If you are researching a CSUSM Title IX lawyer because the campus Title IX or civil rights office has contacted you, this page is for you. It is written for CSUSM students (and their parents) accused of sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, dating or domestic violence, stalking, or other discrimination, harassment or retaliation. It covers what is specific to CSUSM, based on campus web pages captured September 25, 2026. The systemwide CSU process is explained on our CSU Title IX lawyer page. Your own notice and the current CSU documents control over anything here.
The CSUSM Offices That May Contact You
Office for Title IX and Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation
The campus office is the Office for Title IX and Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation (Title IX and DHR). Its About Us page gives its location as Administration Building 3200. The Assistant Vice President for Title IX and DHR is the Title IX Coordinator/DHR Administrator.
The office’s home page says it fosters accountability through “neutral resolutions” under the Interim CSU Nondiscrimination Policy. The Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation page covers the same Policy, which addresses sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, dating and domestic violence, stalking, discrimination, harassment and retaliation.
Student Conduct and Ethical Development
Student Conduct and Ethical Development (SCED) is part of the Dean of Students Office, which is in Administrative Building 1200. It handles referrals for alleged violations of the Standards for Student Conduct. The Dean of Students “Policies that Guide Us” page lists the Interim CSU Nondiscrimination Policy as a separate policy for sexual misconduct, dating and domestic violence, stalking, discrimination, harassment and retaliation. The Title IX and DHR Student Resources page says students charged with sexual discrimination, harassment or violence are subject to discipline under the CSU student conduct procedures, and refers readers to the Interim CSU Nondiscrimination Policy student procedures. The campus pages do not explain in more detail how the two offices hand cases to each other. Check your notice to see which office sent it.
How a Matter Starts at CSUSM
The Title IX and DHR pages say any person may report sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, in person, by mail, by telephone, by email, or by any other means that reaches the Title IX Coordinator. A report may be made at any time, including outside business hours. The File a Complaint page says any student, employee or third party may file a complaint through an online form. It also says the University “shall respond promptly and effectively” to complaints (the page’s own wording) and will act to prevent, correct and discipline conduct that violates the Policy.
The campus pages say nothing about what a respondent is told, or when, after a report. For that, look to your notice and the CSU documents summarized below.
The Student Resources page does say that during any investigation the university may put interim measures in place. It lists immediate interim suspension from the university, a required move from university housing, an adjusted course schedule, and a no-contact prohibition as possible measures. Take any such letter seriously and read it closely.
CSUSM Documents and Where They Show Older Names
The Campus Policies page names the Interim CSU Nondiscrimination Policy as the systemwide policy for students, employees and third parties. It links separate procedures by party type: the Student Respondent Procedures and the Employee and Third-Party Procedures. Students accused of misconduct fall under the Student Respondent Procedures.
Some CSUSM pages still use older names or links:
- The Student Conduct Process FAQ refers to Executive Order 1098 for the role of advisors, and the Formal Hearing FAQ refers to Executive Order 1097. These are older CSU document names, not the current governing documents.
- The Student Resources page calls the procedures “Interim CSU Nondiscrimination Policy – Student Procedures,” a shorter title than the one on the Campus Policies page.
- The Title IX and DHR pages still link PolicyStat 16328404 for the Policy, the Student Resources page also links 16328290 for the Procedures, and the Dean of Students FAQs link 14075291 for Executive Order 1098. These older numbers redirect to the current CSU documents (checked October 3, 2026).
The current CSU documents are the Interim CSU Nondiscrimination Policy, the Student Respondent Procedures (effective March 4, 2025), and the CSU Student Conduct Process (effective June 5, 2025). If a campus page and your notice differ, follow your notice and the current CSU documents.
CSUSM Rules for General Conduct Cases and for Title IX Cases
Many of the campus procedures below come from the Dean of Students pages, which are about general conduct cases under the Standards for Student Conduct. The CSU documents say different things for cases under the Nondiscrimination Policy. Here is which rule belongs to which kind of case.
