Everything about the EOAA is on the U's website. You should read it sometime. EOAA is not a court. They are the investigative body who interview the alleged victim, the alleged perpetrator, any witnesses, and collect any and all evidence. The EOAA then provides the U with a written report detailing all the interviews and evidence and makes a recommendation as to whether the alleged perpetrator should be punished.
What is EOAA's Process?
The Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EOAA) is not a confidential reporting resource. Once EOAA becomes aware of information that may violate the University’s discrimination, harassment, sexual misconduct, or retaliation policies, we may have an obligation to take some responsive action to prevent further misconduct from occurring. However, we try to work with individuals to discuss a variety of ways to appropriately address the concerns raised.
EOAA is available to meet with individuals who have concerns about their experiences about our processes. We invite you to schedule a preliminary meeting to have a general discussion about our processes before deciding if you want to report specific concerns or initiate an investigation.
We also encourage individuals to consult with confidential resources at the University for support. Click here for available resources. Please consult with these offices individually about their ability to meet with you confidentially.
EOAA’s approach varies depending on the circumstances. Below are examples of how we might typically approach a particular situation.
Consultation
Informal resolution process
Discrimination, harassment, or retaliation investigation
Sexual misconduct investigation relating to employee conduct
Sexual misconduct investigation relating to student conduct
Consultations
EOAA usually begins by meeting with the individual who has requested a consultation to:
Listen to the individual’s concerns and the circumstances surrounding the situation;
Ask questions about the individual’s concerns and the circumstances;
Explore different approaches to addressing the situation;
Determine if EOAA is an appropriate University resource to address the concerns; and/or
Advise the individual of other available University resources for resolution and/or support.
Informal Resolution Process
After an initial consultation, an Equal Opportunity Consultant may be able to address the individual’s concerns without conducting a formal investigation. These efforts may include:
contacting other individuals with relevant information and/or those who have a “need to know” because of the nature of their position;
gathering relevant information;
facilitating or mediating meetings; and/or
exploring other resolutions acceptable to those involved in the situation and to the EOAA representative.
Resolutions may include, but are not limited to, discipline, education, training efforts, and agreements as to future conduct.
Formal Investigation: discrimination, harassment, and retaliation
Depending on the circumstances, a formal investigation may be appropriate, either before or after efforts to resolve the concerns informally. Typical steps in a formal investigation include:
interviewing the individual raising the concerns and other affected parties;
interviewing the individuals with information relevant to the situation;
informing responsible administrators about the concerns and investigation;
interviewing the accused person; and
collecting and reviewing documents and other forms of information from the individual raising the concerns, witnesses, Human Resources, administrators, or other individuals with relevant information.
EOAA Report
At the conclusion of a formal investigation, EOAA will prepare a summary of the investigation and make a conclusion as to whether University policies against discrimination, harassment, or related retaliation were violated.
- EOAA typically sends the report to: the individual(s) who raised the concerns; the accused party(s); and the responsible administrator(s).
- EOAA will also make recommendations for responsive action to the responsible administrator(s). We may provide recommendations to the responsible administrator whether or not there was a violation of policy.
https://diversity.umn.edu/eoaa/process
