Notes

Supportive measures. After receiving a report of prohibited conduct, the Title IX coordinator may implement supportive and remedial measures (“supportive measures”) while the university assesses, investigates, and resolves the report.
Prohibited conduct. Sexual harassment (including sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking), sexual exploitation, and retaliation are collectively known as prohibited conduct.
Policy on Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, Dating and Domestic Violence, and Stalking. The policy can be found at titleix.utk.edu.
Complainant. A complainant is an individual who is alleged to be the victim of conduct that could constitute prohibited conduct, regardless of whether that person makes a report or seeks action.
Formal complaint. A formal complaint is a document filed by the complainant (or, in some circumstances, signed by the Title IX coordinator) alleging prohibited conduct against a respondent and requesting that the university investigate the allegations.
Respondent. A respondent is an individual who has been reported to be the perpetrator of conduct that could constitute prohibited conduct.
Sexual harassment—unwelcome conduct. In past annual reports, sexual harassment—unwelcome conduct was listed as sexual harassment—verbal. A shift was made in the 2025 annual report to provide clarity and alignment with policy.
Campus residence. Campus residence, in this report, refers to buildings that the university owns or controls that provide housing to students. These buildings are sometimes referred to as dormitories, residence halls, sorority and fraternity houses, or university housing. In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act, the university is required to disclose statistics about crimes on university-controlled properties in the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, including some of the prohibited conduct in this report. There may be differences between the data summarized here and the statistics reported in the ASFSR due to differences in definitions of location, policy, and law. For more information about Clery compliance, visit clery.utk.edu.
Stalking by type. Stalking can occur in person and/or electronically by means of unwanted contact or harassment through social media, texting, calling, emailing, or any other electronic means.
Limited action. If the complainant declines to respond to outreach or states that they do not wish to file a formal complaint or participate in an investigation, the university will generally take limited action. Limited action includes providing supportive measures like academic support, safety escorts, no contact directives, and campus support services. If a complainant chooses not to make a formal complaint, the university will take limited action. A complainant has the right to request limited action, in which case the university will weigh the request against the university’s obligation to provide a safe, nondiscriminatory environment for all members of the community. More information regarding limited action can be found in the policy.
Complainant chose not to file a formal complaint or the formal complaint was outside the parameters of the Policy on Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, Dating and Domestic Violence, and Stalking. When the university receives notice of a potential incident of prohibited conduct, the Title IX coordinator will communicate with the complainant about how the complainant can file a formal complaint, supportive measures that the university can take in order to support the complainant, and on- and off-campus resources that the complainant can access for assistance. If the complainant declines to respond to outreach or states that they do not wish to file a formal complaint or participate in an investigation, the university will generally take limited action. If the complainant files a formal complaint, the Title IX coordinator must make an initial evaluation based on the nature of the conduct alleged to determine whether the alleged conduct meets the definitions outlined in the policy. Limited action includes providing supportive measures like academic support, safety escorts, no-contact directives, and campus support services. For more information about supportive measures, see section 4.6 of the policy. There are limited circumstances in which the Title IX coordinator may determine that the university must continue with an investigation without the complainant’s participation or assent because of the university’s commitment to providing a safe and nondiscriminatory learning, living, and working environment free from prohibited conduct.
Knox County Sheriff’s Office. These numbers reflect complainants who self-disclosed a report to Knox County Sheriff’s Office.
UT Police Department. These numbers reflect complainants who self-disclosed a report to the UT Police Department. It is important to note that the UTPD definitions of related charges may be different than policy definitions and therefore may be classified differently in the police report.
Knoxville Police Department. These numbers reflect complainants who self-disclosed a report to the Knoxville Police Department.
As noted in Appendix D of the policy, “Anyone can file a complaint under the University’s Human Resources Policy prohibiting sexual harassment (HR0280). HR0280 prohibits sexual harassment (and other discrimination) in employment. The requirements for investigating and resolving a matter under HR0280 differ from the requirements under this policy, and the University may be obligated to investigate an allegation of harassment under HR0280 regardless of whether a Formal Complaint is filed.” To provide complete data on reports of sex-based misconduct and/or discrimination, the information in this section includes reports and/or investigations reviewed under the policy, HR0280, and HR0220 (Equal Employment Opportunity).
OIR also completes both investigative and noninvestigative functions in response to reports that employees are engaging in other types of harassing and/or discriminatory misconduct in accordance with state and federal law. At times, the gender- and sex-based discrimination reports outlined in this section may also include concurrent reports of discrimination based on a different protected-class status (such as race, age, or disability).
See Section 2 of OIR’s office procedures.
In accordance with Section 3.3.3(1) of OIR’s procedures, OIR closes a complaint or report of misconduct after the Intake Review/Due Diligence Inquiry process “when: (i) the allegations, if proven, would not constitute a violation of a Covered Policy; (ii) the allegations lack sufficient detail upon which to base a decision about how to resolve the Complaint/Report; (iii) the Complaint/ Report lacks alleged facts sufficient to, if proven, support a finding of a violation of a Covered Policy; (iv) the Respondent is not affiliated with the university or subject to a Covered Policy; (v) the Reporter or Complainant is unknown or unresponsive; (vi) a Title IX Formal Complaint is dismissed; (vii) the allegations fall outside of the 300-day filing window (Section 3.1.2); (viii) the allegations were the subject of a previous OIR process (e.g., Intake Review; Referral; Alternative Resolution; Investigation) and no new information has been presented to OIR;; (ix) OIR concludes that the Complaint or Report is completely resolved by Referral (see note 19 below) to another university unit; or (x) as otherwise deemed appropriate by the Executive Director of OIR.”
In accordance with Section 3.3.3(2) of OIR’s procedures, OIR refers a complaint or report (in whole or in part) to another university unit “when the Complaint or Report: (i) does not involve an allegation of misconduct that falls under a Covered Policy but the allegations may warrant investigation, consideration, or other action by another university unit; or (ii) alleges misconduct by a person who is a university student (in which case the Complaint or Report will be referred to Student Conduct and Community Standards).”