Hampshire College will provide the parties equal access to advisors and support persons; any restrictions on advisor participation will be applied equally.
The College has a long-standing practice of requiring students to participate in the process directly and not through an advocate or representative. Students participating as Complainant or Respondent in this process may be accompanied by an Advisor of Choice and/or a Support Person to any meeting or hearing to which they are required or are eligible to attend. The Advisor of Choice and/or Support Person is not an advocate. Except where explicitly stated by this Policy, as consistent with the Final Rule, Advisors of Choice and/or Support Person shall not participate directly in the process as per standard policy and practice of Hampshire College.
Hampshire College will not intentionally schedule meetings or hearings on dates where the Advisors of Choice for all parties are not available, provided that the Advisors act reasonably in providing available dates and work collegially to find dates and times that meet all schedules.
Hampshire College’s obligations to investigate and adjudicate in a prompt timeframe under Title IX and other college policies apply to matters governed under this Policy, and Hampshire College cannot agree to extensive delays solely to accommodate the schedule of an Advisor of Choice. The determination of what is reasonable shall be made by the Title IX Coordinator or designee. Hampshire College will not be obligated to delay a meeting or hearing under this process more than five (5) business days due to the unavailability of an Advisor of Choice, and may offer the party the opportunity to obtain a different Advisor of Choice or utilize one provided by Hampshire College.
Notice of Meetings and Interviews
Hampshire College will provide, to a party whose participation is invited or expected, written notice of the date, time, location, participants, and purpose of all hearings, investigative interviews, or other meetings with a party, with sufficient time for the party to prepare to participate.
Delays
Each party may request a one-time delay in the Grievance Process of up to five (5) business days for good cause (granted or denied in the sole judgment of the Title IX Coordinator, Dean of Students, or designee) provided that the requestor provides reasonable notice and the delay does not overly inconvenience other parties.
For example, a request to take a five day pause made an hour before a hearing for which multiple parties and their advisors have traveled to and prepared for shall generally not be granted, while a request for a five day pause in the middle of investigation interviews to allow a party to obtain certain documentary evidence shall generally be granted.
Title IX Coordinator, Dean of Students, or designee shall have sole judgment to grant further pauses in the Process.
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