Supportive Resources
Options for Support, Health Services, Confidential Advocacy, and Legal Assistance
Care and support is available from the following campus
offices: Title IX Coordinator, Health Promotion and Wellness Survivor Support, UWM Police, Dean of Students Office, Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights, and University Housing. Medical and Mental Health Services are available for students on campus at the Student Health and Wellness Center (414-229-7429, uwm.edu/wellness).
Employees may contact UWM’s Employee Assistance Program (833-539-7285; https://uwm.edu/hr/eap/)
Confidential Advocacy Services are available for students
through the Student Health and Wellness Center (victimadvocacy@uwm.edu; 414-229-4582). These services include information about reporting options, accompanying individuals to meetings with UWM investigators or police, addressing safety issues on and off campus, providing emotional support, and other support services.
Confidential Advocacy Services off campus include:
- Aurora Healing and Advocacy Services (414-219-5555)
- Sojourner Family Peace Center (414-933-2722).
For assistance with legal issues, contact the Milwaukee Bar Association Lawyer Referral and Information Service (414-274-6768; findmilwaukeelawyers.org).
For assistance with visa or immigration issues, contact the Center for International Education (CIE); 414-229-4846. Depending on the nature of the issue, CIE may refer you to external resources
Options for Assistance, Protective Measures
You may receive assistance, upon request, from the Title IX Coordinator, even if you choose to report a crime to the police. This assistance could include changes to academic, living, transportation, financial aid, and work situations if such accommodations are requested and reasonably available. Any of these changes will be kept confidential to the extent that maintaining such confidentiality will not impair the University’s ability to provide these accommodations.
Confidentiality is protected through limited disclosure to only those individuals who need to know about them in order to implement or enforce them, and records are maintained confidentially consistent with the University’s obligations for students and employees.
Response Options
Options for Reporting Sexual Misconduct or Declining to Report
Any individual who is not a Responsible Employee under UWM policies may decline to report, report concerns anonymously or report confidentially. Reporting anonymously means to report concerns without providing sufficient information to determine identity. Reporting anonymously may permit you to receive information about available support and resources. Please note that UWM may be limited in its ability to investigate or respond to an incident without sufficient information to follow up on a report.
Reporting confidentially means you inform a person who has an obligation to keep your report confidential, and not share your report with others. Please note that the confidential person to whom you report may disclose that they received a report of sexual misconduct without any identifying information for the purposes of statistical reporting. Confidential reporting options are available on campus through University Counseling (414-229-7429; uwm.edu/wellness) and Advocacy Services (414-229-4582; victimadvocacy@uwm.edu).
Any of the offices listed below can assist with non-confidential reporting (including anonymously):
- Title IX Coordinator, 414-229-7012
- University Police, 414-229-4627
- Dean of Students Office, 414-229-4632
- Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights,
414-229-5923 - University Housing, 414-229-4065
Options for No Contact or Restraining Orders
You may also request a “no contact” order from the Title IX Coordinator, who will work with other campus offices to implement this order when a formal Grievance Process is initiated. You may also petition for a restraining order with your local court. If the court grants a restraining order, it would be illegal for the named individual to approach you or contact you.
- UWM’s Advocate can help students obtain a restraining order and answer questions about this process.
- The UWM Police can also provide information about restraining orders.
The Grievance Process
If a report or formal complaint is filed, UWM will investigate promptly and equitably under applicable UWM policies for addressing sexual misconduct. Contact the Title IX Coordinator if you wish to file a formal complaint and initiate the Grievance Process discussed below. You may also report an incident but request that UWM not investigate the allegations or not pursue disciplinary action against the individual alleged to have engaged in sexual misconduct.
If the incident occurs off campus, you may also choose to contact your local police department. UWM Police can help you identify your local police department. You are not required to report any incident to the police and you will not be required to do so by any UWM Office to whom you report.
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice/U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights.
UWM addresses sexual misconduct through a Grievance Process defined in state regulations (Chapters UWS 4, 6, 7, 11, and 17) and applicable university policies (SAAP 5-1, 5-2, 5-4, and PP Chapter 5) which provide that:
- UWM will use a preponderance of the evidence standard (i.e., more likely than not) in any proceeding involving allegations of sexual misconduct.
- Once a formal complaint is filed, UWM will conduct a fair, neutral investigation and provide both parties with an opportunity to: (1) be interviewed, (2) identify potential witnesses, and (3) provide any available evidence directly related to the complaint.
- UWM will notify both parties, in writing, of any mandatory or discretionary dismissal.
- Each party will be given an opportunity to inspect, review, and respond to any evidence obtained during the investigation that is directly related to allegations in the complaint.
- Investigations shall proceed regardless of any criminal investigation or proceeding. Parties will be notified in writing of any temporary delay for good cause, including concurrent law enforcement activities; considerations for the reasonable absence of any party, advisor, or witness; or accommodations as required by federal or state law.
- Every respondent is presumed to be not responsible for the alleged conduct and determinations regarding responsibility are made at the conclusion of the disciplinary process. The parties will have an equal opportunity to have another individual present throughout the process, including being accompanied by an advisor of their choice.
- As the process proceeds, UWM will issue an investigative report that fairly summarizes all available relevant evidence and provide a written copy to both parties.
- Unless waived by both parties, a live hearing will be conducted in person for most cases.* At UWM’s discretion, participants may appear virtually, with technology enabling individuals simultaneously to see and hear each other. At the hearing, each party’s advisor must ask the other party and any witnesses all relevant follow-up questions, including challenges to credibility. This cross-examination must be conducted by each party’s advisor. If a party does not have an advisor to conduct cross-examination on their behalf, UWM will provide an advisor free of charge, who may be, but is not required to be, an attorney. (Note: some cases involving employees may not require a
live hearing.) - A written hearing decision will be provided to both parties and will include: (1) findings of fact, (2) a determination regarding responsibility, and any disciplinary sanctions to be imposed.
- Either party may appeal dismissal or hearing decisions and request further review as provided under applicable UWM policies. Any decision regarding an appeal will be issued in writing and provided to both parties.
- At no time can either party be required to waive a legally recognized privilege, be prohibited from discussing the allegations under investigation, or be prohibited from gathering or presenting relevant evidence.
- Retaliation against either party for exercising their rights in good faith under these procedures is prohibited and may be subject to disciplinary action.
- UWM students may be subject to disciplinary sanctions in accordance with the nonacademic misconduct provisions of Chapter UWS 17. These sanctions may include: a written reprimand; denial of specified university privileges; payment of restitution; educational or service provisions, including community service; disciplinary probation; imposition of reasonable terms and conditions on continued student status; removal from a course in progress; enrollment restrictions on a course or program; suspension; and/or expulsion. One or
more of these sanctions may be imposed. - UWM employees may be subject to disciplinary measures and/or dismissal in accordance with the procedures of Chapters UWS 4, 6, 7, and PP Chapter 5 (for faculty) or Chapter UWS 11 (for academic staff) or SAAP 5-4 (for university staff and all other employees).
“Complainant” is the term used to refer to the person alleging misconduct. “Respondent” is the term used to refer to the person accused of misconduct