Saint Peter's University upholds a policy taking a firm stance against incidents of sexual misconduct that arise within its student body. The University's Sexual Misconduct Policy outlines actions that constitute sexual misconduct, as well as what disciplinary actions will be taken by the University to address these behaviors.
Sexual Misconduct Policy at Saint Peter's University
When a student is reported for committing an act of sexual misconduct, the University will begin its process for addressing and resolving the incident. Students who face allegations will be known throughout proceedings simply as "the accused." The University will first launch an investigation into the matter. The investigation will consist of separate interviews with the accused and the victim, along with any known witnesses. The investigator will be chosen by the Dean of Students and may engage in multiple interviews with all parties as necessary. At the conclusion of the investigation, the investigator will decide whether or not to formally charge the student with a sexual misconduct violation. Formal charges will be resolved through a hearing.
Hearings
Hearings for sexual misconduct charges will take place in front of the Dean of Students, or a designated representative. The accused and the victim will have separate hearings in private. Both parties are entitled to present facts, witnesses, and arguments to support their position. The hearing authority will hear all information considered appropriate. After all information has been heard by both parties, the hearing officer will make a decision using the standard of "a preponderance of the evidence."
At hearings, students are entitled to the presence of an advisor of their own choosing. Saint Peter's University handles incidents of sexual misconduct with utmost seriousness. The mere reporting of sexual misconduct allegations can have long-lasting negative impacts on a student's future career or academic goals. For this reason, students should select an attorney to serve as their advisor throughout the process. An attorney will have specialized courtroom knowledge that can be incredibly useful when a student must defend their case at a hearing. In addition to this, an attorney will be able to make sure that a student's rights remain protected throughout the Title IX investigation and disciplinary process. In addition to this, students may face certain adverse consequences as a result of the allegations being reported at Saint Peter's University. Should this happen, an attorney will be able to serve as a student's guide throughout this process.
Appeals at Saint Peter's University
In the event of an unfavorable hearing outcome, students are offered a chance to make an appeal. Appeals are to be submitted within three (3) business days following the notification of the outcome to the Title IX Coordinator. The grounds for appeal are new information, procedural errors, a decision unsupported by the information presented, or incongruent sanctions.
If you or your student is currently facing Title IX charges or sexual misconduct allegations at Saint Peter's University, contact attorney Joseph D. Lento today.
