action to eliminate the harassment, prevent its recurrence, and address its effects. Sexual harassment creates a hostile environment if the conduct is sufficiently serious that it interferes with or limits a student’s ability to participate in or benefit from the school’s program. The more severe the conduct, the less need there is to show a repetitive series of incidents to prove a hostile environment, particularly if the harassment is physical. A single or isolated incident of sexual harassment may create a hostile environment if the incident is sufficiently severe. For instance, a single instance of rape is sufficiently severe to create a hostile environment. (7) Require a school to process all complaints of sexual violence, regardless of where the conduct occurred, to determine whether the conduct occurred in the context of an education program or activity or had continuing effects on campus or in an off-campus education program or activity. A school’s title IX investigation is different from any law enforcement investigation, and a law enforcement investigation does not relieve the school of its independent title IX obligation to investigate the conduct. A school shall take steps to ensure the investigation is impartial. Any real or perceived conflict of interest between the investigator and the parties involved shall be disclosed. (8) Require a school to use a preponderance of the evidence standard (i.e., it is more likely than not that sexual harassment or violence occurred) in its grievance procedures to be consistent with title IX standards. (9) Require that throughout the investigation, the parties shall have an equal opportunity to present relevant witnesses and other evidence. (10) Require that the complainant and respondent be afforded similar and timely access to any information that will be used at the hearing. (11) Require that if the school allows one party to be present for the entirety of a hearing, it shall do so equally for both parties. When requested, a school shall make arrangements so