4.15 Retaliation
Protected activity under this policy includes reporting an incident that may implicate this policy, participating in the grievance process, supporting a complainant or respondent, assisting in providing information relevant to an investigation, and/or acting in good faith to oppose conduct that constitutes a violation of this policy.
Acts of alleged retaliation should be reported immediately to the Title IX Coordinator and will be promptly investigated. The University of Iowa is prepared to take appropriate steps to protect individuals who fear that they may be subjected to retaliation.
It is prohibited for the University of Iowa or any member of the University of Iowa’s community to take materially adverse action by intimidating, threatening, coercing, harassing, or discriminating against any individual for the purpose of interfering with any right or privilege secured by law or policy, or because the individual has made a report or complaint, testified, assisted, or participated or refused to participate in any manner in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under this policy and procedure.
Charges against an individual for code of conduct violations that do not involve sexual harassment or sexual misconduct but arise out of the same facts or circumstances as a report or complaint, or a report or complaint of sexual harassment, for the purpose of interfering with any right or privilege secured by Title IX, constitutes retaliation.
The exercise of rights protected under the First Amendment does not constitute retaliation.
Charging an individual with a code of conduct violation for making a materially false statement in bad faith in the course of a grievance proceeding under this policy and procedure does not constitute retaliation, provided that a determination regarding responsibility, alone, is not sufficient to conclude that any party has made a materially false statement in bad faith.