What is considered Sexual Harassment at UNCG?
As defined in the Title IX Policy, the following behaviors are prohibited: sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual- and gender- based harassment. Please see the full Title IX Policy for full definitions of prohibited behaviors. Sexual Harassment that exceeds the scope of the Title IX Policy may be found in the Student Code of Conduct, Staff Policy, and Faculty Policy.
Something bad happened – I was sexually harassed and I need help!
Your physical, medical, and emotional safety are paramount and critical to assessing your needs. Staff at these facilities and offices are specifically trained and sensitive to those needs and concerns. You have several options which are outlined in the “Resource and Reporting Options for Students” and “Resource and Reporting Options for Employees”, which are also detailed below:
If it is an emergency, where you feel unsafe, need medical or emotional care immediately you can contact:
What are my options if I want my information to stay confidential?
If you would like to talk with someone confidentially, where the information you share will not be shared with anyone, and you will not be contacted by the Title IX Office you can contact:
Campus Violence Response Center
The “CVRC” is a campus-based resource and a single, supportive point of access for all members of the UNCG community impacted by all forms of violence. The CVRC can assist you with making choices that are best for you and provide the opportunity for on and off campus services to respond directly to the Center (for example: If you wish to meet with and make report with a Police Detective or Title IX Investigator, they can meet you in the CVRC in a soft room.) The CVRC also provides:
- Individual counseling
- Individual advocacy
- Safety planning
- Court accompaniment
- Crisis-response
- Emergency and non-emergency housing accommodations
- Accompaniment to meetings with the Title IX Office, Police Department, faculty, or other meetings with offices in which you may need support and advocacy
- On-going advocacy and support before, during, and after Title IX processes and criminal justice processes
- Referrals to community-based resources
- Referrals to campus-based resources
Guilford County Family Justice Center
The Guilford County Family Justice Center is a community-based resource which provides confidential care. They assist with:
- Medical care
- Safety planning
- Shelter placement
- Emergency protective orders
- Adult advocacy and support
- Accompaniment for criminal processes, legal services, emotional support, and mental health services
For Students: UNCG Counseling Center
The Counseling Center is a campus-based, completely confidential resource which provides:
- Crisis-response
- Individual counseling
- Group therapy
- Support groups
- Community and campus resource referrals
For Employees: Employee Assistance Program
The Employee Assistance Program is partnered with ComPsych to provide employee assistance benefits to employees in the University system. CompPsych, through their partnership with the University, provides:
- Confidential counseling
- Financial information and resources
- Legal support and resources
- Work-life solutions
For Students: Student Health Services
The Student Health Center is a campus-based resource which provides confidential care for students. They assist with medical care such as:
- STI testing
- Pregnancy testing
- Pharmacy services
- Referral to the Campus Violence Response Center or Counseling Center for trauma-informed support services
Family Service of the Piedmont
“FSP” has a 24 hour rape crisis line and are a community-based resource which provides:
- Confidential support
- Advocacy
- Emergency shelter placement
- Individual and family counseling and other victim services
“RAINN” National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline
RAINN is a national, safe, confidential service which can be contacted via telephone and live chat. RAINN provides:
- Survivor support through crisis response
- Sending local health facilities who perform SANE
- Local resource referral
- Basic information about medical concerns
- Information about laws in the community
What are my options if I want my information shared and additional options and resources from the University?
If you would like to speak with someone semi-confidentially, where information you share about what happened will be shared with the Title IX Office and you will receive a reach out containing your options and support resources you can contact:
The Title IX Office can assist specifically with, but not limited to:
- University No Contact Order(s)
- Housing accommodations
- Class accommodations
- Filing a formal complaint and formal investigation process
- Informal resolution options
- Connection and referral to campus and community partners who provide additional support resources such as CVRC, Counseling Center, Dean of Students Office, Provost’s Office, or Human Resources
The UNCG Police Department can assist you with the criminal justice process and connect you with community-based and campus-based resources. You can:
- Utilize the emergency or non-emergency number for response from a police officer or emergency services
- Use “Walk Safe”
- File a report online
- File a report in-person
For Students: Dean of Students Office
The Dean of Students office can assist you with connecting you to any resource on campus from the Title IX Office to community-based resources. “DOS” can meet with you to provide you with your rights within the process, as well as:
- Assist you in making any adjustments to your class schedule or housing accommodations
- Connecting you with completely confidential resources on or off-campus, such as the Campus Violence Response Center or the Counseling Center
- Faculty outreach letters
- University No Contact Order(s)
- You will also have the opportunity to combine meetings by meeting with the Title IX Coordinator or Title IX Investigator if you wish to make a report to the Title IX Office
For Faculty: The Provost’s Office
The Provost’s Office also houses a co-investigator to the Title IX Office. The Provost’s Office can also meet with you to provide you with your rights within the process, as well as:
- Assist you in making any accommodations necessary to preserve a safe, healthy, working environment
- University No Contact Order(s)
- EAP
- You will also have the opportunity to combine meetings by meeting with the Title IX Coordinator or Title IX Investigator if you wish to make a report to the Title IX Office
For Staff: Human Resources Office
The Human Resources Office also houses a co-investigator to the Title IX Office. The Human Resources Office can also meet with you to provide you with your rights within the process, as well as:
- Assist you in making any accommodations necessary to preserve a safe, healthy, working environment
- University No Contact Order(s)
- EAP
- You will also have the opportunity to combine meetings by meeting with the Title IX Coordinator or Title IX Investigator if you wish to make a report to the Title IX Office
If I DON’T report directly to the Title IX Office, but I receive a reach out from the University, what does that mean?
