(1) The parties shall have the right to appeal from the initial order's determination of responsibility and/or dismissal of an allegation(s) of sexual harassment in a formal complaint. The parties may by filing a written notice of appeal with the hearing panel chair within ten calendar days of service of the student conduct official's, or hearing panel's decision. Failure to timely file a notice of appeal constitutes a waiver of the right to appeal and the decision shall be deemed final.
Either party may appeal based on the following criteria: Procedural irregularity that affected the outcome of the determination; new evidence discovered that was not reasonably available at the time of the determination; a conflict of interest from a Title IX administrator; or severity of sanctioning is not consistent with the violation.
(2) The president or their designee will determine whether the grounds for appeal have merit, provide the rationale for this conclusion, and state whether the disciplinary sanction and condition(s) imposed in the initial order are affirmed, vacated, or amended, and, if amended, set forth any new disciplinary sanction and/or condition(s).
(3) The president's office shall serve the final decision on the parties simultaneously.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
28B.40.120(12). WSR 21-10-022, § 174-123-440, filed 4/26/21, effective 5/27/21.]