Sexual Misconduct

The University of North Texas is committed to providing a safe environment for all community members. Dating violence, domestic violence, sexual harassment, sexual coercion, sexual exploitation, sexual violence, and stalking are prohibited. Please see our page on reporting sexual violence for more information. We are here to help.

For a complete copy of the University's policies governing sexual misconduct visit:

For Additional Information, view the Survivor Book. If you have been impacted by violence, you are not alone. There are resources and services available to help. This book will discuss your rights, reporting options, and resources. If you have any questions, please reach out to a Survivor Advocate at SurvivorAdvocate@unt.edu. We are here to help.

Definitions

The Code of Student Conduct defines the following prohibited conduct:

Complainant – An individual who files a complaint with the Dean of Students alleging a violation of the Code of Student Conduct.
Consent is words or actions that show an active knowing and voluntary agreement to engage in mutually agreed-upon sexual activity. Consent cannot be gained by force, by ignoring or acting without regard to the objectives of another, or by taking advantage of the incapacitation of another, where the student knows or reasonably should have known of such incapacity. Use of alcohol or drugs may impair an individual’s capacity to freely consent and may render an individual incapable of giving consent. Consent is absent when the activity in question exceeds the scope of previously given consent.
Dating violence is violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim; and where the existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on a consideration of the following factors: the length of the relationship, the type of relationship, and the frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship.
Domestic violence includes felony or misdemeanor crimes of violence committed by a current or former spouse of the victim, or by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, or by a person who is cohabitating with, or has cohabitated with the victim as a spouse, or by a person similarly situated to a spouse of a victim under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction receiving grant monies, or by any other person against an adult or youth victim who is protected from that person’s acts under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction.
Respondent– An individual who is alleged to have committed the misconduct. Information about Respondent Advisors can be found here.
Sexual assault is the intentional or knowing penetration, no matter how slight, of the sex organ or anus with any body part or object, or oral sex, without consent of the complainant. The term sexual assault also may be referred to as rape.
Sexual exploitation is taking non-consensual or abusive sexual advantage of another for another’s own advantage or benefit, or to benefit or advantage anyone other than the person being exploited, including but not limited to, non-consensual video or audio-taping of sexual activity or undetected viewing of another’s sexual activity.
Sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature including but not limited to unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, sexual violence and other verbal, nonverbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
Sexual violence is any physical sexual acts perpetrated against a person’s will or when a person is incapable of giving consent due to the victim’s use of drugs or alcohol or other disability, including age. Sexual violence includes but is not limited to rape, sexual assault, sexual battery or sexual coercion.
Sexual coercion is the use of manipulation or threat to force someone to have sex.
Stalking is engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for his or her safety or the safety of others, or to suffer substantial.

Reporting

The University has procedures in place that aim to be aware of the needs of those who make an institutional report of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. Procedures include informing individuals about their right to file criminal charges as well as the availability of counseling, health, mental health, victim advocacy, legal assistance, visa and immigration assistance and other services on and/or off campus, as well as additional remedies to prevent contact between a complainant and a respondent, such as housing, academic, transportation and working accommodations, if reasonably available. The University will make such accommodations, if the victim requests them and if they are reasonably available, regardless of whether the complainant chooses to report the crime to the UNTPD or local law enforcement.

Anyone can report prohibited conduct by notifying the Dean of Students Office (940.565.2648), the Title IX Coordinator (940.565.2759) or the UNT Police Department (940.565.3000). The online reporting form is found at http://report.unt.edu.

Response

Depending on when reported (immediate vs delayed report), the institution will provide the complainant with access to medical care.
UNT will assess immediate safety needs of the complainant.
UNT will assist the complainant with contacting local police at the complainant's requests AND the complainant will be provided with contact information for the local police department.
UNT will provide the complainant with referrals to on and off-campus mental health providers.
UNT will assess the need to implement interim or long-term protective measures, such as housing changes, change in class schedule, and “no contact” directive between both parties.
UNT may issue a “no trespass” directive to respondent if deemed appropriate.
UNT will provide a copy of the Code of Student Conduct or Sexual Harassment Policy to the complainant and inform the complainant regarding timeframes for inquiry, investigation and resolution.
UNT will inform the complainant of the outcome of the investigation, whether or not the respondent will be administratively charged and what the outcome of the hearing is.
UNT will enforce the anti- retaliation policy and take immediate and separate action against parties that retaliate against a person for complaining of sex-based discrimination or for assisting in the investigation.

Conduct Process When the Person Alleged of Commiting Sexual Misconduct is a Student

An impartial investigator from the Dean of Students Office will be assigned to conduct a thorough investigation of the allegation(s).
The complainant and respondent will have timely notice of meetings.
The complainant and respondent will have the opportunity to meet with the investigator to share their perspective on the allegation(s) and to provide any relevant information or names of individuals with relevant information to the investigator.
The complainant and respondent each have the opportunity to be advised by a personal advisor of their choice, at their expense, at any stage of the process and to be accompanied by that advisor at any meeting or proceeding. An advisor may only consult and advise his or her advisee, but not speak for the advisee at any meeting or hearing. Both parties have the ability to provide witnesses and additional information. The Survivor Advocate can assist complainants with connection to an advisor and information about Respondent Advisors can be found here.
The complainant and respondent will receive regular, written updates from the investigator regarding the status of the investigation.
The complainant and respondent will have the opportunity to review the investigation and respond in writing prior to the conclusion of the investigation.
The investigator will use the preponderance of the evidence standard (i.e., is it more likely than not that the Code of Student Conduct was violated) to determine if the respondent committed misconduct.
The complainant and respondent will be notified simultaneously, in writing, of the outcome of the investigation and any sanctions imposed for misconduct.
The complainant and respondent will be notified of their option to request reconsideration or review of the finding and any sanctions imposed.
The complainant and respondent will be advised of any requests for reconsideration or review made by the other party, and will be notified of the final outcome of any reconsideration or review.

Please see our page on Understanding the Conduct Process for Allegations of Sexual Harassment for more information. We are here to help

Sanctions When the Party Responsible for Misconduct is a Student

If a student is found responsible for violating the Code for one or more prohibited behaviors, one or more of the following sanctions can be imposed:

Residence Hall Removal
Level II Conduct Probation (removes good standing for a period of time)
Level III Conduct Probation (permanently removes good standing)
Suspension
Expulsion
Withdrawal
No Contact Order
Trespass

Who to Contact

UNT Survivor Advocate
SurvivorAdvocate@unt.edu
940-565-2648
http://deanofstudents.unt.edu/sexual-misconduct/reporting-sexual-misconduct

Eve Bell
Title IX Coordinator
Eve.Bell@unt.edu
940-565-2759

For More Information

For more information on how the University addresses sexual violence please review the University’s Annual Security Report.

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