Have You Been Accused of Sex-Based Misconduct?

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If you have been accused of sex-based misconduct and are unsure what to do or whom to talk with, the following information will be helpful.

Do not contact the alleged victim.

There are offices on campus that can provide assistance to you. Students can contact the Title IX Office (217-333-3333), the Student Assistance Center in the Office of the Dean of Students (217-333-0050) and the Office for Student Conflict Resolution (217-333-3680) for questions about cases involving student respondents or the Office for Access & Equity (217-333-0885) for cases involving employee or other affiliated respondents. Someone from one of these offices can explain the university reporting procedures and explain the grievance process, including the process for obtaining no contact directives. For further information on the student disciplinary process, the FAQs about the Student Disciplinary Process may be helpful. Employees can contact the Office for Access & Equity (217-333-0885) or the Title IX Office (217-333-3333) for questions about reporting, supportive measures, workplace adjustments, and employee grievance procedures.

Students can receive confidential counseling assistance on campus at the Counseling Center (217-333-3704) and McKinley Health Center (Mental Health) (217-333-2705). Employees can receive confidential counseling assistance at Faculty/Staff Assistance and Well-Being Services (217-244-5312).

Parties participating in a university disciplinary or grievance process for incidents of sex-based misconduct have a right to an advisor of their choice who may be, but is not required to be, an attorney. Respondents and complainants may be accompanied by an advisor of their choosing to any university meeting or proceeding relating to an alleged incident of sex-based misconduct.

Pending or during an investigation with the Office for Student Conflict Resolution, complainants or respondents may have requests around supportive measures, including but not limited to restricting contact between parties, on-campus work schedule modification, changes in work or housing locations, and requests around temporary academic support or adjustments. The Title IX Office (217-333-3333) can be contacted to evaluate and coordinate such measures.

If a student complainant or respondent needs disability-related accommodations through the investigation, please contact Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES) at (217) 333-4603 or disability@illinois.edu in order to have a letter of accommodation sent to the Office for Student Conflict Resolution or the Office for Access & Equity, depending on where the investigation is occurring. Employee complainants or respondents should contact the Office for Access & Equity at (217) 333-0885 or eeodivision@illinois.edu.

The university disciplinary or grievance processes for alleged sex-based misconduct violations are facilitated and conducted by trained individuals who do not have a conflict of interest or bias in a case, require an objective evaluation of all relevant evidence, and are resolved in a reasonably prompt time frame. Credibility determinations are not based on a person’s status as a complainant, respondent, or witness. There is a presumption that the respondent is not responsible for the alleged conduct until a determination regarding responsibility is made at the conclusion of the process. For more information on supportive measures and remedies, possible sanctions or outcomes, as well as links to the Sex-Based Misconduct Policy and disciplinary or grievance procedures, please visit Campus Policies & Procedures.

Sex-based misconduct can be both a criminal offense as well as a violation of the University of Illinois' Sex-Based Misconduct Policy. A student, employee, or other affiliated individual alleged to have engaged in a sex-based misconduct may be subject to prosecution under Illinois criminal statutes and/or subject to discipline under the student discipline procedures or applicable employee discipline procedures. Criminal proceedings and university proceedings are separate processes and may have independent outcomes. A student found in violation of the Student Code may be subject to dismissal from the university. An individual found guilty of a crime may be subject to various criminal sanctions.

Portions of this page were adapted from the University of Montana Sexual Misconduct Resources website (2015).