The Policy Against Sex Discrimination and Procedures for Support strive to use clear, impartial and non-legal terms to refer to persons who may be involved in an investigation or seeking support for themselves or others. The terms below are taken from Section 2.3 (Other defined terms) of the Policy.
2.3.3 Advisor
An advisor is someone chosen by the person who experienced sexual harassment or is accused of violating this Policy or appointed by CWRU to accompany a person to meetings related to the processes described in this Policy, advise that person on that process, and question the other party at a Process A hearing, if any. An advisor supports a party as requested by the party and consistent with the role of an advisor. Students, faculty, staff and post-doctoral scholars and fellows may be trained to support a party in an investigation being conducted pursuant to teh Policy.
2.3.9 Complainant or Person who may have experienced conduct prohibited by this Policy
The complainant is a person who may have experienced sexual discrimination or retaliation that violates this Policy.
2.3.10 Confidential resource
A Confidential Resource is a CWRU employee who is not a Responsible Employee. Confidential Resources are not required to share information with the Office for Equity when they learn that a member of the CWRU community may have experienced sex discrimination or retaliation prohibited by this Policy. A list of Confidential Resources is under section 3.1.4 of this Policy.
2.3.12 Decision maker
The investigator or other person who determines if sex discrimination in education or employment, or retaliation, occurred and if so, the remedies, including sanctions. Students, faculty, staff and post-doctoral scholars and fellows may be trained to serve as a decision maker.
2.3.16 Impacted by sex discrimination or retaliation
A person who is impacted by sex discrimination or retaliation has either experienced or is experiencing this alleged conduct, or is or was accused of engaging in that conduct, and that person’s experience has the potential to negatively impact the person’s academic or professional success.
2.3.22 Respondent
The respondent is a person who is reported to have violated this Policy by engaging in sex discrimination or retaliation, and who is a student, faculty member, staff member or post doctoral scholar or fellow.
2.3.23 Responsible employee
A responsible employee is an employee of CWRU who is required to share with the Office for Equity information that a member of the CWRU community may be experiencing sex discrimination or retaliation.
2.3.28 Trained pool
The trained pool consists of students, post-doctoral fellows and scholars, faculty and staff who have been trained on this Policy to serve as a hearing or appeal panel member or chair, or as an advisor.
2.3.29 Witness
A witness is a person who may have information about an incident of sex discrimination or retaliation involving others. Witnesses may be required to provide information and participate in an investigation or hearing held pursuant to this Policy. This requirement does not apply to parties, including a person who may have experienced conduct prohibited by this policy, but who chooses not to participate in the process.