Guideline G1-012C: Written Submissions to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX

‌Purpose and Scope‌

1. Purpose.

   This guideline establishes guidance regarding the length and style of Written Submissions for all Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX (OEO) processes and proceedings, including but not limited to all requests for investigation, complaints, responses to complaints, and appeals. Its purpose is to improve clarity and accessibility of Written Submissions so that parties and university employees can better understand the author’s goals and narrative.

2. Scope.

   This guideline applies to any Written Submission that is part of an OEO process or proceeding.

‌Definitions‌

The terms defined in Rule R1-012A apply to this guideline. In addition, the terms below apply specifically for this guideline.

1. “Exhibit” means documentary evidence included as part of a Written Submission for an OEO proceeding. An Exhibit includes, but is not limited to, written correspondence such as emails, text messages, photos, etc..

2. “Written Submission” means a document prepared by a Complainant or Respondent, or any advisor supporting a Complainant or Respondent, as part of an OEO proceeding. Written Submission includes, but is not limited to, requests for investigation, a complaint, a response, or an appeal.

‌Guideline‌

1. An effective Written Submission clearly and succinctly addresses only information relevant to the OEO process. A Written Submission should use plain language, short sentences, focused paragraphs, and clear organization (such as a logical chronology). A lengthy Written Submission is not better or more likely to prevail, and longer Written Submissions detract from clarity and accessibility.

2. A strong Written Submission will be in an accessible format and readable. A Written Submission ideally should be submitted via Microsoft Word or a PDF file or another easily accessible electronic file.

3. Any Written Submission should be three typed pages or shorter, excluding Exhibits, and should be written using standard sans-serif font (such as Arial),12 pt font or larger, and one-inch margins. If a Written Submission is delivered as an email, it should consist of less than 1,200 words. If a Written Submission is submitted as a handwritten document, it must be legible, and it should be three pages or less.

4. While a Written Submission should be shorter than three pages, OEO staff will review up to the first five pages of your Written Submission, excluding Exhibits. The OEO may ask a submitter to revise and resubmit any Written Submission that is longer than five pages or the approximate equivalent. Any resubmission must be submitted by the original applicable deadline for that submission established in Rule R1-012A or Rule R1-012B or provided by the OEO. Deadlines will not be extended due to Written Submissions exceeding five pages.

5. A strong Written Submission will avoid unnecessary legal jargon, technical terms, and abbreviations unless they are defined at first use. Citations to law or policy are not necessary in any Written Submission. If your Written Submission will include citations to law or policies, always double check the citations, as reviewers will often look at the underlying law or policy and need accurate citations.

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   Sections IV- VII are for user information and are not subject to the approval of the Academic Senate or the Board of Trustees. The Institutional Policy Committee, the Policy Owner, or the Policy Officer may update these sections at any time.

‌Policies/ Rules, Procedures, Guidelines, Forms and other Related Resources‌

1. Policies/ Rules.

   1. Rule R1-012A: Non-Discrimination Rule

   2. Rule R1-012B: Complaint Process Rule

2. Procedures, Guidelines, and Forms. [ reserved ]

3. Other Related Resources. [ reserved ]

‌References‌

1. [ reserved ]

‌Contacts‌

The designated contact officials for this regulation are:

1. Policy Owner(s) (primary contact person for questions and advice): Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX

2. Policy Officer(s): Vice President and General Counsel

   See Rule 1-001 for information about the roles and authority of policy owners and policy officers.

‌History‌

Revision History.

1. Current version. Revision 0.

   1. Effective Date: October 1, 2026

   2. Editorial Revisions

2. Previous versions.

3. Renumbering

   1. Not applicable