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Office for Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Support

 

If you intend to disclose or share a Title IX-related concern, please submit information to tixrr.uchicago.edu or email Renae DeSautel at desautel@uchicago.edu. This is the fastest way for our office to review information. If this is an emergency, please call 911 or 773.702.8181 (UCPD).

If you would like information about resources, please contact one of our Confidential Resources, including the Sexual Assault Dean on Call (available 24/7, 365). They can be reached at 773.834.HELP.

Though working remotely to help contain the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), staff are available to connect with you by email, phone, and Zoom video.  Please contact staff by email to schedule a meeting via phone or Zoom video.  Contact information can be found at https://equalopportunityprograms.uchicago.edu/contact-us/.

For information about our services, please visit: https://equalopportunityprograms.uchicago.edu. For additional support & resources related to Title IX Student Support visit http://provost.uchicago.edu/titleix.

For University information and updates regarding the coronavirus, please visit: https://coronavirusupdates.uchicago.edu/.

We hope you are taking care of yourself during this time.

What is Sexual Misconduct?

Sexual misconduct encompasses a range of conduct, from sexual assault (a criminal act that the U.S. Department of Education defines as a form of sexual harassment) to conduct such as unwanted touching or persistent unwelcome comments, e-mails, or pictures of an insulting or degrading sexual nature, which may constitute unlawful harassment, depending upon the specific circumstances and context in which the conduct occurs. For example, sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or sexually-directed remarks or behavior constitute sexual harassment when (1) submission to or rejection of such conduct is made, explicitly or implicitly, a basis for an academic or employment decision, or a term or condition of either; or (2) such conduct directed against an individual persists despite its rejection.

In compliance with the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (“VAWA”) and the Clery Act, the University uses the State of Illinois Criminal Code’s definitions of sexual assault and sexual abuse. The University incorporates the State’s definitions of several other important terms, including domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking and recognizes that sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking are not gender-specific crimes. To aid searches, definitions are provided in alphabetical order.

What is Title IX?

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and its implementing regulations, prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities operated by recipients of Federal financial assistance. Sexual harassment of students, which includes acts of sexual violence, is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by Title IX. The Policy on Harassment, Discrimination, and Sexual Misconduct is available online.

Sexual Misconduct and Title IX at the University of Chicago

Sexual misconduct may violate the law, does violate the standards of our community, and is unacceptable at the University of Chicago.  Sexual misconduct can be devastating to the person who experiences it directly and can adversely impact family, friends, and the larger community. Regardless of the definitions provided below, people who believe they have experienced any sexual misconduct are encouraged to report the incident and to seek medical care and support as soon as possible. To raise concerns or to file a complaint under our policy on discrimination and sexual misconduct or Title IX, please see Contact Information.

The University of Chicago considers students, employees, applicants for admission or employment, and those seeking access to University programs on the basis of individual merit. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law.