If you are looking for a Georgia Southern Title IX lawyer after receiving notice of a sexual-misconduct allegation, start with the policy and procedure named in your written notice. This page is general educational information, not legal advice, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Georgia Southern University or the University System of Georgia (USG).
Which policy and version applies
Georgia Southern’s campus sexual-misconduct page identifies USG Sexual Misconduct Policy 6.7 as the governing policy for student cases. The current PolicyStat version of Policy 6.7 is active, with an effective/revision date in December 2025. USG revises this policy from time to time, so the version that applies to your case can depend on when the incident happened and when your notice was issued. Use the version named in your notice and confirm it with the Title IX office.
Policy 6.7 does not treat every sex-related allegation the same way. Section 6.7.4 sets out a specific process for conduct that meets the definition of Title IX sexual harassment. Other sexual-misconduct allegations, and other forms of sex discrimination, can follow different applicable Board or institutional procedures. The allegations and applicable policy determine which route applies. Your written notice should identify the route the university has chosen. Check the notice and ask the Title IX office to clarify any uncertainty before relying on a particular procedure.
Georgia Southern’s 2026-27 Student Code refers to Policy 6.7 but also contains a cross-reference to former section 4.6.5. For the current system procedure, read the active Policy 6.7 text and compare it with the policy and procedure named in your notice. Ask the Title IX office about any conflicting reference.
Georgia Southern’s general equal-opportunity complaint procedure directs student sexual-misconduct matters to Policy 6.7. Its separate deadlines for other complaints should not be applied to a student sexual-misconduct case.
Report versus formal process
An initial report to the Title IX office is not automatically the same as a formal complaint that triggers a hearing process. Whether and how a matter proceeds depends on the information in the report, the policy section that applies, and the written notice eventually issued to the respondent. Read every notice you receive for its stated basis and stated next steps rather than assuming a single fixed sequence.
Early steps after notice
If you receive written notice of allegations, Policy 6.7, Section 6.7.5, gives you at least three business days after that written notice to respond. You may admit or deny the allegations and provide facts, witnesses, and supporting material in your defense. The policy presumes you have not violated it until a final determination is made, and it allows you to decline to participate without an adverse inference being drawn against you. The process can still continue without your participation.
Practical early steps include:
- Preserve every message, document, photo, and other record related to the allegations, including anything that might seem unhelpful. Do not delete or edit anything.
- Identify potential witnesses and note what each one could confirm.
- Read the notice for the specific policy section cited, the described allegations, and any stated deadline.
- Decide on an advisor before your first substantive step in the process.
Investigation and evidence review
Section 6.7.5 also gives each party at least ten calendar days to review and respond to the initial investigation report and related material. The policy states the final investigation report should be provided at least ten calendar days before the hearing. These are separate ten-day periods tied to different documents. Neither is the three-business-day window for responding to written allegations.
Section 6.7.3(G) describes a system target of completing investigation and resolution within 120 business days, with written notice if good cause requires a delay. This is an institutional target, not a personal deadline for a respondent, and it does not guarantee any particular timeline in an individual case.
Advisor and hearing
Section 6.7.3(E) allows each party to choose an advisor, including an attorney. For a Title IX hearing under 6.7.4(E), the advisor conducts questioning of the other party and witnesses; if a party does not have an advisor, the institution provides one for that purpose. Georgia Southern’s process page describes a hearing panel of three trained faculty or staff members, but the panel composition and format for your case should be confirmed from your actual hearing notice rather than assumed from the general description.
Section 6.7.6 requires written notice of the hearing date, time, place, and panel members at least ten calendar days before the hearing. The hearing procedure distinguishes Title IX advisor-conducted questioning from a non-Title IX format, in which questions are submitted in writing to the hearing officer rather than asked directly. The standard of proof used is preponderance of the evidence. Section 6.7.7 lists possible sanctions, up to suspension and expulsion, and no outcome or sanction can be predicted or guaranteed in advance.
Supportive measures and emergency removal
Section 6.7.3(A) allows non-punitive support services for both parties, as appropriate and reasonably available, regardless of how the case is resolved. Sections 6.7.3(B)-(C) separate ordinary temporary measures from emergency removal. An emergency removal order takes effect immediately. The respondent must receive notice of the removal and an opportunity to respond within three business days of receipt of that notice. This is separate from the three-business-day window to respond to written allegations.
Dismissal and appeals
If a complaint is dismissed, Section 6.7.2(F) requires written notice to both parties along with a right to appeal that dismissal. The dismissal subsection does not itself state a filing deadline for that appeal. Do not assume any specific number of days applies to a dismissal appeal without checking the actual dismissal notice and any further controlling instructions it contains.
Separately, Section 6.7.7(B) addresses appeal of a final written outcome decision. That outcome appeal must be filed within five business days of the final written decision, directed to the institution’s President or designee. The outcome appeal and dismissal appeal are distinct. If you receive a written decision, check its appeal instructions and deadline promptly.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Title IX hearing process apply to my case?
The Title IX process applies when the allegations meet the policy’s Title IX definition and jurisdiction. Other sexual-misconduct allegations can follow a different procedure. Check the route in your written notice and ask the Title IX office to clarify it if needed.
How long do I have to respond to the allegations?
At least three business days after you receive written notice of the allegations, under Section 6.7.5.
How long do I have to review the investigation report?
At least ten calendar days to review and respond to the initial report, and the final report should be provided at least ten calendar days before any hearing, under Section 6.7.5.
Can I have an attorney as my advisor?
Yes. Section 6.7.3(E) permits a chosen advisor, including an attorney, and Section 6.7.4(E) gives the advisor a questioning role at a Title IX hearing.
What if I am removed from campus before a hearing?
An emergency removal order can take effect immediately. Under Section 6.7.3(C), you must receive notice and an opportunity to respond within three business days of receiving the removal notice.
How long do I have to appeal a final decision?
Five business days from the final written decision, filed with the institution’s President or designee, under Section 6.7.7(B). A dismissal-notice appeal right exists under Section 6.7.2(F), but check that specific notice for any stated deadline.
More guides for Georgia schools: Georgia Title IX lawyer.
Disclaimer
This page is provided for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or reviewed by Georgia Southern University or the University System of Georgia. No outcome, sanction, or result in any individual case is predicted or guaranteed. Reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Sources
- Georgia Southern Sexual Misconduct page
- USG Sexual Misconduct Policy 6.7 (PolicyStat, active version)
- Georgia Southern Student Conduct page
- 2026-27 Georgia Southern Student Code (Digital Commons)
- Georgia Southern Title IX / Equal Opportunity office
- Georgia Southern general equal-opportunity complaint procedures
