A UNC Charlotte Title IX lawyer can help a student respondent review a notice and identify the applicable university policy. If you received a notice referencing Title IX or University Policy 504, this page explains, in general terms, how that process works. It is written for a student respondent or a family member trying to understand what happens next. It does not replace review of your own notice or advice from a lawyer familiar with your situation.
This page is not affiliated with or endorsed by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. It is general educational content, not legal advice.
Which Policy Version Applies to You
For matters within its defined scope, UNC Charlotte’s Title IX process is set out in University Policy 504, which links to an approved PDF revised December 18, 2025. The policy header says it is effective for violations occurring on or after August 14, 2020.
Because the policy has been revised more than once since 2020, do not assume the December 2025 text automatically governs your matter. Keep the notice you received, check the policy version and dates it cites, and ask the Title IX office to confirm which version applies to your case.
Report vs. Formal Complaint: Two Different Starting Points
UP 504 distinguishes between a report and a Formal Complaint. A report simply brings information to the university’s attention. A Formal Complaint is a document alleging sexual harassment and requesting that the university investigate. It can be submitted by the person reporting harm (the Complainant) or signed by the Title IX Coordinator.
UP 504 only applies to what it defines as Covered Conduct: sexual harassment within the university’s education program or activity, against a person located in the United States. If allegations do not meet that definition, or did not occur in the university’s education program or activity, or did not involve a person in the United States, UP 504 requires dismissal of the matter under that policy. A dismissal under UP 504 does not necessarily end university review. The same conduct may still be addressed under UP 502 or its related student procedures, which have their own separate deadlines. Do not assume UP 504 timelines apply to a UP 502 matter, or the reverse.
If you’re unfamiliar with how these frameworks differ, our page on what Title IX covers provides general background.
What "Day" Means Under This Policy
UP 504 §IV(5) defines a "Day," unless otherwise specified, as a business day on which the university is open. When this page states a number of days under UP 504, it means business days when UNC Charlotte is open. The actual calendar date depends on university closures and the triggering date in your notice.
Early Steps: If You Received Notice
Under UP 504 §VIII(c), once a Formal Complaint is filed, known parties receive written notice of the allegations. This notice should include enough detail to prepare before an initial interview, a statement that you are presumed not responsible, and information about advisors.
If you have received this kind of notice, read it carefully and preserve it. It should identify the known allegations and relevant dates. Confirm the policy version being applied to your case. Do not ignore or delay responding to any notice. Deadlines under this policy run from specific triggering events, and missing a window can limit your options later.
Our page on steps to take after being accused discusses general considerations for someone in this position.
Supportive Measures
UP 504 §VI(a) allows supportive measures for either party before or after a Formal Complaint is filed, or even if no Formal Complaint is ever filed. These measures must be appropriate, reasonably available, and non-disciplinary. The university’s Title IX student page says that the Title IX office coordinates with Student Accountability and Conflict Resolution and supports both parties.
What measures are available will depend on your specific circumstances. This page cannot promise any particular accommodation, and you should raise your needs directly with the Title IX Coordinator’s office.
Investigation and Evidence Review
Investigations under UP 504 involve gathering evidence and interviewing parties and witnesses. Before the investigator finalizes the investigative report, UP 504 §XI(a)(9) requires that parties be sent evidence subject to inspection and review, with 10 Days (10 business days when the university is open) to respond in writing.
Separately, the completed investigative report must be sent to the parties at least 10 Days before a hearing for their review and written response. This is a minimum lead time before a hearing, not a second independent 10-day response period following the evidence review step. Keep track of which notice you’ve received and what its specific deadline is, since these are two different points in the process.
For a broader look at how investigations typically proceed, see our investigation overview.
Advisors and the Hearing
UP 504 §IX allows each party to choose an advisor at their own expense. That advisor does not have to be an attorney. If a party does not have an advisor by the time of a hearing, the university will provide one without fee for the limited purpose of conducting cross-examination at the hearing. This does not provide a personal attorney or general representative throughout the process.
At the hearing itself, UP 504 §XI(b) provides for a trained hearing officer who oversees the proceeding. Cross-examination questions are asked by advisors, not by the parties directly. The hearing officer applies a preponderance-of-the-evidence standard and issues a written determination, which is shared with both parties at the same time through the Title IX Coordinator.
If you want an advisor of your choosing, identify one early enough to review the policy and prepare for the hearing.
Appeals and Emergency Removal: Separate Deadlines
UP 504 sets out more than one deadline related to appeals and reviews. These have separate triggers:
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Appeal of a hearing determination. Under UP 504 §XII(A), an appeal may be based on an outcome-affecting procedural irregularity, newly available evidence that could affect the outcome, or outcome-affecting bias or conflict of interest. That policy says written notice of appeal is due to the Coordinator within 5 Days of issuance of the written determination. That means five business days when the university is open.
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Statements after an appeal is filed. Under UP 504 §XII(B), once an appeal has been submitted, both parties then have 5 Days to submit a statement in support of or against the determination. This deadline comes after the initial notice-of-appeal deadline.
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Appeal of a dismissal. UP 504 also permits appealing a dismissal of a complaint under the policy. The precise deadline and procedure for a dismissal appeal should be confirmed from the dismissal notice itself, rather than assumed to match the hearing-determination deadline above.
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Emergency removal review. If you have been removed from campus or a program on an emergency basis, UP 504 §VII(a) allows you to request termination or modification of that removal within 5 Days of the effective date of the removal. This is a separate deadline from any appeal of a hearing determination.
For student respondents, UP 504 points to §XIV.B of the separate UP 502 student procedure. That section says written appeal rationale may be submitted within 5 Days after delivery of the Notice of Outcome. UP 504 uses "issuance of the written determination" for its notice-of-appeal deadline, while the student procedure uses "delivery of the Notice of Outcome" for written rationale. Do not assume these are the same filing or triggering event. Read your decision notice and ask the Title IX office promptly which documents are required and when each is due.
More detail on appeal rights generally is available on our appeals page.
Overall Timing
UP 504 §III states that the university strives to complete non-appeal proceedings within 60 Days and will provide a written explanation if a case runs longer than 120 Days. These are targets and explanation triggers. They do not guarantee when your case will conclude.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the December 2025 policy apply to my case?
Not necessarily. The policy header says it is effective for violations occurring on or after August 14, 2020. Confirm the governing version for your case from your notice and the Title IX office.
What’s the difference between a report and a Formal Complaint?
A report simply informs the university of a concern. A Formal Complaint is a specific document requesting an investigation, filed by the Complainant or signed by the Coordinator.
Can I bring a lawyer as my advisor?
Yes. UP 504 §IX allows an advisor of your choice at your own expense, and that advisor does not need to be an attorney. You may choose an attorney.
What if I don’t have an advisor for the hearing?
The university will provide one without fee for cross-examination at the hearing. This is not ongoing representation.
How long do I have to appeal a hearing decision?
UP 504 says written notice of appeal is due within five business days when UNC Charlotte is open, measured from issuance of the written determination. Its cross-referenced student procedure describes written rationale within five business days after delivery of the Notice of Outcome. Confirm the required filing and actual due dates from your decision notice and the Title IX office.
Is a dismissal the end of the matter?
Not necessarily. A UP 504 dismissal may still lead to review under another university policy, such as UP 502.
More guides for North Carolina schools: North Carolina Title IX lawyer.
A Note on This Page
This page summarizes provisions of UP 504 as observed in its official online and PDF forms on the date noted above. It does not describe your specific case, does not guarantee any outcome, and is not a substitute for reading your own notice or consulting an attorney. If you have questions about your situation, you can contact us to discuss general options.
