Title IX law is in constant flux, with new rules and legal challenges continuing to shape how schools, colleges, and other institutions handle sex-based misconduct and discrimination. Our firm closely monitors these developments and is committed to providing the most current information available. Click here to learn about the current state of Title IX and how we can help if you are facing accusations or other Title IX issues.
Title IX regulations reach nationwide, and colleges and universities in the Wichita, KS, area are not immune to its hazards. While Title IX—a law first introduced in 1972—originally had a purpose that was easy to justify, far too many students have been impacted by haphazard, biased, and otherwise flawed Title IX proceedings.
You just don’t know what you’re going to get from Title IX proceedings. As soon as you know or believe that a Title IX investigation is incoming, turn to the LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team. We will protect your rights, answer your questions, advise you, and deal with administrators involved in your Title IX case. We will fight for you.
Our firm has helped students achieve best-case outcomes in Title IX proceedings that can truly impact your life, not just now, but for decades to come. We match administrators’ approach, and we can be both amicable and aggressive depending on what your case requires.
Call the LLF National Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 or contact us online to ask us any questions you have, learn more about our qualifications, and let us ease your mind about the Title IX process.
The Immediate Effects of Title IX Sanctions
Students at Wichita State, WSU Tech, Butler Community College, Hutchinson Community College, Bethel College, and other schools in the area can be accused of doing something they’re not permitted to do. If the accusation is within the scope of Title IX regulations, that student finds themselves facing a process that can lead to:
- A formal, potentially permanent reprimand in their student file
- Permanent dismissal from your university
- Temporary suspension (or indefinite suspension with no guarantee they will be readmitted)
- Behavioral probation
- Expulsion from campus organizations (like clubs and Greek organizations)
- Limited or revoked access to certain campus facilities
- Limits on who the student can contact or be near
- Supplementary disciplinary actions
So what determines if your life will be upended by one or more of these sanctions? Because of the school-by-school variances in how Title IX is interpreted and applied, you can’t be sure. This uncertainty is part of what makes the Title IX process so daunting.
The Harmful Reverberations That Sanctions Issued Now Can Create Later
One positive aspect of being a college student is the ability to shrug off certain challenges. If you overslept and missed a class, for example, you may know it’s not the end of the world. Such a positive outlook can be valuable in maintaining a longer-term perspective, but we must share a critical warning in the face of a Title IX complaint.
Optimistic resilience can benefit you in many ways, but you must not be too casual about a Title IX allegation against you. In fact, you should confront the potential long-term reverberations of suffering sanctions, which may include:
- Rejection from internships and educational institutions: If your record includes any formal record of discipline, you might not get opportunities you otherwise would, including internships and admission to other universities. You may even be removed from any internships, leadership positions, and jobs you currently hold, depending on the severity of the sanctions and the allegations that prompted them.
- Career-related disappointments: Students who suffer Title IX sanctions can be seen as less qualified candidates by prospective employers. Finding a well-paying, fulfilling job (particularly right out of school) is truly a gauntlet, and any demerit on your record can sink you in the candidate pool.
- Mental health deficits: The Title IX process is stressful, without exception. If you are ultimately hit with sanctions, and you must carry the reputational harm that sanctions cause, you will likely endure further stress (and possibly other mental health-related challenges) because of it.
It’s fair to describe Title IX sanctions as the first domino to fall in a series of adverse outcomes. If your reputation as a student takes a hit, your reputation among Master’s and Ph.D. programs will also take a hit. Prospective employers may view you as a lesser candidate. Therefore, you may have fewer opportunities and ultimately earn less. If you earn less, life may be far more difficult, and your physical, psychological, and emotional health may suffer as a result.
We aren’t trying to scare you, but you must understand the high stakes of the Title IX process. The LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team will urgently devise your defense plan, and we will fight to spare you from the fallout of Title IX sanctions.
What Types of Allegations Does My School’s Title IX Office Handle?
It seems like, with each passing decade, there is a new type of offense that Title IX Coordinators and their peers are now responsible for. Today, Title IX offices are generally responsible for handling complaints of:
- Discrimination
- Certain comments are deemed inappropriate or derogatory
- Bullying
- Stalking
- Harassment
- Sexual assault and exploitation
- Dating violence
- Hazing
There is plenty of subjectivity in what alleged action might qualify as “harassment” or “discrimination.” This subjectivity means that Title IX offices end up handling many complaints, including complaints that—many have argued—a Title IX office might not have the knowledge, training, or perspective to handle.
Many lawsuits, including Doe v. Baum (involving the University of Michigan’s handling of sexual misconduct allegations) and Doe v. Purdue University (involving similar claims of due process violations against another school), highlight how poorly many universities handle Title IX complaints.
Protect yourself from potential rights violations by retaining the LLF National Law Firm today.
There’s No Time for Hesitation When You Are the Target of Serious Allegations. Here’s What to Do Next.
