Reporting and Complaint Resolution

Reporting a concern about a possible incident of sex- or gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual misconduct, intimate partner violence, or stalking is the first step in getting the Office of Title IX Compliance involved. We may receive multiple reports about a singular incident, and we encourage anyone who has witnessed a possible incident to report it to our office. You can file a report through our website by filling out our reporting form.

When our office receives a report, we will contact the impacted individual(s) first to ensure their safety, see if there are supportive measures that we an offer to help the impacted individual, and discuss next steps, including, but not limited to, the impacted individual’s options regarding grievance procedures and the filing of a formal complaint.

Generally, this flowchart outlines the university’s Title IX formal complaint grievance process for allegations of sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual misconduct, intimate partner violence, and/or stalking. 

Generally, the university’s Complaint Resolution grievance processes are used to resolve Title IX formal complaints alleging sex- or gender-based discrimination.

In most cases, the decision to proceed with a formal complaint is up to the impacted individual. However, in rare circumstances (e.g., where personal and/or University community safety is a concern), the University may be obligated to investigate, even if the impacted individual may not be ready. This would be discussed with the impacted individual in advance, and the University would ensure that the individual has support throughout the process.

Impacted individual(s) may also file a complaint regarding an alleged violation of Title IX with the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and/or the Illinois Department of Human Rights.