Frequently Asked Questions

The following are typically Title IX concerns: 

• Sexual harassment 
• Sex or gender-based harassment or discrimination 
• Sexual violence 
• Gender-based stalking 
• Relationship violence 
• Sexual orientation harassment or discrimination
• Gender identity harassment or discrimination 

Sometimes individuals are reluctant to report a concern because they aren’t sure if what they experienced is “bad enough” or is really a violation of law or policy. Individuals are encouraged to report any concerns they have. If a concern doesn’t rise to the level of disciplinary action or an investigation the college still may offer support, assistance, resources, and options. Reporting concerns assists the college’s ability to take appropriate action both for the well-being of individual students and for the college community.

Your safety is the priority. If you are a victim of sexual assault, these steps may help ensure your safety: 

1. Find a safe environment — anywhere away from the perpetrator. If you are at immediate risk, we recommend contacting the police or calling 911.  If not at immediate risk, call the Laredo College Campus Police Department at (956) 721-5303 or the Laredo Police Department at (956) 795-2800. 
2. If there is serious physical injury, it is recommended you go immediately to a hospital emergency room to be examined. 
3. If there is no serious physical injury, you may want to go to a medical center as soon as possible to be examined for sexually transmitted infections or pregnancy.  

In order for evidence collection to be most effective, sexual assault should be reported within 72 hours, but can be collected up to 120 hours (approximately 5 days) after an assault. Texas has a statute that provides the victim the ability to seek medical treatment for the collection of sexual assault evidence without charge to the victim. The victim does not need to file a police report in order to seek medical treatment for the collection of sexual assault evidence. It is the victim who will decide if they wish to pursue criminal charges. 

It is recommended: 

• It is okay to eat or drink before your exam. 
• It is recommended not to shower, bathe, or wash any body parts until the exam. 
• It is okay to go to the bathroom but minimize wiping with toilet paper. 
• If you are wearing the clothes you had on during or immediately after the assault, it is recommended not to change your clothes. 
• Law enforcement may collect your clothes into evidence prior to your exam. 
• If not, please wear the clothes to your exam. The nurse will collect your clothes into evidence and provide you with a new set of clothes. You may want to bring a change of clothes with you. 
• If you already have changed clothes or feel you need to change clothes before the exam, please bring the clothes worn during the assault to your exam even if they have been washed. 

If you already have done any of these actions prior to the exam, it is okay and you may still obtain an exam. 

Yes, students and employees may contact the Office of Title IX to discuss supportive measures.  One may find more information regarding this service at Laredo College Resource Guide. 

Our Title IX Coordinator is willing to assist individuals in notifying law enforcement authorities, so please let us know how we can help.

Laredo College Campus Police

(956) 721-5303 or 911 ●  lcpolice@laredo.edu

Laredo Police Department

Contact info – 956-795-2800

Webb County Sherriff’s Department

Contact info – 956-523-4500

Do I have to notify law enforcement if I want to seek assistance from the Title IX Office?

We do not share information with the Laredo College Campus Police or Laredo Police Department unless the Complainant gives us specific permission to do so; however, other instances may arise such as immediate safety concerns, the victim is a minor under state law, or we are compelled to do so by a subpeona or court order. 

Witnesses are any persons who have knowledge of facts or circumstances concerning the complaint and allegations being investigated. These individuals, called fact witnesses, can be:

• Persons who were present at or near the time of the alleged incident(s)
• Persons who observed the condition of the Complainant, the Respondent, or both at the time of the alleged incident(s)
• Persons to whom the Complainant may have made statements or communicated with soon after the alleged incident(s) took place.

