If you have been reported to have violated the policy on Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking (policy) you are considered a respondent.

If you have been identified as a respondent in an investigation being conducted by the university’s Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards or as the subject of a law enforcement investigation, you are encouraged to contact the Office of Title IX about respondent supportive measures. The Office of Title IX will work with you to evaluate your care and support needs and discuss your options under university policy.

Respondent Guide

Supportive Measures for Respondents

The Office of Title IX keeps information as private as possible, within policy and process. You can meet with an office representative by phone or in-person to discuss your situation and connect with resources and support during an investigative process.

The Title IX coordinator evaluates requests and grants support services as reasonable and necessary for each individual. Possible assistance is available in obtaining interim measures that may include:

• Issuing a mutual no-contact directive between the  complainant and respondent, which prohibits both parties from having verbal, physical, or written contact with each other for a definite or indefinite period of time
• Providing referrals for medical and counseling services
• Exploration of changes in class and extracurricular schedules, including adjustments so that you and the Complainant do not share the same classes
• Exploration of changes in living, transportation, dining, and working arrangements
• Appointments for follow-up support services on or off campus
• Assistance communicating with faculty members
• Requesting that directory information be removed from public sources by the Office of the University Registrar
• Requesting academic support, including tutoring, and academic appeals
• Requesting academic accommodations such as rescheduling exams, obtaining extensions of time for assignments, retaking a course, dropping a course, or withdrawing for a semester without financial or academic penalty

View More Support for Respondents

University Investigations

If you have been named a respondent in a policy investigation, the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards will send a Notice of Receipt of Formal Complaint to your official university email address.

The Office of Title IX will reach out to you to offer supportive measures.

Law Enforcement Investigations

If a report of prohibited conduct was made to law enforcement, the law enforcement agency within the jurisdiction will contact you for an interview.

The police interview may take as long as several hours, depending on the circumstances of your case. Some questions will probably feel intrusive, and the officer will probably go over the details several times. The extensive questioning is not because the police do not believe you; it is the officer’s job to get every detail down precisely.

Multiple interviews may be required, and throughout the process, law enforcement officials will keep you aware of the progress of your case. The district attorney will decide whether to pursue prosecution.