Title IX Frequently Asked Questions

Title IX is a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs and activities that accept federal funds. 

Under the requirements of Title IX, schools receiving federal funds have a legal obligation to protect University community members from gender-based violence and harassment – including sexual assault, dating, and domestic violence, and stalking. In addition to gender-based violence or harassment, Title IX has obligations in recruitment, admissions, counseling; financial assistance; athletics; treatment of pregnant and parenting students; discipline; single-sex education; and employment.

Your safety is our first priority. If you have experienced sexual assault, we want you to get to safety as quickly as possible and have any medical needs addressed.

For limited-confidential help, contact Survivor Advocacy Services' primary victim advocate, Emily Rosenquist, at 423-425-5648 (8-5, Monday-Friday). SAS offers advocacy for all students, faculty, and staff to support survivors of sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating, and domestic violence, and stalking.  

After hours you can call 423-755-2700 to reach the Partnership Rape Crisis Center's crisis hotline; it is available 24/7.  The Partnership provides free SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examinations), free therapy and support, assistance reporting to law enforcement, and free prophylactic care and STI testing. You do not have to report to the university or law enforcement to get help from the Partnership.

Yes. Any UTC community member who needs access to support and medical care can talk with a confidential or limited confidential resource on campus, including Survivor Advocacy Services (available for students, faculty, and staff),  the Counseling Center (available for students only), and University Health Services (available for students, faculty, and staff).  The staff in those areas can assist you in connecting with the Title IX Coordinator if you have work, academic, or housing needs, or need other supportive measures. You can also talk with the Partnership's Rape Crisis Center, which is a community confidential resource.

No. The purpose of meeting with Survivor Advocacy Services is to receive support, resources, and options to help you move forward. You will not be required to report any information and you will not have to share any information you do not wish to share. The only time you would be asked to answer specific questions ns would be when reporting to the Office of Student Conduct or to Law Enforcement.

You can report to either the University or law enforcement, both or neither.  However, keep in mind that all UTCPD employees are mandatory reporters, and if a student, faculty, or staff member reports sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking to UTCPD, they will inform the Title IX Coordinator, who will then reach out to the Complainant and offer supportive measures, resources, and the option to file a formal complaint.  

The Title IX Coordinator is not a confidential resource; however, your information will be kept as private as possible. As private as possible means that the only staff members who will be provided any information are those who need to know in order to provide support or resources.

Anyone may file a report of sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking by contacting the Title IX Coordinator, another Title IX official, or a mandatory reporter.

When the University receives a report, the Title IX Coordinator will reach out to the Complainant and offer supportive measures and resources, and explain the process for filing a formal complaint.  A formal complaint is required for the University to begin the investigative process and must be filed by the Complainant or, in very limited circumstances, by the Title IX Coordinator.

A formal complaint is a written document, signed and filed by the Complainant or, in very limited circumstances, by the Title IX Coordinator.  The complaint document should include the Complainant's name, the Respondent's name, the location, date and time of the incident, and the prohibited conduct that occurred.  A formal complaint is required for the University to begin the investigative process and must be filed by the Complainant or, in very limited circumstances, by the Title IX Coordinator.  Please contact the Title IX Coordinator for information about and help with filing a formal complaint.  

Contact the University's Interim Title IX Coordinator, Jim Hicks at (423) 425-4255.

The Title IX Coordinator will analyze the formal complaint and request that the appropriate office (generally either the Office of Student Conduct or the Office of Equity and Inclusion) begin an investigation into the incident(s). For more information on the investigative process, please refer to Appendix C (procedures for student respondents) or Appendix D (procedures for employee respondents) in the University's Policy on Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, Dating and Domestic Violence, and Stalking.  

A Campus Safety Notification will be sent if there is an immediate threat to the safety of others on campus. For example, if a person reports a very recent sexual assault occurring on campus, then a safety notice will be sent to alert others of a potential threat. The notifications do not include names or exact locations to protect the identity of the reporting student.

The Clery Act is a federal law that aims to provide transparency regarding campus crime and statistics. The Clery Act requires any college or university that receives federal funding to provide information to the public about campus safety, crime statistics, and events that occur on campus. An Annual Security Report (known as an ASR) is completed every year to inform the public about the safety of our campus.