a campus building
Sexual Harassment and Misconduct

I've Been Accused of Sexual Assault

If you have been accused of sexual assault (or sexual harassment or other types of sexual misconduct) you have certain rights.

There is a presumption the accused (the Respondent) is not responsible for the alleged conduct and that a determination regarding responsibility is made at the conclusion of a hearing.

  • The University has processes to address complaint of sexual harassment, discrimination, assault and other misconduct. It is the Sexual Misconduct Resolution process and is conducted by the Equal Opportunity and Title IX Coordinator.
  • Once a complaint has been made against you, or the police were involved and have sent a report of the incident to the Title IX Coordinator, you will receive written notice of the allegations made against you. This will include the identity of the accuser, the date and time and location of the incident(s), and a description of the complaint made against you.
  • The University’s Equal Opportunity and Title IX Coordinator will provide you with information, resources, notification and details of the complaint made against you and describe in detail the Sexual Misconduct Resolution Process.
Sexual Misconduct Resolution Process

There is a presumption the accused (the Respondent) is not responsible for the alleged conduct and that a determination regarding responsibility is made at the conclusion of a hearing.

  • The University has processes to address complaint of sexual harassment, discrimination, assault and other misconduct. It is the Sexual Misconduct Resolution process and is conducted by the Equal Opportunity and Title IX Coordinator.
  • Once a complaint has been made against you, or the police were involved and have sent a report of the incident to the Title IX Coordinator, you will receive written notice of the allegations made against you. This will include the identity of the accuser, the date and time and location of the incident(s), and a description of the complaint made against you.
  • The University’s Equal Opportunity and Title IX Coordinator will provide you with information, resources, notification and details of the complaint made against you and describe in detail the Sexual Misconduct Resolution Process.

What are my rights if I have been accused?

There is a presumption that the accused is not responsible for the alleged conduct until a determination is made regarding responsibility, and this is made at the end of the process following a Student Conduct hearing.

Accused students (and employees) have certain rights. Specifically,

  • You have the right to written notice of the allegations;
  • The right to have an advisor of your own choosing to provide you with support through the investigation and possible Student Conduct hearing;
  • The right to have specifically trained investigators and decision makers throughout the process;
  • The right to due process protections through the investigation and possible hearing;
  • The right to provide relevant information and evidence and names of relevant witnesses as part of the investigation and review the investigation and comment before it is finalized;
  • The right to request or be granted a hearing and all of the due process rights associated with that hearing;
  • The right to an appeal should you not agree with the decision of whether there was a Title IX violation.
Sexual Misconduct Resolution Process

What are my rights if I have been accused?

There is a presumption that the accused is not responsible for the alleged conduct until a determination is made regarding responsibility, and this is made at the end of the process following a Student Conduct hearing.

Accused students (and employees) have certain rights. Specifically,

  • You have the right to written notice of the allegations;
  • The right to have an advisor of your own choosing to provide you with support through the investigation and possible Student Conduct hearing;
  • The right to have specifically trained investigators and decision makers throughout the process;
  • The right to due process protections through the investigation and possible hearing;
  • The right to provide relevant information and evidence and names of relevant witnesses as part of the investigation and review the investigation and comment before it is finalized;
  • The right to request or be granted a hearing and all of the due process rights associated with that hearing;
  • The right to an appeal should you not agree with the decision of whether there was a Title IX violation.
What protections are provided by the university to a student who is falsely accused?
False accusations of any type of sexual misconduct are a violation of the Student Code of Conduct. Specifically, a violation is when a student knowingly provides false or misleading information to a university official in the performance of their duties. This includes falsifying, distorting, or misrepresenting the truth during proceedings under the Student Code of Conduct, including knowingly submitting a false complaint. Further, the Respondents would be involved in the inquiry or investigation to determine if there was false information provided, and if the complaint is unfounded the process would end.

Contact Us

For help handling a situation involving any kind of sexual assault, misconduct, or harassment, you can contact the University’s Equal Opportunity and Title IX Coordinator Christopher Bean at titleixreport@esu.edu.

Contact Information

Campus Address
Sycamore Suites, Lower Level, 011
Phone:
(570) 422-2277
Title of Department Leader
Equal Opportunity and Title IX Coordinator
Name
Christopher S. Bean