Title IX

Kathleen Smith is the Title IX Coordinator at The University of Tulsa. She is responsible for coordinating the university’s efforts to comply with and carry out institutional responsibilities under Title IX, including promptly, thoroughly and equitably resolving reports of sexual misconduct to eliminate sexual or gender-based discrimination, prevent its recurrence, and remedy its effects. Reports or complaints of sexual or gender-based misconduct, or questions about TU’s policies, procedures, resources or programs, may be directed to the Title IX Coordinator.

• Email: titleix@utulsa.edu
• Phone: 918-631-2321
• VAWA Handbook

Students who have experienced, witnessed or have become aware of an incident of alleged sexual or gender-based misconduct have many options, including speaking with a Confidential Resource (see below), filing a report with the university, and filing a criminal complaint with police. Deciding among these options may be difficult, and students are encouraged to seek information from a Confidential Resource before deciding whether and how to proceed.

Confidential Resources

TU offers several confidential resources for students who do not wish to formally report sexual or gender-based misconduct to the university. The below services are available to students and will not result in a report being made to the Title IX Coordinator. Students are encouraged to make use of confidential resources when they are unsure about whether or not they want to report (or whether they are ready to report) sexual or gender-based misconduct to the university.

• Counseling and Psychological Services: 918-631-2200
• Alexander Health Clinic: 918-631-2200
• On-Campus Survivor Advocate: 918-631-2965
• On-Campus Ordained Clergy and Chaplains contact Sharp Chapel at 918-631-2546 For a list of Campus Ministries and Churches, visit Campus Ministries.

Reporting to the University

Students are encouraged to report sexual or gender-based misconduct directly to the Title IX Coordinator or a Deputy Title IX Coordinator, but may also report to any university employee who, in turn, will notify the Title IX Coordinator.

University employees (with the exception of confidential resources) are mandated reporters and are required to disclose all details of a report (including the reporting party’s name) to the Title IX Coordinator.

Alternately, students may submit an anonymous report directly to the Title IX Coordinator by using the University’s online reporting platform, CaneCares. When using CaneCares, a student may report as few or as many details as they prefer and may withhold identifying information. Anonymous reports may limit the university’s ability to respond to the report.

Upon receipt of a report of sexual or gender-based misconduct, the Title IX Coordinator will: ascertain immediate safety needs of the reporting party and the campus community; advise the reporting party of their Title IX rights; connect the reporting party to requested campus and community resources; confirm whether the reporting party wishes to pursue or participate in a formal complaint against the accused; and determine whether the university has disciplinary jurisdiction over the accused.

Reporting Externally

The University process is separate and independent from the criminal process. Students are encouraged to file a report with police which will likely lead to a criminal investigation. If you would like support in notifying law enforcement authorities, University staff will assist you in doing so. You also have the option to decline notifying law enforcement.

Students may report crimes directly to the Tulsa Police Department by calling 911 (emergency) or 918-596-9222 (non-emergency).

Students may also report instances of sex and gender based discrimination directly to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights at 1-800-421-3481 or by email to OCR@ed.gov.

If you’ve been sexually assaulted or experienced sexual violence, medical care may treat or prevent illness or injury. It is also an important way to preserve evidence, if you decide to press charges or to obtain assistance in applying for a protection order.

For emergency care, contact 911 or Campus Security at 918-631-5555.  To set up an exam with a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), contact Domestic Violence Intervention Services (DVIS) at 918-743-5763.  The Title IX Coordinator and Survivor Advocate (confidential) are available during business hours to assist students in setting up an appointment with a SANE nurse or to answer questions about the exam.

The University is committed to providing ongoing support to students in connection with their experience, such as academic accommodations, housing modifications, employment modifications, free confidential counseling/psychological support, and access to free or low-cost healthcare options. Support Services are available to you even if you decide not to move forward with a formal complaint.

Questions about a particular support service or student accommodation request may be directed to the Title IX Coordinator.

The University is committed to providing the campus community with various programs throughout the academic year to educate people about recognizing and preventing sexual and gender-based harassment and misconduct.

In addition to Violence Prevention Education, the University educates students, staff, and faculty on Title IX rights and responsibilities, the sex discrimination reporting process, internal grievance procedures, as well as campus and community resources. To schedule a training, please contact the Title IX Coordinator.

