For a student seeking a University of Virginia Title IX lawyer, this page discusses the published process for respondents at the Charlottesville campus, not UVA Wise. It is general information only, not legal advice, and this page is not affiliated with or endorsed by the University of Virginia. If you have received a notice, check it against the policy and procedure version applicable to your case with UVA EOCR before relying on this page.
Which Policy Version Applies to You
The University of Virginia’s governing policy is HRM-041, listed as Final and revised August 24, 2026. This 2026 revision combined the earlier HRM-040 and HRM-041 policies into one document. For student respondents, HRM-041 routes cases to two appendices maintained by the Office for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights (EOCR):
- Appendix A, Formal Grievance Procedure (the linked PDF says last updated September 2025)
- Appendix B, Alternative Resolution (dated 2024)
These documents have different revision dates. HRM-041 says definitions in effect when the alleged incident occurred apply to older incidents, while its procedures govern reports made after the policy’s effective date. The current posted Appendix A is older than the August 2026 policy revision. Ask EOCR which policy and procedure versions apply to your matter before relying on any deadline below.
Report Versus Formal Complaint
HRM-041 draws a line between a report and a Formal Complaint, and the two do not trigger the same rights or timelines.
A report brings conduct to the university’s attention. It does not, by itself, constitute a signed Formal Complaint requesting an investigation.
A Formal Complaint is a signed document requesting an investigation, filed by a complainant or, in certain circumstances, by the Title IX Coordinator, as described in Appendix A §§II and V. A Formal Complaint starts the formal-resolution steps described in Appendix A unless it is dismissed or the parties complete approved alternative resolution. UVA may offer supportive measures before a Formal Complaint to a complainant.
HRM-041 also separates Title IX Prohibited Conduct from other Sexual or Gender-Based Prohibited Conduct that falls outside Title IX’s narrower federal definition. These two categories can lead to different hearing procedures, discussed below. The location of an alleged incident or how it is initially labeled does not, by itself, determine which category or which process applies – that determination is made by the university under the policy’s definitions. A dismissal of a Title IX complaint also does not automatically end every other possible university process; a dismissed Title IX matter may still proceed under a different provision of HRM-041.
Early Steps After Notice
If you receive a Notice of Investigation, read and preserve it. Appendix A §VI says the notice identifies the parties, known details of the alleged conduct, potential policy violations, assigned investigator, and information about the available resolution processes. It does not expressly require the notice to identify a policy revision date or state a final Title IX classification. Ask EOCR to confirm those points. The deadlines below run from specific transmission or issuance events; do not calculate them from when you happen to open an email.
Ask EOCR whether alternative resolution is available in your case; it requires voluntary participation and coordinator approval.
Investigation and Evidence
Appendix A describes a sequence: notice, investigation, an evidence packet, a final investigation report, and then a hearing before an external decision maker. Two separate response windows apply during this phase, and they should not be confused with each other:
- Evidence packet response: Under Appendix A §XI.D.9, you have 10 business days from transmission of the evidence packet and accompanying materials to submit a written response to the investigator.
- Final report response: Under Appendix A §XI.D.10, you have 10 business days from transmission of the final investigation report and materials to submit a written response to the Title IX Coordinator.
Appendix A §XI.D.11 also permits each party to submit a sanctioning statement to the Title IX Coordinator within 10 business days from transmission of the final report. The Coordinator gives it to the decision maker only if a responsibility finding is entered after the hearing. This is a separate optional submission, not a period that starts after the finding.
The evidence-packet response has its own transmission trigger. The final-report response and sanctioning statement both run from transmission of the final report. Do not assume one period restarts or extends another.
Advisor and Hearing
You are presumed not responsible throughout the process, and the hearing decision is made under a preponderance-of-the-evidence standard.
Every party may have an advisor of choice, and that advisor may be an attorney. What the advisor is permitted to do at hearing depends on the track:
- In a Title IX Prohibited Conduct hearing, advisors ask questions of the other party and witnesses. If a party does not have an advisor present, UVA will provide one at no charge solely for the purpose of conducting that questioning.
