Cal State Fullerton Title IX Lawyer: CSUF Disciplinary Defense

If you are a Cal State Fullerton student, or the parent of one, and the campus Title IX or civil rights office has just contacted you, this page covers what is specific to this campus. It is written for respondents: students accused of sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, dating or domestic violence, stalking, or other discrimination, harassment or retaliation. Many people search for a Cal State Fullerton Title IX lawyer at this moment, and this page does not describe a service. It describes the campus offices, documents and rules as the campus posts them. The systemwide process is explained on the CSU Title IX lawyer page, and a short summary appears below.

The Cal State Fullerton Offices: Civil Rights and Equity, and Student Conduct

Office for Civil Rights and Equity

The campus Title IX and civil rights office is the Office for Civil Rights and Equity. Its Support Resources page places it in College Park, rooms 205 and 207. The Reporting Forms page still refers to it as the “campus Title IX and Civil Rights Office,” so you may see both names. The person designated to handle Title IX complaints is the Executive Director for Civil Rights and Title IX Coordinator.

The home page says the office is responsible for ensuring compliance with Title VI, Title VII and Title IX, and with CSU systemwide policy against discrimination, harassment, sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking and retaliation. That covers academic, educational, employment, extracurricular and athletic activities, on and off campus. The office serves students and employees.

The campus pages we reviewed do not call the office neutral, and they do not list it as a confidential service. The Support Resources page says the office is “the only department at CSUF that can implement Supportive Measures” after alleged Nondiscrimination Policy violations, and that Supportive Measures are kept as private as possible.

Office of Student Conduct

The Office of Student Conduct is in the Division of Student Affairs and Strategic Enrollment Management. Its home page says it receives reports of alleged Student Conduct Code violations, adjudicates complaints, and maintains students’ disciplinary records. The campus pages do not describe how this office and the Office for Civil Rights and Equity hand a case to each other. The CSU documents say sanctions in Nondiscrimination Policy cases come from the CSU Student Conduct Process and are decided by the campus president or designee.

How a Matter Starts at Cal State Fullerton

Making a report

The Policy and Process page says a report can be made through an online report form, by email, by phone, or in person at College Park 205 during regular business hours. It says there is no time limit for making a report. It defines Responsible Employees as all CSUF employees except physicians, licensed counselors and social workers, and Campus Confidential Advocates. They must report alleged misconduct that is sexual in nature or related to a Protected Status when they know or have reason to know of it. The home page says anyone considering a report should discuss safety concerns with the Title IX Coordinator/DHR Administrator.

What happens after a report

The Policy and Process page describes outreach to the person who may have been harmed, and says that at that point neither an Informal Resolution nor a formal resolution process has been initiated. A report therefore does not automatically start an investigation. Once an investigation is requested, the Title IX Coordinator/DHR Administrator decides whether to proceed or to refer the matter to another office or process.

Notice to the Respondent

If an investigation goes forward, the page says the office sends written notification letters to both parties. It says this is often the first time the Respondent hears from the office about the concern. Each party can expect a Notice of Investigation at their CSU email address. The page says it includes a summary of allegations, applicable policy definitions, the parties’ rights and options for participating or not participating, the applicable timeline and procedures, and basic principles of the process. The notice identifies the Investigator and explains how to schedule an initial meeting.

Investigation, hearing, and outcome

The Investigator meets separately with each party in an initial meeting, and each party may bring an Advisor. The page states that investigations must be completed within 100 working days, with extensions only as deemed necessary by the Title IX Coordinator/DHR Administrator. Depending on the procedures named in the notice, some matters go to a hearing. The page says the Hearing Officer is generally appointed by the CSU Chancellor’s Office and that hearings are held by videoconference. The outcome is provided to the parties in writing, with instructions on how to submit an appeal, if applicable.

Which procedures apply

The Policy and Process page states that the Student Procedures apply to complaints against a student occurring on or after August 1, 2024. The CSU Procedures themselves say they apply to complaints filed on or after March 4, 2025. Because these dates differ, your own notice and the current CSU documents control which version applies to you. The CSU documents also say that under Track 1, the notice of allegations must reach the respondent at least 5 Working Days before an interview.

Cal State Fullerton Documents and Older Names

When we reviewed the campus pages on October 3, 2026, these were posted:

• The Office for Civil Rights and Equity home page and Reporting Forms page (both last published 4/3/26).
• The Support Resources page (last published 9/29/26).
• A Notice of Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Gender or Sex PDF (12-2025).
• The Policy and Process page, which summarizes the office’s process for complaints alleging misconduct on or after August 1, 2024.
• The Student Conduct home page and Policies and Procedures page (both last published 2/26/26).
• The Summary of Student Conduct Procedures (PDF dated 09.22.2025).
• President’s Directive No. 9 (page last published 7/10/25; the Directive itself is dated April 23, 2012).