The best time to retain an attorney is before you are accused of a Title IX violation. The second-best time is right now. Delaying in retaining an attorney from the LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team could:
- Exposes you to rights violations, as your university may have ulterior motives, including an unseen motivation to find you responsible and ultimately sanction you
- Increase the risk that you make a mistake, as one of our most critical roles is to advise you, help you make sound judgments and decisions, and drastically reduce the likelihood of a harmful mistake
- Diminish the quality of your defense because the Title IX process can proceed based on strict timelines, so the more time we have to prepare, the stronger your defense may be
- Increase the likelihood of an adverse ruling in your case, as any defense put together at the last minute is less likely to be successful than a well-planned one.
That being said, do not beat yourself up if you have waited to retain an attorney. Even if you have an interview or hearing today, it is worth speaking with the LLF National Law Firm Team.
Our team is ready to start fighting for you at a moment’s notice. That said, we cannot begin preparing your defense if we don’t know you are facing allegations of wrongdoing. Reach out to us as soon as possible, and we will provide the guidance and reassurance that every student involved in the Title IX process deserves.
The LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team Will Help You Avoid Common Title IX Pitfalls
We are comprehensive in our approach. Just as we tell students what to do when notified of a Title IX complaint, we tell them what not to do. We have told you to hire the LLF National Law Firm as soon as possible, so now we will advise not to:
- Be overconfident and handle the Title IX process yourself
- Speak with any university representatives about anything related to the Title IX process until you have spoken with our Student Defense Team
- Accept any formal or informal resolution until you’ve spoken with us
- Suggest you are responsible for any wrongdoing you have been accused of
- Do virtually anything else related to the Title IX process unless we have spoken with you about it
Our firm has a soft spot for students. We know that young people make mistakes, including falsely accusing someone else of wrongdoing. We also understand that, wrongheadedly, students often believe their university administrators typically do the right thing.
There is no guarantee that your college or university in the Wichita area will handle Title IX proceedings honestly, fairly, or ethically. We will hold those parties accountable to the tenets of due process. Let us protect and advise you so you can continue to focus on being a college student.
A Preview of the Title IX Process to Come
Wichita State provides a straightforward rundown of the Title IX complaint process. Credit to this school, as the process is convoluted enough that such simplicity is rare—just don’t take this to mean that the process itself is simple, because it rarely is.
So you can understand how the Title IX process often unfolds when you are accused of wrongdoing at a Wichita-area university, let’s look at Wichita State’s timeline:
- Initial assessment of the complaint: After WSU officials acknowledge the complainant, the Title IX Coordinator determines if the complaint (assuming it were true) would constitute a violation of the Title IX policies. The complainant has immense discretion during this process, as the Title IX Coordinator will ask the complainant how they would like to proceed, including their options for filing a formal complaint.
- The Title IX Coordinator meets with the respondent: There are some cases, though, where the respondent “may not be notified” that they have been accused of misconduct—an immensely concerning prospect that shows how the accused is often at a disadvantage during the Title IX process.
- Investigation: The investigator is required to act impartially, but there is no guarantee that they will. That said, the investigation is your first opportunity to present your defense, and having us on your side during this process could be immensely beneficial.
- A live hearing: A live, recorded hearing involves the complainant and respondent making their cases. Following the hearing, the hearing panel deliberates and then decides whether the respondent committed any policy violations.
- Final determination: All parties involved will receive a Notice of Outcome, including any sanctions the hearing panel levies against the respondent.
- Appeals: If necessary, the respondent can appeal a finding of responsibility and any sanctions the hearing panel imposes.
While each school’s procedures have unique features, WSU’s procedures reflect the fast-moving Title IX process that most schools in the Wichita area use.
The Title IX Process Has Several Inherent Flaws, Like These
Now that you understand the steps involved in the typical Title IX process, we should point out that:
- The respondent (you) is disadvantaged in several ways during this process—they are typically unaware that a complaint is coming and may face “supportive measures” that disadvantage them even before they’ve had a chance to make their case
- The preponderance of evidence standard used in Title IX proceedings is a far lower standard than you’d find in criminal proceedings (just as an example)
- No two schools handle Title IX complaints in the exact same manner, so you must prepare for the unpredictable and unexpected
When you speak directly with the LLF National Law Firm Team, we will tell you much more about the Title IX process. Our firm is a trustworthy advocate during this time in your or your student’s life because:
- Student advocacy is our mission
- We have seen far too many students victimized by unfair Title IX proceedings, and we ensure that such a fate never befalls our clients
- Our attorneys have been young college students, so we have true empathy for students facing the nerve-wracking Title IX process
Our professionalism, extensive knowledge of Title IX, and record of helping students prevail against seemingly long odds make us the right fit for your defense.
Call the LLF National Law Firm Today to Start Charting the Course Ahead
Do not wait. Call the LLF National Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 or contact us online to discuss how we can assist you, and don’t wait a moment longer to reach out.