2024

March 27 2024

A copy of our proposed grievance process can be found below. We welcome any feedback on our proccess. You may do so by emailing report@titansofthemidwest.org or filling out the following form. 

How To Report An Incident

If you have experienced any incidents involving any of our members, the Board wishes to create a space for you to be heard.

Please email all incidents to report@titansofthemidwest, and include the following:

1. Your name and preferred method of contact

2. Date of the Incident

3. Who was involved

4. Details of the incident

5.  Name of witnesses, if applicable, and their contact information

  Please allow up to 48 hours for a member of the board to get back to you via your preferred contact information

Our Investigative Process

1. The board will reach out to the person reporting the incident within 48 hours of receipt of the email.

2.  After documenting all the details of the incident, we will contact an intermediary to act as a non-member mediator for the process. The person reporting the incident will then be asked to approve or request an alternative mediator.

   1.  All communications with the board, after the initial contact, will be with the approved mediator.

3.  At this point, we will begin interviews starting with the person reporting.

   1. All interviews will be attended by the non-member mediator, at least two representatives of the board, and the individual that is being interviewed at the time.  

   2. All interviews will be completed virtually, via the Titans Google Meet account.  Each interview will be recorded for the purpose of posterity, data collection, and unbiased reporting to absent board members.

   3. Other interviews will include, but are not limited to - the member who was reported and all the witnesses named that are willing to participate in the process.

4. Once the interviews are completed, the board will meet to discuss all relevant information. During this meeting, the board will also discuss the actions the Titans will take with the incident.

   1. The board members that were present for the interviews will give all relevant information. 

   2. After all information about the incident has been relayed to the rest of the board, the recordings will be utilized for clarifying questions.

5. Ideally, this process will take at least 2 weeks to complete. This timeline may be extended, depending on how many interviews are required to complete a thorough investigation.

   1. The board will provide updated timelines to the person reporting, as soon as they are aware of necessary adjustments.

6. The board will reach out to both parties to discuss disciplinary action and/or restorative processes within 24 hours after the decision has been made via email, with the mediator copied. 

The board can take actions up to and including revoking membership for a certain time period or revoking membership for lifetime. 

February 18 2024

On Sunday February 18, 2024, members of the Titans board became aware of an issue of bullying that transpired between two club members. The current board of the Titans does not condone bullying, especially if there are social and/or organizational power imbalances present. 

In the two weeks since, the board investigated the incident of bullying. It was decided the board could not conduct a more thorough investigation beyond the initial incident until after at least banning the accused party. The communication of this decision was not properly and formally shared with the victim. We caused additional harm to the victim.

We failed people and we failed in our communication. Our grievance process is inadequate and unacceptable. We cannot undo the way we conducted ourselves through the process. 

Going forward with respect to our process, the board of the Titans of the Midwest will:

• Revise the grievance process to center on transparency. This will include: 

  • Clear and easy-to-find ways to communicate incidents.

  • Guidelines as to why a board member should recuse themselves from a given investigation.

  • A response in writing about the stages of the investigation process that outlines the ways information will be gathered, documented, and evaluated. 

  • A timeframe in which the board will review the information. 

  • Ongoing communication via email in a monitored inbox to all parties until the conclusion of the investigation.

  • A decision with the outcomes clearly listed.

  • When possible, actions the accused is recommended to take to be considered welcome back into membership at a future date. 

• Publicly share and post the grievance policy, with applicable forms in an easy to find location.

• Be willing and open to act upon community feedback and input regarding our grievance process.

The next draft of our grievance process will be posted on our website and on Facebook within the next 14 days. For further reports or questions, feel free to reach out to report@titansofthemidwest.org.