Investigations

An investigation may follow different processes based on whether it involves students or employees and which policies are implicated. In general, an investigation involves three stages:

Step 1: Report received (2 days)

A Civil Rights Case Manager reviews the report, assesses any safety concerns, and reaches out to the reporter or the impacted individual. Case managers provide information, share available resources, and discuss resolution options.

Step 2: Intake with a case manager

If an investigation is found to be an appropriate resolution option, an individual can submit a request to the University to address violations of UW policies or the Student Conduct Code. A case manager works with the complainant to define the scope of their complaint.

Step 3: Notice and investigation (90 days)

Opening

An investigator is assigned to the case, and the investigator sends opening notices to the parties. In employee investigations, appropriate departments will also receive notice. Both parties may meet with a case manager or the investigator to learn more about the investigation process.

Active investigation

The investigator collects evidence and conducts interviews with the parties and witnesses. Parties are given an opportunity to suggest relevant witnesses and provide relevant evidence.

Status update

To best serve everyone involved, CRC aims to complete investigations in 90 days or fewer. The investigator will notify parties after 60 days if the investigation will require longer than 90 days and will explain the reason(s).

Investigation report

If the matter is not required to go to a hearing, the investigator will analyze evidence and write an investigation report. The investigator will provide this report to the complainant and respondent. The report includes findings of facts and determinations of whether University policy was violated. For student investigations, the report may also include sanctions. In employee investigations, the investigator will provide the report to the respondent’s department, which will determine any applicable discipline.

If the matter is required to go to a hearing, the investigator will compile and summarize the evidence and refer the matter to Hearings.

Sanctions may be included in student investigations that do not proceed to a hearing. For employee investigations that do not proceed to a hearing, any applicable sanctions will be determined by the department.

Step 4: Hearing (60 days)

The Hearing Officer reviews the investigative report, hears arguments, evaluates additional evidence, and determines if it is more likely than not that a University policy has been violated.

Hearings are only required after certain investigations.

Step 5: Outcome and sanction

The Hearing Officer issues a report summarizing the information and evidence. If a finding of responsibility is made for students, sanctions are identified. For employees, sanctions are determined by their department

For employee investigations that are not required to go to a hearing, the investigator may meet with the respondent’s department and other appropriate University administrators to discuss the outcome of the investigation.

Step 6: Option to Appeal

A complainant or respondent may in some cases request a review of the findings based on specific grounds.

For investigations not proceeding to a hearing, either party may request to appeal the outcome of the investigation. The process for doing so will be included in the investigation report. For matters that go to a hearing, appeals are available at the conclusion of the hearing.

Civil Rights Investigators investigate:

• Allegations that a University employee or student may have engaged in conduct prohibited by  Executive Order No. 81 (EO 81), the University’s policy prohibiting discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and sexual misconduct. For students, this conduct is also prohibited by the University of Washington’s Student Conduct Code (WAC 478-121).
• For University employees, allegations of EO 81 violations may also constitute violations of Executive Order No. 54, the University’s employee-student romantic relationship and conflict of interest policy.

In general, CRC does not review complaints related to patient care in medical or healthcare settings. These complaints are addressed through the patient care process. It also does not investigate other forms of student misconduct. These complaints are addressed through other student conduct processes.

The investigator will give each party an opportunity to share their perspectives and knowledge about the allegations. This opportunity will include providing the investigator with information/evidence the party thinks is important, the names of witnesses that may have relevant information, and any possibly relevant documents. The investigator will make final determinations as to which witnesses to interview and what evidence to gather.

You will receive a notice of investigation to your UW email address from the Civil Rights Compliance Office (CRC).

For complainants, an investigator will help you understand the investigation process. They will also ask questions related to the allegations.

For respondents, an investigator will help you understand the investigation process. They may also ask questions related to the allegations, or they may wait to ask specific questions about the allegations until later in the investigation process.

Yes. You can bring a support person or advisor of your choice to any meeting or interview with an investigator. It is encouraged that this person not be a potential witness as that will impact the investigator’s ability to give appropriate weight to any later information they provide as evidence. Please note that a support person or advisor may not speak on a party’s behalf or be disruptive in the meeting or interview.

CRC is committed to providing access to the investigation process for all individuals. Individuals who need disability accommodations or language services should contact the investigator assigned to their case, call 206-616-2028 or email at cr-investigations@uw.edu.

CRC strives to conduct its investigation and make its determinations regarding any policy violations as quickly as possible, generally within 90 days.

An investigation may take longer depending on numerous factors including the complexity of the issues, the number and availability of witnesses, and the volume and availability of information and evidence.

The investigator will send the parties an update at 60 days stating whether the investigator anticipates completing the investigation within 90 days. Speed must be balanced against the investigator’s responsibility to the parties and the University to be thorough and accurate.

An investigation goes to a hearing when it implicates the U.S. Department of Education regulations covering sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence or stalking. For student respondents, an investigation will also go to a hearing when suspension or dismissal are possible sanctions.

No, a complainant cannot remain anonymous because a respondent has a right to know who made the complaint and what the respondent is alleged to have done.

If you have not yet submitted a complaint and are concerned about disclosing your identity, you can make a Civil Rights & Title IX Report anonymously and request a consultation with a Civil Rights Case Manager to learn about additional available resolution options.

The University has obligations to disclose certain kinds of information under the law (although certain names might be redacted). We keep as much of the investigation as private as possible.

You should directly contact the investigator assigned to a case you are involved with. You can contact the investigation team by emailing cr-investigations@uw.edu or calling 206-616-2028.

If you have been working with a Civil Rights Case Manager, confidential advocate, or respondent resource specialist, you are also welcome to contact them to ask questions.