Mandatory Reporters Must:
Provide support.
- Assist students and employees who report prohibited conduct with obtaining medical assistance and other on- and off-campus resources if needed or requested.
- Encourage them to report the incident to law enforcement and assist them in contacting law enforcement if requested.
Report incidents of prohibited conduct to the Office of Title IX within 48 hours.
- File a report with the university by calling 865-974-9600 (865-974-4357 after hours) or by emailing titleix@utk.edu. If this is an emergency, please contact 911.
- If the incident involves suspected child abuse or child sexual abuse, report the incident to the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services by calling the Central Intake Child Abuse Hotline at 1-877-542-2873 or 1-877-237-0004 (in accordance with University of Tennessee Safety Policy 0575).
Mandatory Reporters Should:
Be upfront and explain their role.
Before a student or employee reveals information that they may wish to keep confidential, it is recommended that you try to ensure they understand the following:
- Their conversation with you is not confidential.
Your obligation to report the names of all parties involved in the alleged conduct, as well as other relevant facts regarding the incident, to a Title IX official; - Confidential options do exist.
If they wish to preserve confidentiality, there are on- and off-campus resources available to them such as the Student Counseling Center, Student Health Center, and the Sexual Assault Center of East Tennessee. - They can access supportive measures
That they can choose to speak with Title IX staff to access Supportive Measures and review processes for making to make a formal complaint. - The university’s policy prohibits retaliation.
If they seem hesitant to report an incident, it is important that they understand that the university will take steps to prevent retaliation and also take strong responsive action if it occurs.
If a student or employee still chooses to share information about prohibited conduct with you, it is recommended that you take the following actions:
- Provide emotional support.
- Encourage them to preserve any evidence (see Appendix A of the Policy for tips).
- Provide them with a copy of the Guide on Supportive Measures and Reporting Options (Appendix A of the Policy) as well as a copy of the You Are Not Alone guide.
- Remind them that you will be reporting the information to the Office of Title IX and that someone will be reaching out to provide further guidance and assistance.
Mandatory Reporters Must Not:
- Guarantee or imply confidentiality.
- Share information about the incident with anyone who does not have a university-related need to know.
- Share personally identifiable information about the incident with law enforcement (including UTPD) without the consent of the person sharing the information.
- Investigate or otherwise attempt to resolve reports of prohibited conduct (other than taking an action required or recommended for mandatory reporters).