FORMAL COMPLAINT

 

Formal Criminal Complaints:

Filing a formal criminal complaint is different from reporting an incident.

A formal complaint is a request for the University to investigate an incident and take appropriate action(s).

• Persons wishing to file a formal criminal complaint of sexual misconduct/assault, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking will be directed, and whenever possible escorted, to the WKU Police Department, which is primarily responsible for investigating and supervising University investigations of these complaints;

• A complainant filing a formal criminal complaint is not foreclosed from also filing a formal University complaint;

• All formal criminal complaints will be investigated consistent with applicable legal requirements and customary law enforcement practices. Accusers will be informed promptly of available support services, as well as legal and administrative options, if reasonably available, such as changes to housing assignments, in addition to academic and/or work schedules;

• Accusers will be informed about the outcome of any investigation undertaken by the WKU Police Department. Under appropriate circumstances, the University will inform the campus community of reports involving sexual misconduct/assault, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking without identifying the victim.

It is the position of The Office of Student Conduct that among the violations of misconduct considered to be of an especially serious nature are those that represent a threat to the safety and health of members of the University Community. These include but are not limited too, harassment, physical violence or threat of violence, non-consensual sexual contact, rape or any form of sexual violence.