Title IX is a federal civil rights law that guarantees people of different genders and sexual orientations an equal access to higher education. Importantly, Title IX covers instances of sexual harassment and assault on campuses that receive federal funding. Because the vast majority of colleges and universities in Minnesota receive funding from the federal government, Title IX will nearly always apply to situations on colleges within the state that create a hostile environment for classes of people that Title IX protects.
When a Minnesota student is suspected of creating such a hostile environment, though, the responsibilities of Title IX pressure the college or university to take immediate action. This pressure can lead to a rapid response that creates an unfair outcome for the student being accused. Being able to appeal the outcome of a Title IX case in Minnesota is crucial.
Right to Appeal a Title IX Decision
Most of the Title IX decision-making process in Minnesota schools are insular—faculty members, school boards, and administrative committees investigate, hear, and decide cases that allege a student committed a Title IX violation. These boards and committees are poorly designed for these kinds of decisions, and frequently make mistakes.
The lawmakers who wrote Title IX knew this, and guaranteed students being accused of a Title IX violation a way of appealing the school's decision. By appealing the school's decision, you can force them to review their determination of guilt, the sanction they imposed, or both. This helps to ensure that you get every opportunity you need and deserve to present your side of the case. Because of the severe penalties that are often associated with a Title IX violation, making use of these appeals and hiring a student defense attorney can be very helpful.
Grounds for an Appeal
Unfortunately, there is a limited set of reasons that allow you to appeal a school's Title IX decision. These are:
- Procedural error. There was a mistake in the procedure that led to your Title IX conviction, and this substantially affected the result or sanction.
- New evidence. Evidence that was not available at the time of the Title IX hearings has become available, and this evidence can have a great impact on the case.
- Violation of due process. The student was stripped of his or her due process rights during the Title IX hearings.
- Disproportionate sanction. The penalties are unduly disproportionate to the violation.
Minnesota Title IX Appeals Advisor
Students in Minnesota who are considering an appeal of the outcome of a Title IX case need an attorney to maximize their chances of success. Joseph D. Lento represents students facing these trying times and has advocated for their rights and interests in courts and in front of school boards countless times in the past.
Contact him online or at 888-535-3686 today for the legal representation you need to overcome these allegations of wrongdoing and protect your professional and academic reputation.
Minnesota colleges and universities where Joseph D. Lento can help as your or your student's Title IX advisor during investigations, hearings, and appeals include, but are not limited to, the following schools:
- Academy College
- Alexandria Technical & Community College
- Anoka Technical College
- Anoka Ramsey Community College
- Argosy University Twin Cities
- Augsburg College
- Bemidji State University
- Bethany Lutheran College
- Bethel University
- Brown College Brooklyn Center
- Brown College Mendota Heights
- Capella University
- Carleton College
- Central Lakes College Brainerd
- Century Community and Technical College
- College of Saint Benedict
- College of Visual Arts
- Concordia College at Moorhead
- Concordia University Saint Paul
- Crossroads College
- Crown College Saint
- Dakota County Technical College
- DeVry University Minnesota
- Duluth Business University
- Dunwoody College of Technology
- Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College
- Globe University Minneapolis
- Globe University Woodbury
- Gustavus Adolphus College
- Hamline University
- Hennepin Technical College
- Herzing University Minneapolis
- Hibbing Community College A Technical and Community College
- Institute of Production and Recording
- Inver Hills Community College
- Itasca Community College
- ITT Technical Institute Brooklyn Center
- ITT Technical Institute Eden Prairie
- Lake Superior College
- Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Minneapolis
- Macalester College
- Martin Luther College
- McNally Smith College of Music
- Mesabi Range Community and Technical College
- Metropolitan State University
- Minneapolis Business College
- Minneapolis College of Art and Design
- Minneapolis Community and Technical College
- Minnesota School of Business Blaine
- Minnesota School of Business Brooklyn Center
- Minnesota School of Business Elk River
- Minnesota School of Business Lakeville
- Minnesota School of Business Moorhead
- Minnesota School of Business Plymouth
- Minnesota School of Business Richfield
- Minnesota School of Business Rochester
- Minnesota School of Business Shakopee
- Minnesota School of Business Waite Park
- Minnesota State College Southeast Technical
- Minnesota State Community and Technical College
- Minnesota State University Moorhead
- Minnesota State University Mankato
- Minnesota West Community and Technical College
- National American University Bloomington
- National American University Brooklyn Center
- National American University Roseville
- Normandale Community College
- North Central University
- North Hennepin Community College
- Northland Community and Technical College
- Northwest Technical College
- Northwest Technical Institute
- Northwestern College
- Northwestern Health Sciences University
- Oak Hills Christian College
- Pine Technical College
- Rainy River Community College
- Ridgewater College
- Riverland Community College
- Rochester Community and Technical College
- Saint Cloud State University
- Saint John's University
- Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
- Saint Paul College A Community and Technical College
- South Central College
- Southwest Minnesota State University
- St. Catherine University
- St. Cloud Technical and Community College
- St. Olaf College
- The Art Institutes International Minnesota
- The College of Saint Scholastica
- University of Minnesota Crookston
- University of Minnesota Duluth
- University of Minnesota Morris
- University of Minnesota Rochester
- University of Minnesota Twin Cities
- University of Phoenix Minneapolis/St Paul Campus
- University of St Thomas
- Vermilion Community College
- White Earth Tribal and Community College
- Winona State University
A Title IX finding of responsibility can change an accused student's life if not properly addressed and appealed, and Joseph D. Lento has a decade of experience passionately fighting for the futures of his clients at universities and colleges throughout the nation. He does not settle for the easiest outcome, and instead prioritizes his clients' needs and well-being. Joseph Lento is a licensed attorney in New Jersey and New York, is admitted as an attorney pro hac vice in state and federal court if needed when representing clients nationwide, and serves as a Title IX advisor and educational consultant to students facing disciplinary cases in Minnesota and throughout the nation. Make certain your or your student's interests are protected - Contact National Title IX attorney Joseph D. Lento today.