Many offices on campus are considered semi-confidential offices. This means that if they receive information relating to a possible violation of the Title IX Policy, they must/ may share that information with the Title IX Office to ensure that you are receiving all the resources and process information to assist you in navigating your options and the process itself. Once the University is made aware of an incident of Sexual Harassment, you will receive a reach-out from the University advising you of your options and support resources. It is the University’s responsibility to take prompt and effective steps to end the sexual harassment, prevent its recurrence and, as appropriate, remedy its effects on the complainant and University community.
What about legal advice? Do I need a lawyer?
You may want to speak with an attorney, non-attorney advocate, or advisor about what’s going on. Should you choose to retain legal counsel or have accompaniment by a non-attorney advocate or advisor, they are welcome to join you during all stages of the process.
If I choose to participate in the Title IX investigation, who is involved in the investigation?
The investigatory process is a neutral fact-gathering of all available evidence. The Title IX Coordinator and Title IX Investigator are involved in the initial assessment, formal investigation, and compilation of the investigation report. Other University administrators may be involved, such as, the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities, Provost’s Office, and/or Human Resources who are experienced in hearing Title IX cases and will be involved if the case goes to a hearing or appeal. All administrators involved in the Title IX process participate in annual, specialized training specific to their roles in order to be involved in this process. Of course, throughout the process, you may be accompanied by your attorney, non-attorney advocate, or support person of your choosing.
Do I need to bring anything to my meeting with the Title IX Coordinator or Title IX Investigator?
You may bring anything you feel is helpful information to share. For example, you may wish to bring a written account or timeline about what happened, a witness list, photos, text messages, or other digital or physical documentation. You are also welcome to bring your attorney, non-attorney advocate, or advisor.
What will the meeting with the Title IX Coordinator or Title IX Investigator be like?
You will likely meet with one investigator – unless there is an ongoing criminal investigation and/or/in addition to a co-investigator from the Provost’s or Human Resources Office as explained below. If there is an ongoing criminal investigation, you may meet with both the Title IX Investigator and a Detective from the police department. The investigator will ask you about what happened and allow you the opportunity to share however much or as little as you like. The investigator will ask follow-up questions to better understand your account and they will ask you if there are any potential witnesses with whom you would like the investigator to meet as part of their investigation. The investigator will also ask for any potential information or documentation that you might have (texts, screenshots, emails, photos, or other documentation) that could help them better understand the incident(s). The investigator will end the meeting with you by asking you if there is anything you would like to share. For example, if there is information you want the investigator to have that they did not ask about specifically, you are encouraged to share that information.
You are welcome to bring your attorney, non-attorney advocate, or advisor to any and all meetings with the Title IX Investigator, Title IX Coordinator, or Detective.
For faculty and staff complainants, the Title IX Office partners with the Provost’s Office or Human Resources depending on the relationship of the respondent to the University. This dual investigator model ensures faculty and staff rights and responsibilities are taken into account when responding to alleged incidents of harassment.
What happens after I meet with the Title IX Investigator or Title IX Coordinator?
After you finish meeting with the investigator or Title IX Coordinator, they will reach out to and speak with any witnesses that you or the respondent provided. Then, once they have finished meeting with you, the complainant, any witnesses, and collected all available evidence – they will compile all of this information into a draft investigation report. You and the respondent will have the opportunity to view the draft investigation report, see all the information gathered, and submit any additional evidence to the Title IX investigator or Title IX Coordinator. Once this review and comment period is over, then, you will have the opportunity to review the final investigation report before it is forwarded to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities, Human Resources, and Provost’s Office for their final review and determination of any applicable charges.
What, if anything, will my parents or guardians be told?
The University’s primary relationship is to you, the student, and not to your parent or guardian. Additionally, FERPA is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. FERPA protects your educational record(s) from disclosure. The University does not contact students’ parents or guardians regarding the details of a Title IX report. If you want to include your parents, guardians, or other support people in what is going on, you might want to tell them directly. If you want your support people to be involved, we’re happy to provide you with a FERPA waiver to complete. The waiver will allow us to share the information you would like shared with your parents or other support person.
I’m worried that other students will threaten me or treat me differently because I am the Complainant in a Title IX investigation. What can I do?
The University prohibits retaliation of any kind. No person may intimidate, threaten, coerce, or discriminate against any individual for the purpose of interfering with any right or privilege secured under this Policy, or because the individual has made a report or complaint, testified, assisted, or participated or refused to participate in any manner 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, or a report or formal complaint of sexual harassment, for the purpose of interfering with any right or privilege secured by Title IX or the Title IX Policy, constitutes retaliation.
I received a University No Contact Order, what does that mean? Am I in trouble?
A University No Contact Order does not mean that a Title IX investigation has commenced, but in some cases, it may be issued in conjunction with a Title IX investigation. A University No Contact order gives specific instructions about who a student, faculty, or staff member should not contact and the parameters of what “no contact” means. For example, there can be no direct or indirect contact between the parties. Prohibited contact includes but is not limited to phone, email, text messages, letters, instant messages, social media (including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat) and messages transmitted via other individuals. The expectations and instructions in a University No Contact Order apply equally to both parties. Should there be a violation of the University No Contact Order by either party, the violation is processed through the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities, Human Resources, or the Provost’s Office.
How long will this process take?
The University will complete investigations in a prompt, fair, and impartial manner, within a reasonable amount of time. University holidays and breaks will likely impact the time that it may take to conclude an investigation. During the course of the investigation, the investigator will provide updates to both the complainant and respondent. Cases that are particularly complex or involve unusual circumstances may require more time for the investigation process. If the Title IX Coordinator or Title IX Investigator determines that an extension of the timeline is warranted or necessary, they will notify the parties of the delay and the anticipated date of completion.