Wesleyan Title IX College Faculty and Staff Lawyer
Title IX requires that federally funded colleges and universities, such as Wesleyan University, protect students from all forms of sex-based discrimination, harassment, or violence while on school property or participating in school events. It also requires covered schools to provide the same protections to faculty and staff members—and conversely, if a faculty or staff member violates someone else’s Title IX rights, schools must investigate them the same way they would a student.
If you are facing accusations of a Title IX violation as a professor or other type of employee at Wesleyan University, you should strongly consider seeking the support of the seasoned Title IX attorneys at Mark Sherman Law. We have years of experience effectively handling similar cases, and the assistance of a Wesleyan Title IX college faculty and staff lawyer from our team could be a determining factor in the outcome of your Title IX case.
What Penalties Can Title IX Cases Have for Faculty Members?
The text of Title IX itself does not provide any specific instructions or requirements for how federally funded schools should investigate alleged violations. Nor does it have any requirements for how schools should sanction anyone found guilty of violations during private disciplinary proceedings. However, ensuing federal court rulings and advisement from the Department of Education clarify that schools must proactively prevent all forms of sex-based discrimination from occurring. As a result, universities like Wesleyan and their legal counsel often advocate for disciplining faculty and staff members harshly for even minor Title IX violations.
Wesleyan has the authority to place you on probation, suspend you from work, deny you tenure, and potentially terminate your employment based on the outcome of a Title IX investigation and hearing. Additionally, Wesleyan could force you to accommodate complainants with personal and professional lifestyle changes, such as changes in class schedules or restrictions on which on-campus buildings you can be in physical proximity to.
Effectively Contesting Allegations of Sex-Based Discrimination
Unlike criminal trials in Connecticut, Title IX proceedings do not require a “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard of proof. Instead, investigators only need to find you guilty by a “preponderance of the evidence” and can enforce sanctions in a Title IX case. This means that they just have to establish that it is more likely than not that you committed a violation.
In practice, this means that what you say and do immediately after being named as the respondent in a Title IX case can have a significant effect on how your case progresses, since much of the evidence available in these situations is testimonial and inherently subjective. Guidance from a lawyer with experience in assisting college faculty and staff members with Title IX cases from schools like Wesleyan can be key to ensuring you do not accidentally incriminate yourself.
Speak With a Wesleyan Title IX College Faculty and Staff Attorney Today
Working as a professor, assistant, or other type of staff member at a major college or university can be stressful even under the best of circumstances. The threat of losing your job based on an accusation that you violated Title IX can be even more overwhelming, especially when you are facing serious allegations such as sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination.
You have representation available to you from a Wesleyan Title IX college faculty and staff lawyer with knowledge on effectively enforcing your rights and pursuing the best possible resolution. Call Mark Sherman Law today for more information, or click here to read verified reviews past clients have left on our Avvo.com profile.