If you are searching for a Wayne State Title IX lawyer after being named in a report or complaint, first check the policy cited in your notice. Wayne State currently links an interim Title IX policy, but the process and deadlines for a particular case depend on the applicable policy and the dates of the alleged conduct and complaint. This guide explains that published policy for students and parents using university sources.
Which Policy Applies
Wayne State’s Title IX policies page currently points to the 10.13 Interim Title IX Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedures. That policy says it took effect August 14, 2020, was revised and reviewed September 19, 2022, and was due for another review by September 19, 2025. The university’s 2026–27 undergraduate and graduate catalogs also point to the interim policy.
The live policy webpage shows update metadata from September 30, 2025, but the text of the policy itself still shows the 2022 revision date. That does not necessarily mean the substance changed. Wayne State’s Board of Governors code and Dean of Students code both describe the interim guidelines as applying "while [they] remain in effect," with a later, separate Sexual Misconduct Policy to follow. As of this writing, the interim policy 10.13 is what the university’s own current pages link to.
These public links do not establish which version applies to every past incident or present complaint. Check the exact policy citation on your notice and ask the Title IX Office which policy applies to your alleged conduct date and complaint date. Also ask which process applies if the allegation falls outside Policy 10.13. Its cross-reference to an older discrimination-complaint policy is outdated because APPM 15.15 says it supersedes that policy. Do not assume the general student-conduct appeal deadline applies to a Title IX case.
Report vs. Formal Complaint
Under Policy 10.13, a report and a formal complaint are not the same thing. A report brings information to the university. A formal complaint, filed by the complainant or signed by the Title IX Coordinator, starts the particular formal grievance process described in this policy. The university may still respond to a report without a formal complaint, including through supportive measures; its reporting page describes broader obligations to respond.
Once a formal complaint is filed, the Title IX Office is required to send known parties written notice of the allegations and the process, with enough time to prepare before an initial interview. The policy states that a respondent is presumed not responsible until the process concludes. The university carries the burden of gathering evidence and proof.
Early Steps After Notice
If you receive written notice, read it carefully and note exactly what it says about your interview date, the allegations described, and any documents attached. Do not ignore it and do not assume it will resolve on its own. The policy gives you time to prepare before an initial interview, and that preparation period matters.
Under Policy 10.13, both parties may be accompanied by an advisor of choice at related meetings or proceedings. The advisor may be an attorney, though the policy does not require one.
Investigation and Evidence Review
Policy 10.13 separates the investigation into distinct stages, each with its own deadline:
- Evidence review stage. Before the university finishes its investigative report, it must send the parties (and any advisors) the evidence gathered so far, for inspection and review. Parties then have at least 10 days to submit a written response to that evidence.
- Investigative report stage. Separately, the university must send the investigative report to the parties at least 10 days before the hearing or other responsibility determination for review and a written response.
These are two different 10-day periods. One concerns the evidence, and the other concerns the finished report. They should not be treated as one combined window. The investigation page on Wayne State’s Title IX site separately describes both stages as well.
Advisor Role and Hearing
When a formal complaint proceeds to adjudication under Policy 10.13, the policy calls for a live hearing, held in person or virtually. A few features of that hearing are worth knowing in advance:
- At a live hearing, cross-examination of the other party and witnesses is conducted by the advisor, not by the party personally.
- If a party does not have an advisor present at the hearing, the university must provide one at no charge to conduct cross-examination.
- The decision-maker at the hearing cannot be the same person who served as Title IX Coordinator or investigator on the case.
- The standard used to decide responsibility is preponderance of the evidence, meaning whether the evidence makes it more likely than not that the respondent violated the policy as alleged.
- After the hearing, the decision-maker issues a written determination to both parties simultaneously. The policy does not say the decision must be issued when the hearing ends.
Listed student sanctions under the formal process include warning, probation, suspension, and expulsion following a responsibility determination. Separately, the policy allows emergency removal before the investigation concludes if an individualized safety and risk analysis finds the stated immediate threat, with post-removal notice and a chance to challenge the removal. Voluntary informal resolution may also include agreed sanctions or measures. An allegation alone is not a finding of responsibility.
