Title IX Defense Oregon

Common Types of Title IX Cases

Title IX cases can take many forms, including the following:

• Sexual discrimination: Includes colleges not accepting female applicants to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs
• Gender bias in athletic programs: For example, not providing female athletes with the same opportunities or funding as their male counterparts
• Sexual harassment: Includes quid pro quo and hostile environment harassment
• Discrimination against parent students: Includes discrimination against students who are pregnant, nursing, or parents
• Rape and sexual assault: Includes instances of non-consensual sexual contact with the alleged victim
• Relationship violence: Includes stalking, domestic violence, and other forms of relationship violence
• Sexual misconduct: Includes other forms of sexually motivated verbal and non-verbal conduct

Because Title IX applies equally to students, faculty, and administrators, Title IX cases can encompass a wide variety of conduct. 

Why Do You Need a Title IX Lawyer? 

Title IX cases are distinct from other types of cases. They are an administrative process that is dictated by the individual school’s policy. Therefore, a Title IX case may be very different in one school than it is in another. 

The same types of protection do not apply in Title IX cases that apply in criminal cases. For example, while Title IX respondents have a right to due process, they don’t necessarily have a right to an impartial hearing. It’s up to the school whether a hearing is provided or not. 

Additionally, criminal cases require the accused to be found guilty by proof beyond a reasonable doubt, but the burden of proof in Title IX cases is much lower, usually by the preponderance of the evidence. 

A Title IX lawyer is aware of these fundamental differences and knows how to best prepare a student for the Title IX process.

Interim Support Measures

Even before an investigation begins, interim support measures could be applied that may adversely affect your life under the guise of providing supportive measures to the complainant. 

Potential interim support measures could require you to:

• Switch classes
• Move out of student housing or switch residence halls
• Change your job schedule
• Have no contact with the accuser
• Watch the complainant be escorted to and from classes

Again, you can face these consequences even if nothing has been proven against you.

Potential Title IX Penalties 

Title IX involves an institution-based administrative process. Therefore, the potential penalties are related to the authority the institution has. As such, potential penalties after making a finding of responsibility under Title IX may include: 

No-Contact Orders

A no-contact order instructs someone not to have contact with another person, which can include:

• Calling them
• Interacting with them on social media
• Not coming within a certain distance from them
• Not contacting them through third parties 

No-contact orders may be unilateral, in which only the respondent is ordered not to have contact, or bilateral, in which both parties are subject to them. No-contact orders can be implemented early in the Title IX process as an interim support measure. Violating a no-contact order can result in additional penalties and disciplinary proceedings.

Suspension

The school could decide to suspend you, which could have negative effects on your education. Your GPA may be irreparably harmed. If you choose to transfer to another school, notes regarding the suspension will be revealed when you provide educational release forms. Suspension could also prevent you from entering school grounds or engaging with friends in their student housing.

Expulsion

In severe cases, the school may decide to expel the student, which means they cannot re-enroll. Expulsions are generally included on student transcripts, so they can affect the ability of the student to finish their studies, obtain a degree, or get a job.

Degree Revocation

Even if the school has already granted you a degree because the alleged misconduct occurred before then, while the case was still pending, or the investigation had not even been opened yet, it can still take adverse action against you. It can revoke the degree it gave to you. This means you can’t claim you graduated or received a degree from there. This could interfere with your ability to find employment or work within your chosen career field. 

Academic Probation

Schools may place students on academic probation as a form of disciplinary action. During academic probation, the student may have to:

• Complete online education modules about consent or drug use on campus
• Maintain a certain grade point average
• Step down from leadership positions 

If the student is involved in any other misconduct while on academic probation, additional penalties can apply, even if those violations have nothing to do with Title IX or sexual misconduct. 

Loss of Financial Aid

Individuals found responsible for violating Title IX can lose scholarships, grants, and loans. If they were part of an athletic team, they could be dismissed from it, resulting in the loss of their athletic scholarship and a loss of prestige on campus. Without this needed financial aid, they could be pushed out of school.

