A Grand Valley State Title IX lawyer may help a student respondent review a notice from the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX (OCRTIX). This page explains the published process at a general level for students and families. It does not replace legal advice and is not affiliated with GVSU.
Which Policy and Procedure Applies
GVSU’s Title IX process is described in the Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, Harassment, and Misconduct and in a separate resolution procedure document. The policy page shows an October 10, 2025 last-update date. The policy hub shows a later page modification date and links to an August 2025 Resolution Process PDF, which is currently the procedure document GVSU points to from that hub.
There is some complexity worth understanding before you assume which version applies to your situation. The policy states it applies to incidents on or after August 14, 2020, and says it is retroactively effective from that date under February 2025 Department of Education guidance. The August 2025 procedure PDF, separately, says it succeeds earlier procedures for incidents on or after September 6, 2024, and is retroactively effective from that date. The policy body also contains at least one older link that resolves to a February 2025 procedure PDF rather than the August 2025 version.
Because of this layering, do not assume the current webpage automatically controls an older incident. If you are involved in an active matter, ask OCRTIX directly, in writing, which policy and procedure version governs the specific allegations against you. Keep their written answer.
Report vs. Formal Complaint
Under GVSU’s framework, a "report" and a "complaint" are not the same thing. A report puts the university on notice that something may have happened. OCRTIX can contact the complainant, offer support, and assess the next step without opening a disciplinary process against a respondent.
A complaint can start either an informal resolution process or a formal resolution process, including a possible investigation and hearing. In some circumstances, OCRTIX itself can initiate a complaint. Not every report leads to a complaint, and not every complaint leads to a hearing. If you are unsure whether a complaint has been opened against you, ask OCRTIX directly.
Early Steps If You Are Contacted
If you receive any communication from OCRTIX, do not ignore it and do not assume it will resolve itself. Early, practical steps include:
- Save the exact notice. Keep the original email or letter, including its date and any attachments.
- Confirm what stage you are in. Ask whether a report or a formal complaint is open, and whether an investigation has started.
- Ask which policy and procedure version applies to the alleged conduct and the notice you received.
- Start organizing evidence and witnesses while your memory and access to messages, schedules, and documents are still fresh.
- Ask OCRTIX to clarify any deadline in writing rather than guessing at what a date in a notice means.
Do not assume you can wait to respond until you feel ready. Several steps in this process run on short business-day clocks, described below.
Notice of Investigation and Evidence Review
Before an investigation begins, OCRTIX sends a written Notice of Investigation and Allegations (NOIA). The procedure says it typically identifies the known parties, the alleged conduct, the date and location if known, the policy provision at issue, the applicable process, and the presumption of nonresponsibility.
During the investigation, you generally have a chance to suggest witnesses and to suggest questions for the investigator to ask. You also have a right to review evidence gathered in the case.
Two separate document-review periods matter here. Each is at least 10 days, but they are triggered by different events:
- GVSU’s procedure states that electronic copies of the evidence, and any evidence summary, are provided to parties at least 10 days before the investigation report is finalized.
- Separately, the final investigation report is provided to parties and their advisors at least 10 days before a live hearing.
The procedure document uses the word "days," not "business days," for both of these 10-day periods. Do not assume they mean the same thing as a business-day deadline elsewhere in the process.
GVSU’s stated overall target for resolving a matter, including any appeal, is 60 to 90 business days, and investigations are normally expected to finish within 60 business days. These are described as good-faith targets, not fixed promises. The procedure allows extensions for good cause, with updates to the parties. Do not treat these numbers as a guaranteed calendar.
The initial evaluation of a report is generally expected within about seven business days of notice, but this is described as an internal office target rather than a deadline that a student must meet.
Advisor and Hearing
You may bring an advisor of your choice to meetings, interviews, and the hearing. An advisor may be an attorney, but you are not required to use one, and GVSU is not obligated to provide an attorney. GVSU can offer a trained advisor from its own pool if you do not have one. For the formal grievance process specifically, having an advisor is required, and if a party does not have one for the hearing, OCRTIX will provide one to conduct questioning on that party’s behalf during the hearing.
Outside their assigned role in a meeting, interview, or hearing, advisors generally cannot speak on your behalf.
At a live hearing, advisors, rather than the parties themselves, ask questions of the other party and witnesses. The procedure includes detailed pre-hearing and evidentiary rules that go beyond what this page summarizes; do not assume the hearing works like a courtroom trial. Parties may request access to the hearing recording afterward.
Supportive Measures and Interim Actions
GVSU’s policy describes supportive measures for the parties upon notice, even before a complaint is filed. Its prompt-response section specifically says OCRTIX offers them to a respondent when formal resolution starts or informal resolution is offered to that respondent. If a measure would help you participate or preserve access to classes, ask OCRTIX what is available at your current stage; do not assume a complaint must be filed before you ask.
If you face an emergency removal or interim suspension, the procedure gives you a right to challenge that action within two business days of the notice of the removal or suspension. Following your challenge, a meeting is generally scheduled as soon as reasonably possible. That meeting addresses only the interim action itself; it does not decide whether the underlying allegations are true. A written decision on the interim action is typically issued within three business days of that meeting.
Appeals
GVSU’s procedure has two distinct appeal tracks, with two different triggering events. Do not confuse them:
- Dismissal appeal: If a complaint is dismissed, a written appeal request must be emailed within three business days of the dismissal notification.
- Determination appeal: If you receive a Notice of Outcome after a hearing, a written appeal request must be submitted to OCRTIX within three business days of delivery of that Notice of Outcome.
For an accepted determination appeal, the other parties and any involved officials have three business days to respond to the part of the appeal that involves them. The dismissal-appeal process has its own three-business-day response period. Appeal grounds are limited, and an appeal is not a new hearing.
Always check the exact wording and date on your own notice. The three-business-day windows above are short, and they start from different events depending on whether you are appealing a dismissal or a final determination.
FAQs
Does every Title IX report at GVSU lead to an investigation?
No. A report notifies the university and can lead to supportive measures. An investigation generally follows only once a complaint proceeds to the formal resolution process.
Do I have to hire an attorney as my advisor?
No. You may use an attorney, a trained GVSU advisor, or another advisor of your choosing, subject to the procedure’s rules about their role.
What happens if I miss a three-business-day appeal window?
The procedure treats these as short, specific deadlines tied to the date of a particular notice. Read your notice carefully and contact OCRTIX promptly if anything is unclear; this page cannot tell you what happens after a missed window in your specific case.
Are the 60 to 90 business day figures a guarantee?
No. GVSU describes these as good-faith targets, with allowance for extensions for good cause and case updates along the way.
Which procedure version applies to my case?
It depends on when the alleged conduct occurred and which document GVSU determines governs it. Ask OCRTIX in writing to confirm the applicable policy and procedure version for your matter.
Can I ask about supportive measures without a formal complaint?
Yes. The policy discusses measures upon notice, while its prompt-response section ties the offer to a respondent to formal resolution or an offer of informal resolution. Ask OCRTIX what is available at your stage.
More guides for Michigan schools: Michigan Title IX lawyer.
Disclaimer
This page is for general educational purposes only. It is not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Title IX Defense Group is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of Grand Valley State University. Procedures, deadlines, and policy versions can change; always confirm current requirements directly with GVSU’s Office of Civil Rights and Title IX and review your own notices carefully.
If you would like to discuss your situation, you can contact us.
