PROCESS
Continued from Page 1
one of defense." Parks said, "(The
victim) must defend themselves
from the attacker and defend
themselves from the administra
tion from which they should he
attaining justice and support ”
Shigeoka has heard similar tes
timonies from women who have
been victims of sexual harassment
and assault.
"Generally, students, faculty
and administrators are unin
formed concerning the definitions
and processes involved,” Shi
geoka said.
In her experience os a women's
advocate. Parks said a number of
female victims have not been
informed of the time limit for fil
ing a formal complaint by officials
on campus. One important piece
of information students, faculty
and staff should be aware of is the
time limit revision to the sexual
harassment policy.
In compliance with the Oregon
State Hoard of Higher Education,
the University has extended its
time limit for filing a formal com
plaint from 180 days to 385 days
The time extension is primarily a
result of a complainant who was
not informed of her time limit to
file a complaint.
Devon Gray, a former under
graduate student in fine arts, was
not informed of the time limit by
individuals and organizations she
pursued concerning her alleged
sexual assault
"I spoke with several Univer
sity organizations and staff mem
bers about mv assault and none
of them told me about the time
extension,” Gray said I worked
my way down the Sexual Harass
ment Network phone list and
finally spoke with Marlene
Drescher. who did inform me of
my 180-day time limit in which
to file a complaint,” said Gray
Gray filed her complaint \2
days after the deadline and there
fore was denied access to a formal
complaint. Drescher and others
lobbied state legislators to revise
the policy and extend the time
limit to 365 days.
The Process
By Kim Stephenson
hy try O»gon Dmfy fmtw)
Sexual Haraaamenl Griev
ance Procedural
The Office of Affirmative
Action handles cases involv
ing power differentials, often
between instructors and stu
dents. The process with Affir
mative Action is as follows.
1. The complainant comes
to the AA Office and has an
informal talk with a human
rights investigator The com
plainant is informed of her/his
options and given information
on how to proceed.
2. If the complainant wish
es to file a formal complaint,
a letter is drafted by AA, sent
to the respondent and a com
prehensive investigation
begins.
3. The AA investigator gath
ers information from witness
es and speaks to the
respondent at least two times
The evidence the investigator
gathers is sent to the Affirma
tive Action Administrative
Council for interpretation and
determination.
4. Both complainant and
alleged offender are informed
of the decision.
5 If a student complainant
is unhappy with tin: decision,
sho can appeal to the chan
cellor, file a complaint with
the Office of Civil Rights in the
U.S. Department of Education
(both at no cost) or obtain an
attorney at personal expense.
fi. If the complainant is an
employee and unhappy with
the decision, she/he can file a
complaint with Bureau of
Labor and Industries, the
Equal Employment Opportu
nity Commission (both at no
cost) or obtain an attorney at
personal expense
The Student Conduct Pro
gram handles case* involving
peers, often a student com
plainant Tiling against anoth
er student. The Conduct Code
Coordinator is Elaine Green
Unlike the AA process, the
Student Conduct Code process
allows the accused to make all
decisions concerning how to
proceed.
t. Green has an informal
conversation with the com
plainant and inform* her/him
of the procedure options.
2. The alleged offender
meets with Green to discuss
his/her options and jointly
decides with Green whether
to proceed through a formal or
informal process.
'i. If the accused chooses an
informal process. Green acts
as an omniscient investigator,
judge and jury. She gathers
information and makes n
determination.
4 If the accused decides to
go with the formal process.
Green acts as a district attor
nev and prepares a case to lie
presented.
5. The case is presented at a
hearing before University
selected attorneys and a
determination is given.
ft If the victim is unhappy
with the decision from the
hearing, she/he can go no fur
ther within the process
7 If the alleged offender is
unhappy with the decision
he/she can appeal to the Uni
versity Appeals Hoard and
then to the State of Oregon
Court of Appeals.
Peter Swiin, assistant lo the
president for legal affairs, assures
that the central administration
was looking at the extension
before the pressure from legisla
tors lie and other committee
members were thinking »f the
time extension primarily l»* atise
of situations involving student
c omplainants who might still !*■
under the power and repernus
sions of an offending professor.
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