Several of these use older names. The Office for Civil Rights and Equity home page still links PolicyStat 16328404, an older link that now redirects to the current CSU Nondiscrimination Policy. The Student Conduct Policies and Procedures page lists “CSU Executive Order 1098 Student Conduct Process.” The Summary of Student Conduct Procedures still names Executive Orders 1095 to 1098 and President’s Directive No. 9. Directive 9 itself says it was issued under Executive Order 1098. Executive Orders 1095 to 1098 are older CSU document names. The current CSU documents are the Interim CSU Nondiscrimination Policy, the Interim CSU Nondiscrimination Policy: Student Respondent Procedures, and the CSU Student Conduct Process (effective June 5, 2025). Your own notice and the current CSU documents control over any older campus page.

Cal State Fullerton Rules on Attorneys, Hearings and Records

Two different sets of rules appear in the sources, and they belong to two kinds of case.

Title IX and other Nondiscrimination Policy cases

The CSU Nondiscrimination Policy and Procedures let a respondent choose one Advisor, who may be an attorney. The Advisor may observe and consult but may not answer questions about the subject matter of the investigation for the party. In a Track 1 hearing each party must have a hearing advisor, and the campus provides one if a party has none. In a Track 2 hearing a Hearing Officer asks all questions, and the parties propose questions in advance.

General Student Conduct Code cases

President’s Directive No. 9 is the campus rule on attorneys in student conduct proceedings. It says no party may have an attorney present at the Pre-Hearing Conference. It also says no party may have an attorney present at the Hearing, except where felony criminal charges are pending from the same facts or the recommended sanction is expulsion. It does not bar consulting an attorney outside the proceeding. The Directive speaks to proceedings under Executive Order 1098 and does not mention Nondiscrimination Policy cases. For a Title IX or other Nondiscrimination Policy case, the Advisor rule above is the one the CSU Procedures state.

The Summary of Student Conduct Procedures describes the general conduct steps:

• The Student Conduct Administrator receives a report and, if a charge is appropriate, notifies the student in writing.
• The student may meet with the Administrator. The Administrator may dismiss the complaint, the student may accept a voluntary Resolution Agreement, or the student may request a hearing on sanctions only.
• A Notice of Hearing is sent, and the student may accept the proposed sanctions or have a hearing.
• A Hearing Officer hears the case and submits a recommendation, and the President makes the final decision.

It lists possible sanctions as warning, disciplinary probation, restitution, educational seminars, suspension and expulsion. A confidential student conduct file is kept for a minimum of seven years, and permanently if the student is expelled. Probation and suspension are noted on the academic record during the term. A permanent notation is made for expulsion or for suspension longer than one academic year. The Summary says “This summary is not the official statement on University policies and/or procedures.” It does not say whether these steps apply to Nondiscrimination Policy cases.

Support for Respondents at Cal State Fullerton

The Support Resources page says Supportive Measures can also support the person alleged to have violated policy during the complaint or informal resolution process. Anyone taking part in an investigation or resolution process is encouraged to ask the Office for Civil Rights and Equity for measures relevant to their situation. The page says they are free and individualized, and that “Supportive Measures are never punitive or disciplinary in nature.” Examples include counseling, deadline extensions or course adjustments, schedule changes, and assistance with voluntary leaves of absence. A No-Contact Directive is also listed. It is a formal letter telling a student not to communicate directly or indirectly with another identified person, and contact through social media or other people would violate it.

The Policy and Process page says a party may ask to have their Advisor be someone from CSUF’s pool of trained Process Advisors. They are campus administrators with knowledge of the formal resolution processes under the CSU Nondiscrimination Policy. They may attend meetings with the party they advise and meet individually with Complainants or Respondents. They do not have confidential protections under California statutes and may be required to share information with the Office for Civil Rights and Equity. To be connected with one, the page says to contact the Office for Civil Rights and Equity.

The page says most employees are Responsible Employees who must report to the Office for Civil Rights and Equity, and calls them “not fully confidential.” It names these CSUF employees as offering confidential services: Campus Confidential Advocates in TitanTHRIVE, physicians in TitanMED, and CAPS psychotherapists, licensed counselors and licensed clinical social workers acting in those roles. The sources do not say whether each is open to respondents.

Some resources are for people who experienced harm. The Campus Confidential Advocates in TitanTHRIVE (Student Wellness, SHCC-West) support people who experienced sexual misconduct, dating or domestic violence, or stalking. Their services include crisis intervention, safety planning, information on reporting options, and accompaniment to meetings and hearings. The home page also lists community organizations and forensic exam locations for those who experienced such harm. TitanMED is student medical care in SHCC-West.

