Investigation Process (FAQ)
Minnesota State College Southeast is committed to eliminating sexual violence in all forms and will take appropriate remedial action against any individual found responsible for acts in violation of this policy. Acts of sexual violence may also constitute violations of criminal or civil law, or other Board Policies, that may require separate proceedings.
Minnesota State College Southeast adopts Board Policy 1B.3, Sexual Violence Policy, and Board Procedure 1B.3.1 Response to Sexual Violence and Title IX Sexual Harassment as its policy and procedure.
The following information provides guidance and support to understanding the Minnesota State Procedure 1B.1.1 Report/Complaint of Discrimination/Harassment Investigation and Resolution, and the Minnesota State Procedure 1B.3.1 Response to Sexual Violence and Title IX Sexual Harassment. The information provided here is based on frequently asked questions, and is not meant to be an exhaustive list, but is a place to begin. If you have additional questions, please contact the Title IX Coordinator.
What is an investigation?
An investigation is a fact-finding interview conducted in response to a complaint and to gather information from potentially involved parties. At this point there has been no determination of any wrongdoing.
What is my role?
An involved person can either be the complainant (person beginning the complaint), respondent (person accused) or a witness. All parties are entitled to the same rights and protections regardless of their status.
How long with the process take?
There is no way to predict with certainty exactly how long an investigation will take. It often depends on the availability of witnesses. This is often affected by breaks in the academic year. You can expect that an investigation will generally take several weeks to a few months.
Will I be notified when the investigation is complete?
Generally, the investigator will notify the complainant and respondent when the investigation is complete and has been forwarded to the decision maker.
Who conducts the investigation?
The investigator must be a neutral party. The individual must also be trained in appropriate investigative techniques through the Minnesota State System. Depending on the situation, the investigator can be a staff member of Southeast or an outside consultant.
What happens at an investigation meeting?
The process will be explained at the beginning of the meeting. An interview with structured questions will follow. The investigator will take notes and ask follow-up questions as appropriate. The interviewee will be given the opportunity to add additional comments at the end of the interview.
If I file a complaint, will others know that I was the one who filed it?
Depending on the matter and the procedure in which the investigation is being conducted under, the name may not be specifically stated regarding who filed the complaint. If interim measures are taken, or if the matter is investigated pursuant to the 1B.3.1 Procedure, names of complainants and respondents will be shared so that appropriate actions/response case occur. Enough information regarding a particular situation has to be shared to allow for others to respond. This may lead to other individuals interviewed being able to draw a conclusion on who filed the complaint simply based on the information shared.
Will I automatically be disciplined/sanctioned just because an investigation is started?
No. The investigation is a neutral fact-finding process. It is possible that no misconduct will be found, and it is possible that misconduct may be found.
Can someone take adverse action against me if I bring a complain/concern forward?
That State of Minnesota, as well as Southeast college, does not allow retaliation against anyone involved. There are policies that state an individual cannot retaliate against others; nor would it allow others to retaliate against you for bringing a concern forward. Retaliation takes many forms; none of which will be allowed. Should retaliation occur, it will be investigated and dealt with accordingly.
Am I required to attend an investigatory meeting if asked to do so?
Attendance is not required. However, a decision on what happened and whether any misconduct occurred may be made without input from that individual.
Where do I turn if the conflict I am experiencing in the workplace is directly with my immediate supervisor?
If an employee is in a situation where they are having a conflict with their immediate supervisor, they should bring the concern/complaint to the next level of management and/or Human Resources. If the conflict involves discrimination or harassment the employee should go to either the Title IX coordinator or Title IX Deputy.
Will the information I give be kept confidential?
The information will be shared with the appropriate individuals that need the information to make a decision as to whether or not misconduct has occurred. It is otherwise confidential.
Do I need to provide documents or evidence regarding the complaint?
If you have documentation it is always helpful. If you do not know what to bring initially, the investigator will always give you the opportunity to provide documents at a later date.
Will it be publicly known that a complaint has been filed and what it is alleging?
It is public under the law that a complaint has been filed and the status of the complaint. Other information is not public but can be shared with individuals involved to the extent necessary to allow them to respond to the allegation(s) in the complaint or make a decision.
What is a Tennessen warning or data privacy notice, and why is it given during an interview?
A Tennessen Warning or Data Privacy Notice is a notification that must be given to an individual that is asked to supply private or confidential data concerning them. It is provided during an investigatory interview to inform the individual of the purpose and intended use of the requested data; whether the individual may refuse or is legally required to supply the requested data; any known consequence arising from supplying or refusing to supply the data; and the identity of other persons or entities that may be authorized to receive the data collected.