King's College seeks to prevent any acts of sexual misconduct on its campus or within its student body. The College upholds a Sexual Misconduct Policy that outlines what behaviors constitute sexual misconduct. The policy also contains provisions for what actions the College will take against students who face allegations of sexual misconduct. These procedures are separate from what the College will use against acts of standard misconduct, and are treated with higher seriousness.
King's College Sexual Misconduct Process
When a student files a complaint regarding sexual misconduct, the College will begin its process for investigation and resolution of the matter. Students who file the report will be known as the "complainant" while the student who faces the allegations will be known simply as the "accused." Once the report is filed, a brief preliminary review of the incident will be conducted to see if the College should impose any protective measures. The accused student may be subjected to changes in class schedule or housing, or have no contact orders or temporary suspensions imposed upon them. After this is determined, the College will begin its investigation. An investigator will be appointed by the Title IX Coordinator.
Investigation and Resolution
The College utilizes an investigative process to resolve these incidents. Investigations will consist of several interviews with all parties involved with the complaint. Parties may suggest their own witnesses and evidence to support their respective cases. The investigation will also give parties ample time to respond to one another's claims, however, responses are to be done indirectly. Once the investigation has concluded and enough time for information gathering and responses has been provided, the investigator will make a finding. All decisions are to be made on the standard of "a preponderance of the evidence."
At meetings with the investigators, students are entitled to an advisor of their own choosing. Sexual misconduct allegations can be devastating to a students future academic and career pursuits. These allegations often carry serious and long-lasting consequences that can follow a student throughout their life. For these reasons, students should select an attorney to act as advisor to them throughout the process. An attorney can protect a student's rights throughout the investigative process and can also assist students in methods of negotiation and evidence selection that can strongly aid their case. In addition, if any adverse consequences accompany the allegations at King's College, an attorney can serve as a student's legal guide.
Appeals at King's College
If the investigation results in an unfavorable outcome, students are entitled to make an appeal. Appeals must be made within five (5) business days. Appeals must be on the grounds of a disagreement with the outcome, new evidence for consideration, or claims that the process not followed properly.