Supporting Students

Faculty and staff frequently serve as the initial contact person for victims’ disclosure of their experiences with sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating/domestic violence, and stalking.

Many students do not choose to disclose or file reports with the university or with law enforcement, often because they do not think the incident is serious enough to report, they believe that their parents or friends will find out, or because they fear that they will not be believed or will be treated with hostility. If they are disclosing an incident with you, they likely consider you a trusted resource.

Per UTC policy, all UTC faculty and staff, other than those who have been designated as confidential or limited confidential resources, must consult with the Title IX Coordinator or a Deputy Title IX Coordinator or report online via the Reporting Form upon receiving a  disclosure of an incident of sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, and/or stalking from a student, or in more limited cases, another employee.  After receipt of your report, a member of the Title IX team will reach out to the reporting party to offer resources and support.  

What to do if someone discloses to you

In person disclosures

1. Offer support and listen.
2. Inform the person that you are a mandatory reporter, and have a responsibility to report the incident to the university.  
3. Encourage the person to report the incident to law enforcement and assist them with doing so (if requested). Do not report to law enforcement without the person's consent, unless there is an immediate safety concern. 
4. Assist the person with obtaining medical assistance (if needed or requested) or accessing on or off campus resources (if requested). 
5. Provide the student with university resources.
6. Assure the person that although the incident must be reported, they are in control of who they speak with and what resources they access.
7. Report the incident to the Title IX Coordinator, Anitra Barrett, or a Deputy Title IX Coordinator, via the Reporting Form within 48 hours and inform the person that you will be doing so. 
8. If you have any questions about this process, please contact the Title IX Coordinator, Anitra Barrett, or a Deputy Title IX Coordinator, at [email protected] or (423) 425-4255.

Disclosures via email

1. Via return email, acknowledge the person's email and offer support.  
2. Inform the person that you are a mandatory reporter and what that means.  Some suggested language to use is "I need to let you know that I have a responsibility to report this information to UTC's Title IX Coordinator, Anitra Barrett.  Someone from the university will contact you to offer support and resources." 
3. Encourage the person to report the incident to law enforcement and provide them with UTC Police Department's phone number, which is (423) 425-4357.
4. Provide the person with the university resources available here.
5. Report the incident to the Title IX Coordinator, Anitra Barrett, or a Deputy Title IX Coordinator, via the Reporting Form within 48 hours and inform the person that you will be doing so. 
6. If you have any questions about this process, please contact the Title IX Coordinator, Anitra Barrett, or a Deputy Title IX Coordinator, at [email protected] or (423) 425-4255.