(1) Scheduling. If, after reviewing a complaint, the director of SRR decides to initiate conduct review proceedings, the director shall, within ten business days of receiving the initial complaint, appoint a conduct review officer (CRO) to the case and notify the respondent. In cases alleging sexual misconduct, the CRO assigned must have completed training on issues relating to sexual misconduct, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, and Title IX requirements. Notification of the allegations to the respondent must:

(a) Be made in writing;

(b) Include a written list of the allegations against the respondent;

(c) Indicate whether or not the allegation has been assigned to a university investigator and, if so, provide the contact information for the investigator; and

(d) In cases where an allegation is not assigned to an investigator, the information contained in subsection (2) of this section.

(2) After the conclusion of an investigation, or in cases where there is not an investigation, the director will provide written notice to the student the name of the CRO assigned to the case and the deadline for the respondent to contact the CRO in order to schedule a preliminary conference. Whenever possible, the deadline for the respondent to contact the CRO will be within five business days of the date the director of SRR sent notification to the respondent.

(3) Failure to respond: If the respondent fails to respond to the notice of allegations, the director of SRR shall schedule the preliminary conference and notify the respondent. The notification shall be in writing and shall include a date, time, and location of the preliminary conference.

(4) Follow up with complainant. In all cases alleging sexual misconduct or if there will be a full hearing, the SRR office shall notify the complainant(s) of the date, time, and location of the preliminary conference and of their right to attend the conference. The SRR office shall also follow up with the complainant(s)/respondent(s) to inform them of the process of reporting any retaliation or new incidents. If the complainant has experienced any type of retaliatory behavior, the university shall take immediate steps to protect the complainant from further harassment or retaliation.

(5) The procedures for the preliminary conference for brief hearings is contained in WAC 172-121-121. The procedures for the preliminary and prehearing conference for full hearings is contained in WAC 172-121-122.