phone numbers provided below.
“Title IX Investigator” is responsible for facilitating the investigatory process when a potential act of sexual harassment has taken place. The investigator seeks, analyzes, and interprets all evidence. Additionally, the investigator meets with and interviews witnesses, parties to the complaint, and other entities with knowledge concerning the case. Resultantly, the investigator will submit an investigation report to the Title IX Adjudicator.
“Title IX Adjudicator” is responsible for conducting a live hearing in which each party has the opportunity to cross examine the opposing party. Additionally, the Title IX Adjudicator is responsible for providing a written determination of an individual’s responsibility on the basis of the University 's standard of proof. The Title IX Adjudicator will make this determination after review of the information gathered in the investigation and hearing.
“Title IX Advisor” is an advisor who assists the complainant or respondent during investigations and live hearings, in which the advisor will ask and answer questions presented during the cross examination. Title IX Advisor’s are available for either party, reporting or responding, if that party is unable to secure an advisor on their own.
The following staff will serve in roles as an investigator, adjudicator, or advisor; staff will not serve in multiple roles for a particular case.
To report an incident involving sexual misconduct, any member of the Roosevelt community may contact the University Title IX Coordinator via the communication mechanisms below. RU offers reporters (regardless of being a bystander, third party, or direct party to the issue) opportunity to report electronically, anonymously, and privately. People working in these offices will assist any reporter with notifying local police if they so desire.
Additionally, community members can also contact University Campus Safety or local police.
All parties involved with instances of sexual misconduct have access to resources on and off campus. The Party Rights and Resources for Responding to Sexual Misconduct document is a comprehensive list of campus offices and community organizations available to assist in navigating various capacities of one’s life including but not limited to medical attention, legal assistance, and financial services.
Roosevelt University takes Title IX very seriously. A team of incredibly smart and dedicated faculty, staff, and students has been assembled to conduct a deep-dive analysis of the University’s current policies, procedures, and educational programming centered around Sexual Respect and Title IX. It is not enough for Roosevelt University to simply be in compliance with state and federal regulations; but we strive to make certain that our culture and policies demonstrate our social justice mission and is in compliance with all regulations that govern interpersonal conduct on campus. If you are interested in joining the Sexual Respect Committee please email titleix@roosevelt.edu.
In accordance with 34 CFR 106, RU will post all training documents on this website. The training documents will be links to the slide decks used for a specific training; these links will be named with the title of the training, the group trained, and date of training. For example, Responsible Employee Training for Student Employees, 01.01.2020.
Husch Blackwell - Final Title IX Regulations
Previous Policy
New Policy – Compliant with New Regulation
“Conduct on the basis of sex” that is so severe or pervasive “conduct on the basis of sex” that is determined by a reasonable person to be so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive.
The university responded to reports of sexual misconduct that occurred on- or off-campus, and abroad. The reporting party could be a student, faculty, or staff member, OR an external community member. Schools must respond when sexual harassment occurs in the school’s education program or activity, against a person in the United States. Education program or activity includes locations, events, or circumstances over which the school exercised substantial control over both the respondent and the context in which the sexual harassment occurs, and also includes any building owned or controlled by a student organization that is officially recognized by a postsecondary institution.
Any person could trigger the investigatory process by submitting a report. An investigation could be triggered even though the alleged victim requested to remain anonymous. Roosevelt’s formal obligation to investigate a report of sexual harassment under this grievance procedure is triggered by the filing of a “formal complaint”. A formal complaint is a physical or electronic document signed by an alleged victim of sexual harassment or the TIX Coordinator specifically requesting an investigation.
Any report received alleging misconduct would be investigated to determine if a violation occurred, regardless if submitted by the alleged victim. The new policy requires the submission of a formal complaint, by the alleged victim (or Title IX Coordinator), non-anonymously, for an investigation to ensue. A formal complaint may be filed with the Title IX Coordinator in person, by mail, or by electronic mail.
The former policy was a single investigator model; one person conducted the investigation and made a recommendation to the Title IX Coordinator. The new policy requires the Title IX Coordinator to manage the reports and supportive measures; requires a separate individual to be the investigator; requires a separate individual (from the investigator and coordinator) to be the decision-maker (Adjudicator); requires the institution to provide advisors when either party does not have one; requires an appellate officer. Therefore, there are possibly five individuals involved in a case.
The former policy allowed for one person, the Title IX Coordinator or Investigator, to make the determination based on a separate hearing (one on one with the investigator) with both parties. The new law requires the university to conduct a live hearing in which both parties must be present; this may occur using technology to prevent both parties from being in the same room. This live hearing grants each party the opportunity to present witnesses and other evidence to the Title IX Adjudicator. Each party is represented by their Advisor, who will conduct cross-examination of the opposing party’s witnesses and other evidence. The hearing must be recorded, and the recording and transcripts must be made available to both parties.
Supportive measures, formerly interim measures, were offered to both parties without restrictive guidelines.
The former policy allotted 90 days for the investigation to take place; the hearing and appellate review were not constrained by a number of days. The new policy defines university business days as days in which the institution is open and fully operating, barring act of god incidents, university holidays, and other unforeseen closures. The investigation is allotted 90 university business days; the hearing is allotted 45 university business days; the appellate review is allotted 45 university business days.
Both parties were granted the right to have an advisor to be of support to them throughout the process; advisors were not engaged by the investigator or title IX coordinator. Both parties must have an advisor to conduct the cross-examination during the live hearing. If a party does not have an advisor, the university must provide one free of charge.
Witnesses were given the opportunity to provide statements for either party involved in the case, and if relevant, it would be used in the determination analysis. Witnesses’ or parties’ statements will not be considered in the determination analysis if that individual chooses not to participate in cross-examination.
Either party could appeal the outcome of an investigation. The appeal would be granted if one of the following were met:
The new regulations require appeal criteria to include:
Additionally, the non-appealing party must be notified of the appeal and allowed to submit a written statement in response.
AUD 204
312-341-2051
titleix@roosevelt.edu