IX. Title IX Grievance Procedure
A. Any applicant for admission, enrolled student, applicant for employment or employee of Edmonds Community College who believes he or she has been discriminated against on the basis of sex may lodge a formal institutional grievance by:
Step 1: Informal Meeting
Request an informal meeting with the individual believed to have committed the discriminatory act and attempt to informally resolve the concern.
Step 2: Title IX Official Hearing
If not satisfied by the results of the informal meeting, the complainant may request in writing, stipulating the specific grievance(s), a meeting with the Vice President for Human Resources/Title IX officer (Title IX officer). Within 30 days of receiving the written request, the Title IX officer will have arranged a meeting and reported the findings, in writing, to both the complainant and the person to whom the complaint is directed. It shall be at the discretion of the complainant to determine whether the Title IX officer will meet with each party separately or in a single meeting.
Step 3: Presidential Appeal Hearing
If the complaint is not resolved as a result of the hearing conducted by the Title IX officer, either the complainant or the person to whom the complaint is directed may request an appeal to the college President in writing within ten days after receiving the written results of Title IX Official Hearing. Within 15 days after receiving the written request, the college President or the president’s designee will conduct the Presidential Appeal hearing and report the findings in writing to both the complainant and the person to whom the complaint is directed.
a. The college President or designee, the Title IX officer, the complainant and the person to whom the complaint is directed shall attend the Presidential Appeal Hearing. The college President or presidential designee shall preside.
b. Either the complainant or person to whom the complaint is directed may have witnesses present at the discretion of the person presiding.
c. The written findings of the Presidential Appeal Hearing will be considered final.
B. If desired, inquiries or appeals beyond the institutional level may be directed to the Office for Civil Rights (www.hhs.gov); the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (www.eeoc.gov); and/or the Washington State Human Rights Commission (www.hum.wa.gov). |
