Additional Definitions

PROCEEDING: All actives related to a non-criminal resolution of an institutional disciplinary complaint, including, but not limited to, fact finding investigations, formal or informal meetings, and hearings. Proceeding does not include communications and meetings between officials and victims concerning accommodations or protective measures to be provided to a victim.

RESULT: Any initial, interim, and final decision by any official or entity authorized to resolve disciplinary matters within the institution. The result may include any sanctions imposed by the institutions.

AWARENESS PROGRAMS: Community-wide or audience specific programming, initiatives, and strategies that increase audience knowledge and share information and resources to prevent violence, promote safety, and reduce perpetration.

BYSTANDER INTERVENTION: Safe and positive options that may be carried  out by an individual or individuals to prevent harm or intervene when there is a risk of dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Bystander intervention includes:

  • Recognizing situations of potential harm
  • Understanding institutional structures and cultural conditions that facilitate violence, overcoming barriers to intervening, identifying safe and effective intervention options, and taking actions to intervene

ONGOING PREVENTION AND AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS: Programming, initiatives, and strategies that are sustained over time and focus on increasing understanding of topics relevant to and skills for addressing dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, using a range of strategies with audiences throughout the institution.

PRIMARY PREVENTION PROGRAMS: Programming, initiatives, and strategies informed by research or assessed for value, effectiveness, or outcome that are intended to stop dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking before they occur through the promotion of positive and healthy behaviors that foster healthy, mutually respectful relationships and sexuality, encourage safe bystander intervention, and seek to change behavior and social norms in healthy and safe direction.

RISK REDUCTION: Options designed to decrease perpetration and bystander inaction, and to increase empowerment for victims in order to promote safety and to help individuals and communities address conditions that facilitate violence.

PROMPT, FAIR AND IMPARTIAL PROCEEDING: A proceeding that is completed within reasonably prompt timeframes designated by an institution’s policy, including a process that allows for the extension of time frames for good cause and with written notice to the accuser and the accused of the delay and for the reason for the delay;

Conducted in a manner that:

  • Is consistent with the institution’s policies and transparent to the accuser and accused
  • Includes timely notice of meeting at which the accuser or accused, or both, may be present; and
  • Provides timely and equal access to the accuser, the accused, and appropriate officials to any information that will be used during informal and formal disciplinary meetings and hearings ; and
  • Conducted by officials who do not have a conflict of interest or bias for or against the accuser or the accused

ADVISOR: Any individual who provides the accuser or accused support, guidance, or advice.