Why You Need an Attorney-Advisor for Title IX Violations at Hobart William Smith Colleges

Title IX of the Education Amendments is a remarkable law that protects individuals against sexual misconduct in universities and colleges funded by the federal government. As a student at Hobart William Smith Colleges, being accused of any form of sexual misconduct such as rape, sexual assault, or sexual harassment is a violation of Title IX that demands resolution by your institution. If you are found “responsible” for this act, it could lead to severe repercussions jeopardizing your future academic goals.

It’s essential to understand HWS’s disciplinary process and why you need an attorney-advisor if you ever find yourself accused of such offenses. With that said, let’s get right into it.

Understanding Hobart William Smith Colleges’ Disciplinary Process

Under the Title IX guidelines, Hobart William Smith Colleges must adjudicate all cases involving sexual misconduct brought to their attention. The Department of Education advises compliant higher education institutions like HWS always to respond promptly and fairly to accusations concerning these issues; otherwise, it may lose its federal funding. Both complainants (the individual reporting the complaint) and respondents (the person accused of sexual misconduct) should know that HWS takes these allegations seriously and that each party involved must reciprocate this aspect accordingly.

The Reporting Phase

If you’ve experienced or have knowledge regarding any incident involving sexual misconduct, it’s recommendable to report it directly to Hobart William Smith Colleges. After receiving notice under Title IX regulations regarding forms of sexual misconduct, institutions must take prompt action in investigating or ascertaining what occurred while also preventing any recurrence.

Individuals who wish not to disclose their identities can make anonymous reports about incidents they have witnessed relating to such behavior directly to the Title IX Coordinator. These anonymous accounts may involve dates, times, locations, names of individuals involved in such acts without giving away specifics on what happened during that moment.

Intake Assessment

Once you report an incident, the Title IX Coordinator will conduct a preliminary assessment of your narrative, coupled with whatever pieces of evidence available. If the coordinator ascertains that indeed there exists enough reason to proceed through to the disciplinary process, then a formal investigation phase will commence.

Investigation Phase

At this stage, the investigator tasked with conducting the investigation will assess all parties’ allegations involved in a comprehensive, prompt, impartial and fair manner. All parties- respondent and complainant- will have equal opportunities for having their side heard with appropriate corroborating evidence to support their standpoints. Afterward, the investigator compiles all relevant data into a final report.

Hearing Phase

Both you (the accused) and the complainant have every right and opportunity to be present during the hearing phase. A three-person panel will oversee this stage and ask further clarifying questions regarding each party’s testimony while relaying any recommendations made by anyone who has significant information regarding such acts.

The panel evaluates every iota of detail presented before pronouncing either ‘responsible’ or ‘not responsible’ based on preponderance of evidence guidelines.

Appeal

If you are unsatisfied with hearing results or sanctions against you, you may appeal within seven business days from when they received judgment against them under State and Federal laws in New York. In this scenario, one has various grounds for making an appeal such as;

Procedural missteps
Presenting indisputable new facts previously unknown
Whether there is excessiveness or a lack of proper punishment

Why Entrust Your Legal Process to Todd Spodek?

As it stands now, anyone can represent you even non-lawyers in Hobart William Smith Colleges’ Title IX proceedings. However, it would be best to entrust your defense to an attorney specializing in this field so that they could help guide you throughout this challenging process effectively.

Todd Spodek is well-known for his prowess in Title IX cases in Hobart William Smith Colleges and can navigate the complex disciplinary process resulting from allegations levied against you. Having honed his skills over time, Todd Spodek has successfully represented several clients accused of sexual assault, rape, and harassment at HWS.

If facing any Title IX violation charges or accused of any form of sexual misconduct in Hobart William Smith Colleges, it’s wise to contact our offices immediately at 212-300-5196 for a solid defense plan. We are here to help you, whichever way we can within your power.