Formal Grievance Process
If the informal grievance process above does not result in a successful resolution, then the student may file a formal grievance as follows.
- Complaints should be filed as soon as possible with Sheilah Vance, Compliance Officer and Title IX Coordinator, located in the Suite 237, Administration Building (39), 4200 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20008; e-mail: sheilah.vance@udc.edu.
- A complaint must be in writing and shall include the relevant name(s), date(s), and time(s), a detailed description of the allegations of discrimination or harassment, the type of discrimination alleged occurred, the names of any witnesses to the discrimination or harassment, requested corrective action and any other relevant information on which the complaint is based. A complaint of discrimination or harassment in educational programs or activities must be filed with the University within one hundred and eighty (180) calendar days following the date the alleged discrimination or harassment took place.
- The Section 504-ADA Coordinator will promptly initiate an investigation consistent with the University’s Anti-Discrimination and Harassment Policy.
- In undertaking the investigation, the Section 504-ADA Coordinator may interview, consult with and/or request a written response to the issues raised in the grievance from any individual the grievance officer believes to have relevant information, including faculty, staff, and students.
- The Section 504-ADA Coordinator will investigate the allegations brought by the complainant and work to conclude the investigation and conduct the exit interviews within sixty (60) calendar days, depending on the allegations presented. During the investigation, the Section 504-ADA Coordinator will:
- Formally apprise the respondent of the charge of discrimination or harassment, in writing.
- Elicit from the respondent an explanation of what occurred from his/her perspective.
- Arrange for interim relief for the complainant, if appropriate.
- Provide both parties with the opportunity to provide information and identify witnesses.
- Investigate the allegations by conducting interviews or gathering other relevant information.
- Attempt in a non-legalistic, non-threatening manner to facilitate a solution acceptable to both the complainant and the respondent.
- The Section 504-ADA Coordinator evaluates allegations and evidence to determine if, based on the totality of the circumstances, it is more likely than not that the alleged conduct in the complaint occurred. The findings of the Section 504-ADACoordinator is memorialized in a written report, which is solely for the University’s use.
- At the conclusion of the investigation, the Section 504-ADA Coordinator shall conduct an exit interview with the parties and issue exit letters notifying the parties of the outcome.
- Students who believe that they have been subjected to discrimination and/or harassment may be able to file a complaint with Federal and/or District government agencies, e.g., the D.C. Office of Human Rights or the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. The University encourages students to utilize the internal complaint process prior to filing an external complaint.