The Texan Explains: Title IX Office resources – The Daily Texan

With October being National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Texan is breaking down the University’s Title IX office and reporting procedure.

Title IX is a portion of federal law that protects against sex-based discrimination in educational environments. At UT, the Title IX Office is dedicated to enforcing this law. They work to prevent and enforce consequences for sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking. 

Title IX lists multiple on- and off-campus resources on its website, including confidential case managers and counselors.

Reporting process

There are four types of reports that students can file, according to the Title IX Office website. Government agencies manage two: civil reports made to federal or state programs and police reports to Austin Police Department or UT Police Department. 

To report to the Title IX Office, students can complete the reporting form on the Title IX website or email or call the Title IX coordinator.

Students can submit an anonymous report if they would like to make the University aware of an incident, but are not necessarily seeking further action or a University report. 

All students who file a University report will be offered support resources, said Adriana Alicea-Rodriguez, associate vice president of the Title IX Office and Title IX coordinator. They also have the option to submit a formal complaint, which allows the University to investigate an incident and potentially move forward with disciplinary action. 

Grievance process

After receiving a formal complaint, the Intake, Assessment and Prevention Team contacts the complainant. The team confirms that no urgent action is needed, then asks the complainant whether they want to initiate the grievance process. 

The complainant controls whether to begin the grievance process. Only about 6% of those who file a report begin the process, Alicea-Rodriguez said.

The grievance process has three tracks. Track A includes all reports of sexual assault, harassment, stalking or domestic violence that occur on University property or at a University-sponsored event.

Track B includes similar incidents that do not occur on campus, including all incidents in West Campus. Track C covers other prohibited conduct, such as sex discrimination, unprofessional conduct and unfulfilled punishments or mandates. 

For any track, the office will assign a student an adviser from the office or the pro bono clinic at the UT School of Law if they don’t have a private adviser. 

The office will refer the complaint to the Department of Investigation and Adjudication, which will assign an investigator who will meet with both parties and gather evidence, including a list of witnesses.

Track A and B cases can proceed to a hearing after an investigator sends and both parties review the investigation report. At the hearing, which advisers, the hearing officer and a University representative attend, the parties can cross-examine each other. An investigator makes Track C case findings.

If the respondent is a student and the hearing officer finds guilt, the associate vice president of the Department of Investigation and Adjudication will assess the punishment. If the respondent is a staff member, Tony Hunt, the associate vice president of Human Resources, will decide the punishment.