In the UC Berkeley complaint resolution process, an advisor provides guidance to the parties on navigating the process. A party may select anyone (including attorneys), except another party (and in Anti-Discrimination cases, witnesses) in the complaint, to be their advisor or they may request that the University provide them an advisor.
Upon request, a PATH to Care Center advocate (for complainants) or a Respondent Services Coordinator (for respondents) can provide you with process guidance, however they will not accompany you to meetings or interviews as your advisor. A PATH to Care Center advocate can attend meetings and interviews as your support person and you may have an additional person accompany you as your advisor. During a hearing, PATH to Care Center advocates and Respondent Services Coordinators do not read aloud the party’s questions. Instead, the University will provide a reader for this purpose.
How to request an advisor provided by the University
Complainants: A PATH to Care Center confidential advocate may provide you with process guidance as your advisor in a complaint resolution process. To request an appointment, please call (510) 642-1988.
Respondents: A Respondent Services Coordinator may provide you with process guidance as your advisor in a complaint resolution process. On the Resources for Respondents page, you can find the contact information of the respondent services coordinator for your affiliation (i.e. student, staff, or faculty).
Important things to know about PATH to Care Advocates and Respondent Services Coordinators serving as advisors
When PATH to Care Advocates and Respondent Services Coordinators act as advisors, there are some key differences from an advisor selected by a party. The following table outlines some examples of key differences:
|
Party-selected advisor |
PATH to Care Center Advocate (Complainant advisor) |
Respondent Services Coordinator (Respondent advisor) | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Provide guidance about policies and procedures |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Assist with securing a disability accommodations, or an interpreter or translator, if needed |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Help a party understand and exercise their rights |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Receive case status updates along with the party |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Help a party keep track of important deadlines |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Provide legal and/or case strategy advice |
Yes, if they are qualified to do so |
No |
No |
|
Accompany the party to meetings, interviews, hearings |
Yes |
Yes, as a support person. The party may have someone else accompany them as their advisor. |
No A Respondent Services Coordinator can help identify people to accompany the party, if desired. |
|
Read aloud questions (prepared by the party) to other parties or witnesses during a hearing |
Yes |
No The University will provide a reader for this purpose. |
No The University will provide a reader for this purpose. |