• The College will hold a live hearing over which a hearing officer(s)/decision maker(s) preside. The hearing officer(s)/decision maker(s) will not be the same person as the Title IX Coordinator or the investigator(s).
• At the live hearing, the hearing officer(s)/decision maker(s) must permit each party’s advisor during cross-examination to ask the other party and any witnesses all relevant questions and follow-up questions, including those challenging credibility. Such cross-examination at the live hearing must be conducted directly, orally, and in real time by the party’s advisor of choice and never by a party personally. The advisor will have no other role in the hearing but may advise and assist the party they are advising. If a party does not have an advisor present at the live hearing, the College will provide, without fee or charge to that party, an advisor of the College’s choice, who shall not be an attorney, to conduct cross-examination on behalf of that party.
• The live hearing may be conducted with all parties physically present in the same geographic location or, at the College’s discretion, any or all parties, witnesses, and other participants may appear at the live hearing virtually, with technology enabling participants simultaneously to see and hear each other. At the request of either party, the College will provide for the live hearing to occur with the parties located in separate rooms with technology enabling the hearing officer(s)/decision maker(s) and parties to simultaneously see and hear the party or the witness answering questions.
• Only relevant cross-examination and other questions may be asked of a party or witness. Before a complainant, respondent, or witness answers a cross-examination or other question, the hearing officer(s)/decision maker(s) must first determine whether the question is relevant and explain any decision to exclude a question as not relevant. For the purposes of this section, “relevant” means a question or evidence having any tendency to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action more or less probable than it would be without the question or evidence. Questions and evidence about the complainant’s sexual predisposition or prior sexual behavior are not relevant, unless such questions and evidence about the complainant’s prior sexual behavior are offered to prove that someone other than the respondent committed the conduct alleged by the complainant, or if the questions and evidence concern specific incidents of the complainant’s prior sexual behavior with respect to the respondent and are offered to prove consent.
• If a party or witness does not submit to cross-examination at the live hearing, the hearing officer(s)/decision maker(s) will rely on any statement of that party or witness in reaching a determination regarding responsibility. The hearing officer(s)/decision maker(s) will not draw an inference about the determination regarding responsibility based solely on a party’s or witness’s absence from the live hearing or refusal to answer cross-examination or other questions.
• The hearing officer(s)/decision-maker(s), will issue a written determination regarding responsibility under the preponderance of the evidence standard within five (5) calendar days of the live hearing. The written determination will be issued to the parties simultaneously.
• An audio or audiovisual recording, or transcript, will be made of any live hearing and it will be made available to the parties for inspection and review.

Appeals are not intended to be a full rehearing of the Complaint Process. In any request for an appeal, the burden of proof lies with the party requesting the appeal, as the original determination and sanctions are presumed to have been decided reasonably and appropriately.  Appeals are limited to a review of relevant appeal materials based upon the grounds stated below. A party wishing to seek an appeal must submit their written appeal with the Office of Title IX, Kazen Student Center, Room 208 or rapena@laredo.edu within ten (10) calendar days of the written determination. The deadline by which an appeal must be filed will be communicated in the written determination. Failure to file an appeal by the deadline means the determination of the hearing officer(s)/decision maker(s) become(s) final.

The review on appeal is limited to the record, except in appeals based on newly discovered evidence that could affect the outcome of the matter and that was not reasonably available at the time the determination regarding responsibility or dismissal was made. In such appeals, newly discovered evidence may be considered on appeal notwithstanding its absence from the record.

Within ten (10) calendar days, any party may appeal from a determination regarding responsibility, and from the College’s dismissal of a formal complaint or any allegations therein, on the following bases:

1. Procedural irregularity that affected the outcome of the matter;
2. New evidence that was not reasonably available at the time the determination regarding responsibility or dismissal was made, that could affect the outcome of the matter;
3. The Title IX Coordinator, investigator(s), or hearing officer(s)/decision maker(s) had a conflict of interest or bias for or against complainants or respondents generally or the individual complainant or respondent that affected the outcome of the matter;

Within five calendar days of receiving a timely filed, written appeal, grounded on one of the three bases stated above, the College District will notify the other party in writing that an appeal has been filed. This notice will inform the other party of their right to respond to the appeal. The other party will receive access to a copy of the Appealing party’s written appeal in order to prepare a response. The other party will have five (5) calendar days to submit a written response to the appeal. The response is limited to addressing the appeal within the bases stated above.

The Appellate Officer/Panel (decision maker/panel for Appeal) will review all relevant documents related to the matter, including but not limited to, the record from the hearing, the written appeal, and appeal response. A written decision describing the result of the appeal and the rationale for the result, will be issued to the parties, simultaneously, within ten (10) calendar days of receiving a timely filed written response to the appeal, or, if a timely filed written response is not received, within ten (10) calendar days of the due date of such response.

The decision of the Appellate Officer/Panel is final.