- In hearings for other covered misconduct (outside the Title IX Prohibited Conduct definition), parties instead submit questions to the decision maker, who poses them.
You are not required to hire an attorney. Advisors generally may support and advise but may not speak for a party outside the hearing questioning described in Appendix A. For a Title IX Prohibited Conduct hearing with a party present, an advisor must conduct questioning; UVA appoints one for that limited purpose if needed.
Appendix A §§XI.C and XII.D state that the hearing is held not less than 10 business days after issuance of the final report, with general phase targets that are subject to good-cause extensions. This 10-business-day figure is a minimum spacing rule for scheduling the hearing, not a deadline for a respondent to file anything. A written determination is generally issued within 15 business days after the hearing, though this period may be extended for good cause.
Supportive Measures
HRM-041 treats complainants and respondents differently for supportive measures. A complainant may receive supportive measures before any Formal Complaint is filed. A respondent, by contrast, becomes eligible for supportive measures after a Formal Complaint has been filed. No specific measure is promised at the point of an initial report, and what is available will depend on the circumstances of the case and university discretion.
Appeals
There are two separate appeal windows in Appendix A, tied to two separate triggering events. Do not treat them as interchangeable:
- Dismissal appeal: Under Appendix A §VIII.D, a party may appeal a dismissal within five business days from the date of the Dismissal Notification. See EOCR’s dismissal FAQ for a plain-language summary, though the FAQ does not replace Appendix A itself.
- Merits/sanction appeal: Under Appendix A §XV.A–D, a party may appeal the outcome or sanction within five business days of transmission of the Written Determination. See EOCR’s appeal FAQ for a summary.
These are two different five-business-day windows with different triggers. Confirm your case-specific due date with EOCR and the applicable procedure, especially if the policy version or transmission date is disputed.
Alternative Resolution
Appendix A §IV.B permits parties to request alternative resolution after Notices of Investigation are issued and before the hearing, provided participation is voluntary and the Title IX Coordinator approves. Appendix B requires a Formal Complaint and allows a party to withdraw before the signed Alternative Resolution Agreement is returned to the parties. This page concerns student respondents. Appendix B contains inconsistent wording about employee-respondent eligibility, so it should not be used to describe that separate situation.
Sanctions
If responsibility is found, possible sanctions under Appendix A can include a warning, probation, suspension, or expulsion. Not every finding results in the same sanction, and a finding does not automatically mean a transcript notation will follow – the outcome depends on the specific case.
FAQs
Does receiving a report mean a case has started against me?
A report is not itself a Formal Complaint. Appendix A §§II and V require a signed document requesting investigation for formal resolution.
Am I required to have a lawyer at my hearing?
No attorney is required by Appendix A. You may choose an advisor, including an attorney. In a Title IX Prohibited Conduct hearing with a party present, an advisor must conduct questioning, and UVA will appoint one for that limited purpose if the party has none.
Can my advisor speak for me at every stage?
No. Appendix A limits advisor participation outside hearing questioning. Title IX Prohibited Conduct hearings use advisor questioning; other covered hearings use questions submitted for the decision maker to pose.
How long do I have to respond to the evidence packet?
Under the posted Appendix A §XI.D.9, a response is due within 10 business days from transmission of the evidence packet and accompanying materials. The final-report response in §XI.D.10 has its own trigger.
What if I want to appeal a dismissal versus a final determination?
These use different windows: five business days from the Dismissal Notification for a dismissal appeal (§VIII.D), or five business days from transmission of the Written Determination for a merits/sanction appeal (§XV.A–D).
Will I get supportive measures right away?
HRM-041 describes supportive measures for respondents after a Formal Complaint is filed. Any particular measure depends on what is appropriate and reasonably available; an initial report alone does not guarantee one.
More guides for Virginia schools: Virginia Title IX lawyer.
Disclaimer
This page is general educational information about publicly posted University of Virginia policy documents. It is not legal advice, does not create an attorney-client relationship, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the University of Virginia. Deadlines and procedures described here summarize the documents posted as of September 25, 2026. Your case documents may identify relevant dates, but ask EOCR to confirm the applicable policy and procedure versions.
