To: HSC Students, Faculty and Staff
From: Kory Levingston, Title IX Coordinator
Effective August 14th, we revised our Title IX policies and procedures per new Title IX regulations issued by the US Department of Education in May. These revisions provide for live hearings to decide allegations of sexual harassment including sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking based on sex. These have been implemented to provide strong due process protections to those who are accused of sexual harassment while also balancing the rights of those who experience the harassment.
In accordance to the new regulations, HSC provides a number of procedural protections that are important to all members of our community including:
• Providing clear notice to anyone accused of misconduct along with a presumption of innocence;
• Protections and accountability for all students and employees;
• Conducting a process that is transparent to the participants, where all evidence is known and shared prior to any final decision;
• Providing a strong set of supportive measures to all parties that are designed to effectively mitigate a hostile environment;
• Delivering resolutions to complaints as promptly as possible;
• Appropriate sanctions for violations of policy;
• Flowcharts to make options clearer and more user-friendly;
• Vetting Title IX administrators carefully to ensure they are impartial and unbiased; and
• Informal resolution opportunities (when appropriate).
While the new regulations require changes to our policies and procedures, they do not impact our commitment to ensuring a fair process that respects the dignity of all members of our HSC campus community. Fair process is a priority, along with repairing harm and facilitating healing and safety for all members of our community irrespective of race, sex, gender identity or expression, age, ability, religion, socio-economic status, or the other identities that we value within a diverse community.
To learn more about HSC’s Title IX Policy and live-hearing procedure, please click [here]. If you have questions or concerns about the process, or wish to talk to someone about your options to report or seek support, please contact me directly at kory.levingston@unthsc.edu.