Respondent Services
Providing support and resources for students responding to Title IX or sexual misconduct allegations.
The goal of our office is to provide a variety of supports that ensure students stay on track academically, as well as support that assists the student with personal growth across the lifespan.
Being accused of sexual misconduct of any kind can have a variety of negative consequences, including mental stress, social disruption, safety concerns, public embarrassment, distrust of others, confusion, guilt/shame, anger, fear for the future, and impact your academic goals. Our office is committed to assisting you with mitigating those consequences and supporting you through the process.
Because Respondent Services is an independent and unbiased resource, it is not necessary for a respondent to share any details of the incident in question in order to receive services.
For more extensive information, please read the official Title IX and/or Sexual Misconduct policies.
Respondent Resources
A Respondent is someone alleged to have been involved in an incident that violates either Title IX or the Interpersonal Violence and Sexual Misconduct policy. Respondents have been accused by another person of alleged prohibited conduct including:
- Sexual assault
- Interpersonal violence
- Stalking
- Sexual harassment
- Sex discrimination
- Sexual exploitation
- Unprofessional or inappropriate conduct of a sexual nature
If you have been accused, you can visit UMSAFE for answers to common questions related to the process and your rights as a respondent.
- Understanding your rights as a respondent
- Clarifying policies, procedures, or other processes related to sexual misconduct and Title IX cases
- Making adjustments due to supportive measures
- Managing stress and emotions during and after an investigation
- Requesting academic support, such as email notices sent to faculty requesting reasonable accommodations
- Understanding sanctions and adjusting academic or personal plans
- Assistance with contacting University housing or landlords about separation requirements
- Requesting a “No-Contact Order”‘
- Connecting to other campus or community resources
- Navigating any other challenges that arise as a result of the accusation
- Requesting course load reductions or full withdrawals
- Safety planning
- Securing basic needs, such as food or short-term emergency housing accommodations/housing changes
UMatter Case Managers are confidential service providers. Our case managers will not share any identifiable information with the police, your family/parents, or anyone else without your permission first. Exceptions to that rule include cases where there is a concern of imminent harm to yourself, someone else, or the campus community.
While maintaining confidentiality, employees, and staff within the UMatter: Student Support and Advocacy Office must report the nature, date, and general location of an incident to the Title IX Coordinator, along with a list of any supportive measures that were provided. This limited report – which includes no information that would directly or indirectly identify the student – helps keep the Title IX Coordinator informed of the general extent and nature of the alleged sexual violence on and off-campus so the Coordinator can track patterns, evaluate the scope of the problem, if any, and formulate appropriate campus-wide responses, if necessary. This limited report also helps ensure that the University is in compliance with Title IX.”
Supporting Someone Accused
- Listen. Provide an open atmosphere for the person to share their honest feelings and tell things their point of view. This does not mean that you need to affirm or condone your friend’s alleged behavior, but simply that you will provide compassion as they attempt to work through this difficult experience.
- Be honest. Let the person know how much and what kind of support you are willing give.
- Provide resources. Help your friend explore support options on campus that will assist in dealing with the situation. Encourage your friend to consult with professionals in Respondent Services. This office can provide resources to any student charged with a sexual assault. Connecting the person with these resources will help provide the support and information they need to better understand and work through the process ahead.
- Remain neutral. Don’t blame the person or the survivor/victim for what happened. If you weren’t there, you don’t know. Your focus should be on support, not taking sides or placing blame.
- Respect privacy. Don’t share the person’s experience with others or speculate what might have happened.
- Educate yourself. Sexual assault and other forms of violence can be incredibly complex. Increasing your own understanding of sexual assault and sexual violence may help you to process your own feelings about the incident as well as assist the person with the process that may be ahead.
- Get support for yourself. Supporting anyone through a trauma can be a difficult and emotionally draining experience for those in the support role. Recognize this and don’t hesitate to seek help and support for yourself when you need it. You cannot effectively support your friend without being mindful of your own health and well-being.
Separate the person from their actions.
All kinds of people are capable of harming others, and everyone has mistreated someone else at some point, even if unintentionally. It’s important not to stamp people as “bad” once they’ve done something wrong, or assume that someone “good” cannot cause harm.
Separate intent from impact.
At the same time, just because your friend meant well doesn’t mean it didn’t cause harm. It’s important not to minimize the impact of their actions just because they didn’t intend to hurt anyone. When a person who commits harm is popular, the person who experienced it may fear they won’t be supported if they bring it up.
Approach the situation with empathy.
When talking to a friend about their harmful behavior, it can help to come with a good dose of compassion. Remember times when you’ve made mistakes and had to learn and grow. You may even remind your friend that you’ve been in a situation where you caused harm to another person and were able to grow from that experience.
Don’t try to ignore it.
It can be tempting to simply ignore the actions of a friend, convincing ourselves it wasn’t so bad or hoping someone else will deal with it. It’s understandable to want to avoid conflict with people we care about, but it’s important to be brave and give your friend the opportunity to do the same by learning and doing better.
If a person is suicidal, or making credible threats towards another person, please call 9-1-1 for emergency services.
- Increased or unhealthy use of drugs/alcohol
- Potential threat to themselves or others
- Current or emerging mental health issues
- Challenges with academic schedules or obligations
- Social stigma or rejection
- Isolation
- Excessive sleeping/ Not sleeping
- Over-eating/ Not eating
- Intense preoccupation with the case or others involved
- Making threats to harm themselves or others, even jokingly
Retaliation
Retaliation against an individual who initiates a Title IX complaint, participates in an investigation, or pursues legal action, is prohibited.
The University defines retaliation as any adverse action (including intimidation) taken against an individual who has participated in any manner in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under these policies and procedures. Retaliation may occur in person or electronically.
Neither the University nor any individual may intimidate, threaten, coerce, or discriminate against anyone to interfere with any right or privilege secured by Title IX or this policy, or because the person has made a report or complaint, testified, assisted, participated, or refused to participate in any way in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under this policy. Intimidation, threats, coercion, or discrimination—including charges against an individual for code of conduct violations that do not involve sex discrimination or sexual harassment but arise from the same facts or circumstances as a report or complaint of sex discrimination or a formal complaint of sexual harassment—constitutes retaliation if done to interfere with any right or privilege secured by Title IX.
The exercise of rights protected under the First Amendment does not constitute retaliation prohibited under this provision. Charging an individual with a code of conduct violation for making a materially false statement in bad faith in the course of a grievance proceeding under this provision does not constitute retaliation, provided, however, that a determination regarding responsibility, alone, is not sufficient to conclude that any party made a materially false statement
in bad faith.
Any person, whether a complainant, respondent, or witness, who is concerned they have experience retaliation may file a complaint under this Policy, which the Title IX Office will promptly investigate. The Title IX Coordinator may implement supportive measures or take other remedial action in response to allegations or threats of retaliation prohibited by this Policy. These measures may include, but are not limited to academic accommodations, No Contact directives, changes in course schedules, and modifications to housing assignments.
Disciplinary sanctions may be issued against anyone determined to have engaged in retaliation, including individuals who are acting on behalf of the respondent or complainant, with or without the knowledge of the complainant or respondent.
If you believe you are experiencing retaliation, please contact the Equal Opportunity & Regulatory Compliance Office.