General conduct cases (Dean of Students pages)
- Educational Conference. The FAQ says you get a letter or email to your CSUSM account telling you to call or go online to schedule an Educational Conference. It is a one-on-one meeting with a Student Conduct Administrator.
- Formal hearing. The Formal Hearing FAQ says a hearing may be scheduled if you disagree with the conference outcome or do not respond. You may accept a Resolution Agreement at any time before or during the hearing. If you miss the hearing, it continues and the Hearing Officer decides on the evidence. The Hearing Officer then makes a recommendation to the President’s designee (the Vice President of Student Affairs).
- Holds. If you do not respond to the conference request, the Student Conduct Administrator may place a hold on your student account. The FAQ says the hold can block adding or dropping classes and getting a transcript or other University documents. A hold may stay until you schedule the conference, sign an outcome letter or complete sanctions.
- Advisors. The FAQ says you may bring an advisor who cannot speak for you. It also says multiple advisors are not permitted at conduct meetings.
- Attorneys as advisors. The Student Conduct Process page says that under campus policy students may not have attorneys as advisors “unless they are facing criminal charges related to the incident in question or expulsion may result from the student conduct process”. The Formal Hearing FAQ words the exception differently: “the advisor may not be an attorney except in cases where expulsion is a proposed sanction”. The two Dean of Students FAQs say nothing precludes consulting an attorney before the conference.
- Appeals. The Formal Hearing FAQ says “You cannot appeal the outcome of the formal hearing”, with an exception for cases under Executive Order 1097, which is a former CSU order.
- Parents. The Dean of Students says disciplinary proceedings are confidential. If a parent calls, the office refers them back to you unless you have signed a FERPA release.
Title IX and Nondiscrimination Policy cases (CSU documents)
For these cases, the Policy and the Procedures let you 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 you. The campus attorney limits above are for general conduct cases. Appeals in Nondiscrimination Policy matters go to the CSU Chancellor’s Office, and your decision letter gives the instructions. The Dean of Students appeal statement does not govern those cases.
Records and sanctions
The Sanction FAQ, written for Standards for Student Conduct matters, lists Disciplinary Probation, Suspension and Expulsion, plus educational sanctions. It says sanctions depend on the severity of the incident, the student’s level in school, prior referrals, the impact on others, and the accountability the student shows. It says probation appears on the transcript during the probation period, with the term but not the reason, and is then removed. Suspensions of a year or more and expulsion are permanently noted on the transcript. After a Policy case, the CSU documents say the campus president or designee decides sanctions, drawing on the CSU Student Conduct Process.
Other separate processes
The Student Conduct Process FAQ says the housing conduct process and the university conduct process are separate, and a student may face both. It also says criminal and university administrative processes are separate. The CSUSM Good Samaritan Protocol does not cover sexual assault.
Support Available to Respondents at CSUSM
The Student Conduct Process page says CSUSM offers trained Student Conduct Process Advisors (SCPAs) at no cost. They are campus community members who volunteer. They help you understand the process, your rights and responsibilities, and campus resources, and prepare for conferences and hearings. They do not serve as attorneys or speak for you. The page describes SCPAs for the student conduct process and does not say whether they are available in Policy cases. The page does not say that talking to an SCPA is confidential.
The Title IX and DHR pages do not name a service just for respondents or a confidential counseling resource. The Student Resources page lists examples of on-campus resources, including the Gender Equity Center and Disability Support Services. It says “reporting to these resources will result in a mandatory report to the Title IX Coordinator”. It also says the list is not complete.
Several pages on the Title IX and DHR site are for people who experienced harm. They include “Rights and Options for Victims,” Sexual Misconduct Support, the sexual violence advocate for confidential support, and the Find Support page on sexual assault. Do not assume these are open to respondents. Ask before relying on any resource to keep what you say private.