Job Loss

Faculty members who are found responsible for violating Title IX can lose their teaching position and tenure. If a student worked on campus, they could be fired from their on-campus job.

Loss of Leadership Positions and Extracurricular Activities

A finding of responsibility under Title IX can result in students being required to step down from leadership positions on campus. They can be forced out of fraternities or sororities. They can also be banned from participating in school clubs. 

Housing Changes

Accused individuals who reside on campus may be required to relocate from their residence hall, student housing, or faculty housing. You could be banned from living on campus in future semesters.

Mandatory Counseling

The school can order you to seek counseling at your own expense. This could be disruptive to your life, bring about an unexpected expense, and feel intrusive to you. Worse still, you might only have a very short window to complete this requirement and prove compliance with it.

Formal Apology

The school could require you to formally apologize to the complainant. This apology could be recorded and shared on social media or appear online, affecting you at any time that someone searches for your name. This type of apology could be construed as an admission of wrongdoing and provide grounds for the complainant to file a claim against the respondent. 

Involvement of Other Cases

Even though Title IX is a type of case handled at schools and other education institutions, it is not an exclusive remedy. There is nothing that prevents the complainant from reporting the case to authorities and pursuing a criminal case or filing a civil claim against you in court. Additionally, cases could still go through the school’s internal disciplinary grievance procedure. 

In these various types of cases, you can face additional penalties. A grievance procedure can result in negative information being included on your academic record and a damaged reputation at school. Cases that result in criminal charges could potentially result in fines, jail time, probation, and other serious criminal consequences if you are found guilty. A civil claim can result in you facing significant financial penalties awarded to the complainants in the form of damages. 

At KJK Student & Athlete Defense, we provide holistic legal services to our clients. We can assist with any ancillary case propelled by Title IX. We protect you from the harshest consequences and advise you on how your statements and actions can affect other instances. We also assist with reputation management and the removal of negative information online. 

Because the penalties are so harsh in Title IX and related cases, it’s crucial that you work with an experienced Title IX lawyer.

Colleges and Universities in Oregon

Title IX applies to any educational institution or program that receives federal funding. As such, it applies to students, faculty, administrative staff, and vendors conducting business with the institution. However, it most often involves colleges or universities. 

Colleges and universities in Oregon include the following:

• American College of Healthcare Services
• Blue Mountain Community College
• Bushnell University
• Central Oregon Community College
• Chemeketa Community College
• Clackamass Community College
• Clatsop Community College
• College of Emergency Services
• Columbia Gorge Community College
• Corban University
• Eastern Oregon University
• George Fox University
• Gutenberg College 
• Klamath Community College
• Lane Community College
• Lewis & Clark College
• Linfield University
• Linn-Benton Community College
• Mt. Hood Community College
• National University of Natural Medicine
• New Hope Christian College
• Oregon Coast Community College
• Oregon College of Oriental Medicine
• Oregon Health & Science University
• Oregon Institute of Technology
• Oregon State University
• Pacific Bible College
• Pacific Northwest College of Art
• Pacific University
• Portland Bible College
• Portland Community College
• Portland State University
• Reed College
• Rogue Community College
• Southern Oregon University
• Southwestern Oregon Community College
• Sumner College
• Tillamook Bay Community College
• Treasure Valley Community College
• Umpua Community College
• University of Oregon
• University of Portland
• University of Western States
• Warner Pacific University
• Western Oregon University
• Willamette University 

Contact Our Law Firm Today for a Confidential Consultation 

If you are facing accusations of sexual misconduct or other violations of Title IX, the Title IX and criminal defense attorneys at KJK Student & Athlete Defense are here to protect your rights and reputation. Our law firm focuses exclusively on education cases. After assisting more than 1,000 students in over 200 different schools, you can trust that we have the experience necessary to capably handle these cases.

When your freedom and future are on the line, you need a trusted legal advocate. The KJK Student & Athlete Defense team can evaluate your case, explain your legal rights, and answer your questions during a free consultation. Contact us today to learn how we can help.