Filing Complaint
Any person (the "complainant") at Leighton University who believes that he or she has been discriminated against based on sex by Leighton University students, faculty, staff, or external third parties is urged to take the following actions promptly:
- Immediately communicate with the individual perceived as having engaged in the alleged discriminatory conduct (the "respondent") and request a proposed course of action to resolve the situation.
- If the matter cannot be resolved at that level or if the complainant does not feel or wish to communicate directly with the respondent, the complainant may write within two weeks of the alleged discriminatory conduct to the vice president of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs. Suppose the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs is involved in the complainant's acts to be discriminatory. In that case, the complaint should be made to the University's General Counsel.
- The complaint should provide the following information.
- The names, contact information that includes addresses, and telephone numbers, if available, of the petitioner and accused;
- Specific acts alleged, plus dates, times, and locations;
- Names of any probable witnesses, including addresses and telephone numbers, if available
- Actions are taken by any party to address the discrimination if any.
Investigation Procedures
The following procedures shall guide all investigations of complaints alleging violations of this policy. Leighton University reserves the right to depart from these procedures only when such deviation is necessary to ensure the investigation's appropriate processing.
- Suppose the Vice Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs or his/her designee is involved in the alleged discrimination. In that case, the complaint will be investigated by Leighton University's General Counsel. The probe will begin within 10-work days of the receipt of the complaint. Should the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs be unavailable within the time frame, his/her designee will act instead.
- The Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, or his/her designee(s), will investigate the allegations of this policy's violations.
- In the instant that the complainant or the respondent is under 18 years of age, his/her parent or legal guardian will be informed of the complaint via phone, email, or U.S. mail.
- The probe includes interviewing the complainant, the respondent, and any relevant witnesses suggested by the complainant and the respondent.
- The probe should also include interviewing any additional witnesses or reviewing any relevant documents by the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs or his/her designee(s).
- The confidentiality of the probe will be maintained to the extent possible. Suppose a complainant submits a written request for confidentiality or asks that the complaint not be pursued. In that case, Leighton will evaluate the request for confidentiality against the following factors: the weightiness of the alleged aggravation, the complainant's age, whether there have been other harassment complaints about the same individual, and the alleged aggressor.
- If witnesses cannot be reached or are not available, the complaint will be probed in their absence.
- After the entirety of available information is reviewed and interviews are completed, the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs or his/her designee(s) will:
- Establish whether an infringement of this policy has occurred, and if so, the appropriate retort.
- Notify the complainant and the respondent verbally and write the probe's outcome within five working days after completing the investigation.
- Make sanctions to the appropriate supervisor regarding discipline, where necessary or warranted.
- Partner with departments areas to take any corrective action as may be appropriate under the circumstances.
- All complaints will be adjudged as expeditiously as possible and generally within 14 workdays.