Related pages: California Title IX defense attorney Title IX investigation guide Title IX advisor guide
The CSU Process in Brief
The Interim CSU Nondiscrimination Policy applies to alleged misconduct that occurs on or after August 1, 2024, and the Student Respondent Procedures apply to complaints filed on or after March 4, 2025, so the dates in your notice control which version applies to you. Under the Procedures the opening notice is a Notice of Investigation, while Track 1 uses a notice of allegations that must reach the respondent at least 5 Working Days before an interview. Complaints go to one of three tracks: Track 1 for 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 (live hearing), Track 2 for the listed sexual misconduct, violence and stalking complaints when Track 1 does not apply (live hearing required), and Track 3 for other discrimination, harassment and retaliation complaints, which has no hearing because 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 final investigation report is set for 100 Working Days from the Notice of Investigation unless extended for good cause, and the standard of proof is preponderance of the evidence. You may have one Advisor of your choice, who may be an attorney but may not answer questions about the investigation for you. An appeal goes to the Civil Rights Appeals Unit at the CSU Chancellor’s Office within 10 Working Days after the Notice of Investigation Outcome in non-hearing cases or the Final Decision in hearing cases (in Track 1, after the date of the decision letter). Either party may appeal in sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation, dating violence, domestic violence and stalking complaints, but only the non-prevailing party may appeal in discrimination, harassment, prohibited consensual relationship or retaliation complaints. For the full process, see our CSU Title IX lawyer page.
Frequently Asked Questions About CSUSM Title IX Cases
Which CSUSM office will contact me?
It depends on the kind of case. Title IX and DHR handles complaints under the Interim CSU Nondiscrimination Policy. The Dean of Students Office sends letters or emails for Standards for Student Conduct referrals. Read your notice to see who sent it and under which document.
Is the Title IX and DHR office confidential?
The campus pages describe the office as providing neutral resolutions. They do not describe it as a confidential resource. They say that reporting to the listed on-campus resources results in a mandatory report to the Title IX Coordinator. Do not assume what you say to a campus office stays private.
Can a lawyer be my advisor at CSUSM?
In a Title IX or Nondiscrimination Policy case, the CSU Policy and Procedures let you choose one Advisor, who may be an attorney. In a general conduct case, the Dean of Students pages limit attorney advisors to narrow exceptions, worded differently on two pages. In a general conduct case, the FAQs say nothing precludes consulting an attorney before the conference, and in a Policy case the CSU documents allow consulting an attorney at your own expense.
Is there free advisor support at CSUSM?
CSUSM offers trained Student Conduct Process Advisors at no cost. They guide you through the process but do not act as attorneys or speak for you. The campus page does not say whether they are available in Title IX cases, so ask when you request one. The page asks you to contact an SCPA as soon as possible after receiving your notice.
What if I withdraw or get a hold on my account?
The Formal Hearing FAQ says that regardless of your plans to attend CSUSM, an outcome must still be decided. A hold can block adding or dropping classes and getting a transcript. The campus pages do not say how withdrawal affects a Title IX case, so look to your notice and the current CSU documents.
How long do I have to appeal?
Under the CSU Procedures, an appeal goes to the Civil Rights Appeals Unit within 10 Working Days after the Notice of Investigation Outcome or Final Decision. Track 1 appeals are due within 10 Working Days after the date of the decision letter. Follow your decision letter’s instructions. Do not rely on the Formal Hearing FAQ, which says the outcome of that hearing cannot be appealed and is for general conduct cases.
Disclaimer
This page is general educational information, not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by California State University San Marcos or the California State University system. Policies and procedures change, so confirm every deadline against your own notice and the currently posted policy and procedures.
Sources
- CSUSM Office for Title IX and DHR
- CSUSM Title IX and DHR: File a Complaint
- CSUSM Dean of Students: Student Conduct Process
- CSUSM Dean of Students: Formal Hearing FAQs
- Interim CSU Nondiscrimination Policy (with Track 1 attachment)
- Interim CSU Nondiscrimination Policy: Student Respondent Procedures (with Addenda A and B)
- CSU Student Conduct Process