Related pages: California Title IX defense attorney, Los Angeles Title IX lawyer, and Title IX investigation guide.

The CSU Process in Brief

The Interim CSU Nondiscrimination Policy applies its definitions to alleged misconduct on or after August 1, 2024, and the Interim CSU Nondiscrimination Policy: Student Respondent Procedures apply to complaints filed on or after March 4, 2025, so your notice and its dates control which version applies to you. Under the Procedures the opening notice is a Notice of Investigation, and Track 1 uses a notice of allegations instead, which must reach the respondent at least 5 Working Days before an interview. Track 1 covers conduct that meets the Policy’s Title IX definition of Sexual Harassment, occurred in the United States and occurred in a university education program or activity, and it uses a live hearing. Track 2 covers sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual exploitation and stalking when Track 1 does not apply, and a live hearing is required. Track 3 covers other discrimination, harassment and retaliation complaints, with no hearing, and the investigator makes the final determination in a Notice of Investigation Outcome. The parties get 10 Working Days to review the evidence with the preliminary investigation report (at least 10 in Track 1), the standard of proof is preponderance of the evidence, and the final investigation report is due within 100 Working Days of the Notice of Investigation unless extended for good cause. Each party may have one Advisor who may be an attorney, and the campus president or designee decides sanctions under the CSU Student Conduct Process. Appeals go to the Civil Rights Appeals Unit at the CSU Chancellor’s Office within 10 Working Days after the Notice of Investigation Outcome or Final Decision (within 10 Working Days after the date of the decision letter under Track 1), and either party may appeal in sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation, dating violence, domestic violence and stalking complaints, while only the non-prevailing party may appeal in discrimination, harassment, prohibited consensual relationship or retaliation complaints. See our CSU Title IX lawyer page for the full process.

Official Cal State Fullerton Title IX Resources

• CSUF Office for Civil Rights and Equity
• CSUF Office for Civil Rights and Equity: Support Resources
• CSUF Student Conduct
• CSUF President’s Directive 9 (Use of Attorneys)
• Interim CSU Nondiscrimination Policy (with Track 1 attachment)
• Interim CSU Nondiscrimination Policy: Student Respondent Procedures (with Addenda A and B)

Last verified: October 2026

Frequently Asked Questions About Cal State Fullerton Title IX Cases

Which office will contact me?

If the report alleges a violation of the CSU Nondiscrimination Policy, the Office for Civil Rights and Equity follows up. If it is a Student Conduct Code report, the Office of Student Conduct handles it. Your notice names the office and the policy involved, and it shows the dates that apply to you.

Is the Office for Civil Rights and Equity confidential?

The campus pages do not describe it as confidential. They say Supportive Measures are kept as private as possible, and that Responsible Employees must report to the office. The employees listed as confidential are the TitanTHRIVE Campus Confidential Advocates, TitanMED physicians, and CAPS clinicians acting in those roles.

Can a lawyer be my advisor at Cal State Fullerton?

It depends on the kind of case. In Title IX and other Nondiscrimination Policy cases, the CSU Procedures let you choose one Advisor, who may be an attorney but may not answer investigation questions for you. In general student conduct cases, Directive 9 bars attorneys at the Pre-Hearing Conference and at the Hearing, except at the Hearing when felony charges are pending from the same facts or the recommended sanction is expulsion. Consulting an attorney outside the proceeding is allowed.

Is there free advisor or respondent support at Cal State Fullerton?

Supportive Measures are free and can support the person alleged to have violated policy during the process. The Policy and Process page also says parties may ask to have their Advisor be one of CSUF’s trained Process Advisors, campus administrators who know the formal resolution processes; Process Advisors are not confidential and may be required to share information with the Office for Civil Rights and Equity. The CSU documents say that in a Track 1 hearing the campus provides a hearing advisor if a party has none.

Will a finding show on my record?

The Summary of Student Conduct Procedures describes general conduct cases. It says the Office of Student Conduct keeps a confidential file for at least seven years, and permanently if the student is expelled. It also says probation and suspension are noted on the academic record during the term, with a permanent notation for expulsion or suspension longer than one academic year. The Summary says it is not the official policy statement, and it does not say how these rules apply to Nondiscrimination Policy cases.

How long do I have to appeal?

Under the CSU Procedures you have 10 Working Days after the Notice of Investigation Outcome (non-hearing cases) or the Final Decision (hearing cases) to appeal to the Civil Rights Appeals Unit. Under Track 1 the 10 Working Days run from the date of the decision letter. Working Days means Monday through Friday, excluding official holidays and campus closures. Whether you may appeal depends on the type of complaint, as described in the CSU summary above.