If you are looking for a University of Kansas Title IX lawyer after being named in a Title IX report or complaint, this page covers the Lawrence and Edwards campuses. KU Medical Center runs a separate Title IX procedure and is not covered here.
This is general educational information. It is not legal advice, and it does not create a lawyer-client relationship. This page is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by the University of Kansas.
Confirm the Policy That Applies to You
KU’s Office of Civil Rights & Title IX (OCRTIX) maintains a hub page linking two separate procedures: the Title IX Resolution Process, which governs intake and investigation, and the Hearing Procedures for Complaints of Sexual Harassment, which governs what happens after the final investigation report is sent to the hearing office. The Sexual Harassment Policy also distinguishes Lawrence/Edwards procedures from those used at the medical center.
KU has stated that this content is under review in light of recent federal guidance. Administrative and formatting dates on these pages change from time to time, and a changed date does not necessarily mean the substance of the process has changed. Before relying on anything below, check the live version of each linked page, confirm your campus (Lawrence/Edwards, not the medical center), and read the specific written notice you received. If your notice describes different steps or deadlines than what is summarized here, follow your notice and ask the office that issued it to clarify. The version of these procedures that applies to you can depend on the date of the incident and the date of your notice, so ask OCRTIX to confirm in writing which version governs your case.
Report Versus Formal Complaint
A report made by form, email, or phone to OCRTIX does not by itself open a formal Title IX complaint. A report can lead to supportive measures for either party even if no formal complaint is ever filed. If you have only received informal contact from OCRTIX, it is worth asking directly whether a formal complaint has been opened and what stage you are in.
Conduct that falls outside Title IX’s scope may instead go through KU’s Discrimination Complaint Resolution Process, which is a different track with its own steps. A general student-conduct explainer also exists on a separate KU site; it describes a different process and should not be used as a source for Title IX deadlines.
Early Steps and Supportive Measures
If you are named as a respondent, you may be eligible for supportive measures regardless of whether a formal complaint has been filed. These are meant to be non-punitive and can include things like no-contact directives or adjustments to schedules or housing. Supportive measures are not a finding of responsibility.
At this stage, it is reasonable to ask OCRTIX in writing what stage your matter is in, whether a formal complaint has been opened, and what the current applicable policy version is for your case, since the policy has been updated more than once.
Investigation and Evidence
Once a formal complaint proceeds to investigation, the Resolution Process describes a 60-working-day goal for completing the investigation. KU describes this as a goal, not a fixed deadline, and the process allows for extensions with notice to the parties. Do not assume your case will close by a specific calendar date based on this goal alone.
During the investigation, parties and their advisors are given 10 calendar days to review and respond to collected evidence and the preliminary investigative report. This 10-day window is a distinct clock from any of the deadlines discussed below. Missing it can limit your ability to respond to evidence before the report is finalized, so calendar it carefully as soon as you receive it.
Advisor of Choice and the Hearing
After the final investigative report is forwarded for scheduling, KU’s Resolution Process says a live hearing will be scheduled no sooner than 14 calendar days, but that sentence does not expressly identify the start date for those 14 days. The separate Hearing Procedures say the prehearing conference and hearing cannot occur earlier than 14 calendar days from transmittal of the written hearing notice. Do not calculate the first period from report transmission or assume it starts on the same date as the hearing-notice period. Check the actual dates in your notices with KU.
For student respondents, hearings are administered through the Office of the Vice Provost for Student Affairs. A Hearing Chair and a two-member panel apply the preponderance-of-the-evidence standard.
You may bring an advisor of your choice to the hearing. If you do not have an advisor present, KU will provide one to you without fee for the purpose of conducting any questioning at the hearing. It is worth deciding early who your advisor will be, since advisor questioning is part of the hearing procedure.
KU describes the written decision as typically transmitted within 14 days after the hearing, but the procedure itself says this may vary and does not specify whether that period is calendar or business days. Treat this as an expectation, not a guaranteed deadline, and do not schedule around it as if it were fixed.
Two Separate Appeal Rights: Do Not Confuse Them
KU’s process has two distinct appeal stages, with different triggers, recipients, and time limits. Mixing them up can cost you your appeal window.
Appeal of an initial administrative closure without a full investigation (Resolution Process, Section VII.A): if OCRTIX closes a matter administratively without a full investigation, a party may appeal by a signed, written request to the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost or their designee. This appeal must be filed within seven calendar days of the date of the notice of the investigator’s findings. The other party then has seven calendar days to submit a statement after being notified of the appeal.
Appeal of the Hearing Chair’s dismissal or written determination (Hearing Procedures, Section XIII): the Hearing Chair can dismiss a complaint before the hearing; a written determination follows a completed hearing. An appeal of either goes in writing to the Chair of the University Judicial Board. It must be filed within 14 days of receiving the dismissal or determination notice. The Hearing Procedures do not specify whether these 14 days are calendar days or business days, so confirm this directly with the office identified in your notice.
These two appeal paths have different recipients, triggering events, day counts and units. Read your own written notice carefully, and if anything is unclear, ask the issuing office directly which appeal path applies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a report automatically become a formal Title IX complaint?
No. A report by form, email, or phone does not by itself start a formal complaint. Supportive measures may still be available without one.
Is the 60-working-day investigation period a hard deadline?
No. KU describes it as a goal, and the process allows extensions with notice to the parties.
How long do I have to respond to evidence during the investigation?
Parties and advisors have 10 calendar days to respond to collected evidence and the preliminary report. Confirm the exact date this period starts based on your own notice.
Can I bring my own advisor to the hearing?
Yes. If you do not have one, KU will provide an advisor without fee for questioning witnesses at the hearing.
Are the two appeal deadlines the same?
No. The seven-calendar-day appeal of an administrative closure and the 14-day appeal of a hearing dismissal or determination have different triggers, recipients, and day counts. Do not treat them as interchangeable.
Will the written hearing decision come exactly 14 days after the hearing?
KU describes this as typical, not guaranteed. The procedure does not commit to a fixed calendar or business-day count.
More guides for Kansas schools: Kansas Title IX lawyer.
A Note Before You Rely on This Page
Policies and hearing procedures are updated periodically, sometimes with formatting or link changes that do not affect substance and sometimes with real changes to process. Always check the live KU pages linked below and the specific written notice sent to you before making decisions about deadlines.
If you want to talk through your situation with our firm, you can reach out through our contact page. Reaching out does not create representation and is simply a way to ask questions.