Supportive Measures
Supportive measures may be offered to respondents as well as complainants, before a formal complaint is filed, after one is filed, or even if no formal complaint is filed. Wayne State’s supportive-measures page gives examples such as class or work schedule adjustments and mutual no-contact arrangements. These measures are not disciplinary findings against either party.
Reports can be made through the Title IX Office at TitleIX@wayne.edu or 313-577-9999, as listed on the reporting page. That page also states there is no university statute of limitations on reporting, and it distinguishes university reporting from police reporting, which are separate tracks.
Appeals
Appeal rights under Policy 10.13 involve several separate deadlines, each with its own trigger. It is important not to mix these up:
- Initial appeal request. Either party may submit a written request for appeal to the Title IX Coordinator within seven days of delivery of the written responsibility determination, or of a written dismissal of the formal complaint or an allegation. The policy defines "Day" as a day the university is in normal operation, and treats an appeal notice sent to a university email address as presumptively delivered once emailed.
- Screening. The appeals officer conducts an initial screening within five days of receiving the appeal request.
- Supporting statement. If the appeal is screened in, the appealing party has seven days from receipt of the screening notice to submit a supporting statement.
- Opposition statement. The opposing party then has seven days from receipt of that supporting statement to submit a written opposition.
- Written appeal determination. The policy states a 30-day period from appeal initiation to a written appeal determination, subject to good-cause delay or extension with written notice to the parties.
The initial appeal window runs from delivery of the written determination or dismissal, not from the hearing date. If you plan to appeal, preserve the written notice and university email timestamp, then confirm with the Title IX Office how the policy counts normal operating days and any closure dates.
Overall Timeframe
Policy 10.13 states that a formal complaint is to reach a written determination within 120 days of filing, subject to good-cause delay or a limited extension with written notice. If informal resolution is available and the parties and Title IX Coordinator agree to it, that process delays the formal timeline and has a stated period of 60 days. The policy excludes complaints alleging an employee sexually harassed a student and cases involving sexual assault from informal resolution. These are stated process targets, not a guarantee about how long any individual case will actually take.
FAQs
Does learning of a report mean a formal complaint has been filed against me?
Not necessarily. Policy 10.13 treats a report and a formal complaint as separate things. Its formal grievance process starts with a formal complaint, though the university can respond to a report in other ways.
Can I bring a lawyer as my advisor?
Yes. Policy 10.13 allows each party to bring an advisor of choice, who may be an attorney, to assist through the process, including cross-examination at a hearing.
What happens if I don’t have an advisor for the hearing?
The university will provide one at no cost, because cross-examination at a live hearing must be conducted by an advisor, not by the party personally.
How long do I have to respond to the evidence gathered in the investigation?
Policy 10.13 gives parties at least 10 days to submit a written response after the evidence is sent for review. Separately, the investigative report must be sent at least 10 days before a hearing or other responsibility determination for review and a written response.
How long do I have to appeal a determination?
Under Policy 10.13, seven days from delivery of the written determination or dismissal, using that policy’s definition of "day" as a normal university operating day. If your notice cites a different policy, use the appeal deadline stated in your notice and confirm it with the Title IX Office.
Is a respondent assumed responsible while the case is pending?
No. Policy 10.13 states the respondent is presumed not responsible until the grievance process concludes.
More guides for Michigan schools: Michigan Title IX lawyer.
Disclaimer
This page is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Wayne State University. It is general educational information based on publicly available university policy documents, not legal advice, and not a substitute for reviewing your own written notice or consulting an attorney about your specific situation. Policies change; always confirm current requirements against the university’s official published policy and your own notice.
Sources
- Wayne State Title IX Policies & Procedures page
- Policy 10.13: Interim Title IX Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedures
- Wayne State Title IX Investigation page
- Wayne State Title IX Supportive Measures page
- Wayne State Title IX Reporting page
- Wayne State Title IX homepage
- Board of Governors Student Code, Section 2-31-02
- Dean of Students Office: Student Conduct Code
- APPM 15.15: Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Process
- 2026–27 Undergraduate Catalog: University Policies
- 2026–27 Graduate Catalog: University Policies