The University of Tulsa is excited to announce the availability of Callisto, a free, third-party sexual assault prevention and protection resource for students. Callisto is a nonprofit organization that seeks to combat sexual assault and support survivors, and advance justice through technology. The Callisto online platform allows students to create an encrypted electronic record to privately store the details of an incident while they decide what to do next. If they choose to do so, survivors can also enter information about a perpetrator into a Matching System. If a “match” with another system entry is detected, survivors are connected to a Legal Options Counselor who can provide up to10 hours of free, confidential legal counseling. Callisto’s website also contains information on a range of resources and an Allies’ Guide, designed to help others support survivors.

No information entered into the system is accessible to the University or Callisto staff, and the University is not notified when an account is created, a record is updated, or a “match” is identified.

You can create an account today with the use of your @utulsa.edu email address.

The University of Tulsa is committed to providing a prompt, fair and impartial response to reports of Sex Discrimination pursuant to the University’s Title IX Policy. The University’s process for addressing Formal Complaints of Sex Discrimination are grounded in fairness and support for all parties and include procedural protections that ensure notice and meaningful opportunities to participate.

Formal Complaints against students are addressed with reference to the Title IX Student Procedures. Formal Complaints against staff and faculty members are resolved with reference to the Title IX Employee Procedures.

Conduct not specifically prohibited by the Title IX Policy may implicate other University policies and regulations. The University retains discretion to utilize other applicable policies and regulations, as appropriate.

Unless specifically exempted, all employees – including all faculty members – are required to report actual or suspected sex discrimination or harassment to the Title IX Coordinator in accordance with the University’s Sex Discrimination Reporting Policy and federal law.

You may find it useful to provide language in syllabi to reflect your role as a mandatory reporter (see below). This may assist students in making an informed decision about sharing their personal experiences with you and other staff.

You may also decide it is beneficial to review your role as a mandated reporter during the first day of class, to be transparent with students. If a student later discloses an incident of sexual or gender-based misconduct to you, you may review your role with the student again and continue to develop a trusting and supportive relationship, while upholding University policy and best practices.

Model Language – Reporting Requirements

“As a faculty member at The University of Tulsa, I am committed to facilitating a safe and inclusive learning environment for students. I also have mandatory reporting responsibilities. It is my goal that you feel able to share information related to your experiences during class discussions, in your written work or in meetings with me. I will keep the information you share with me as private as possible; however, as part of my job responsibilities, I am required to share information about sexual misconduct with the Title IX Coordinator. Students may speak with someone confidentially by contacting TUs Counseling and Psychological Services Center at 918-631-2200 or the 24/7 Domestic Violence Intervention Services Advocate hotline at 918-743-5763.”

Model Language – Title IX Syllabi Language

“Sexual misconduct is prohibited by Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”) and will not be tolerated within the TU community.  Sexual misconduct encompasses all forms of sex and gender-based discrimination, harassment, abuse, violence, and assault, as well as unwelcome sexual conduct, dating violence, domestic violence, interpersonal violence, stalking, sexual coercion, exploitation and any act of retaliation based on a complaint of sexual misconduct.  If you or someone you know has experienced any of these prohibited acts, or if you have questions about violence prevention resources available to you, please contact any of the following campus and community resources:

Title IX Coordinator 918-631-2321

Survivor Advocate 918-631-2965
Office of Violence Prevention 918-631-2324
TU Counseling and Psychological Services 918- 631-2241
Campus Security 918-631-5555
Domestic Violence Intervention Services 918-585-3163 or 918-743-5763
Tulsa Police Department 918-596-9222 or 911 (emergency situations)

For more information about your rights under Title IX, please visit our Policies and Laws page on the TU website or contact the Title IX Coordinator. Every student on our campus has the right to resources. Please come forward and ask questions, report, and help us eradicate sexual misconduct by stopping the silence surrounding it.”

Information regarding our Title IX Decision Maker Training can be found here.

Other training materials include:

Balancing Discretion and Fairness in Student Conduct Policies – March 3, 2021

Balancing Fairness and Exercising Discretion Part 2

Annual Title IX Training for Coordinators, Investigators and Title IX Team Members

Title IX Decision Maker Training