UConn Policies

The University of Connecticut is committed to maintaining safe and non-discriminatory learning, living and working environments for all members of the University community – students, employees, and visitors. Therefore, all members of the UConn community - students, employees, and visitors - must adhere to the Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment, and Related Interpersonal Violence.

The Policy specifically prohibits sexual or gender-based harassment, sexual assault, stalking, intimate partner violence, and other forms of sexual misconduct. Sexual misconduct not only violates The Policy but is contrary to our academic community’s mission.

For further explanation and clarification about this policy, please review the FAQ page.

Other key policies and procedures related to Title IX include:

The Student Code

All students are responsible for creating an environment that promotes individual growth and builds community through the safe, respectful exchange of diverse thought, opinion, and feeling. To this end, UConn students must abide by the Student Code, which sets the standard of proscribed conduct upholding the values of the UConn community. Sexual misconduct is a violation of the Student Code. The Office of Community Standards manages allegations of Title IX sexual misconduct against UConn Students under the Sexual Misconduct Cases Involving a Student Respondent Procedures.

Protection of Minors and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect

The University of Connecticut proudly serves the broader community and is committed to creating a welcoming and secure experience for the children and youth who participate in activities at the University of Connecticut. 

To this end, virtually all University of Connecticut employees are required to report child abuse and neglect as defined by Connecticut General Statutes Section 17a-101(b) and must comply with Connecticut’s mandated reporting laws. Reporting obligations for University employees can be found in our Protection of Minors and Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect Policy.

The Department of Children and Families (DCF) 24-hour hotline for reporting suspected child abuse or neglect is 1-800-842-2288. For further guidance on statewide mandated reporting requirements, visit the DCF website.

For more information on how University of Connecticut works to protect minors, please visit the UConn Minor Protection Program webpage.

Non-Retaliation Policy

The University encourages students, employees, and members of the University community to report all incidents of sexual assault. Any threat of retaliation or other attempts to prevent the reporting of an incident of sexual assault is itself prohibited.

For further information, please review the Non-Retaliation Policy.

What Constitutes Prohibited Conduct?

It is important that all members of the University of Connecticut community are familiar with the Code of Conduct to ensure we are all keeping our community safe and free from harmful behaviors. "Prohibited Conduct" collectively describes behaviors which violate the University Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment, and Related Interpersonal Violence.

For more information, please review each form of prohibited conduct listed below:

Sexual Assault & Consent

Sexual Assault consists of (1) Sexual Contact and/or (2) Sexual Intercourse that occurs without (3) Consent.

  1. Sexual Contact (or attempts to commit) is the intentional touching of another person’s intimate body parts, clothed or unclothed, if that intentional touching can reasonably be construed as having the intent or purpose of obtaining sexual arousal or gratification.
  2. Sexual Intercourse (or attempts to commit) is any penetration, however slight, of a bodily orifice with any object(s) or body part. Sexual Intercourse includes vaginal or anal penetration by a penis, object, tongue or finger, or any contact between the mouth of one person and the genitalia of another person.

Consent

Consent is an understandable exchange of affirmative words or actions, which indicate a willingness to participate in mutually agreed upon sexual activity. Consent must be informed, freely and actively given. It is the responsibility of the initiator to obtain clear and affirmative responses at each stage of sexual involvement. Consent to one form of sexual activity does not imply consent to other forms of sexual activity. The lack of a negative response is not consent. An individual who is incapacitated by alcohol and/or other drugs both voluntarily or involuntarily consumed may not give consent. Past consent of sexual activity does not imply ongoing future consent. Consent cannot be given if any of the following are present: Force, Coercion or Incapacitation.

Incapacitation

Incapacitation is a state where an individual cannot make rational, reasonable decisions due to the debilitating use of alcohol and/or other drugs, sleep, unconsciousness, or because of a disability that prevents the individual from having the capacity to give consent. Intoxication is not incapacitation and a person is not incapacitated merely because the person has been drinking or using drugs. Incapacitation due to alcohol and/or drug consumption results from ingestion that is more severe than impairment, being under the influence, drunkenness, or intoxication. The question of incapacitation will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Being intoxicated or incapacitated by drugs, alcohol, or other medication will not be a defense to any violation of this Policy.

Force

Force is the use of physical violence and/or imposing on someone physically to gain sexual access. Force also includes threats, intimidation (implied threats) and/or coercion that overcome resistance.

Coercion

Coercion is unreasonable pressure for sexual activity. Coercion is more than an effort to persuade, entice, or attract another person to have sex. Conduct does not constitute coercion unless it wrongfully impairs an individual’s freedom of will to choose whether to participate in the sexual activity.

If you are experiencing sexual assault, please visit the CT Alliance to End Sexual Violence or call 1-888-999-5545 to receive immediate advocacy and support.

Intimate Partner Violence

Intimate Partner Violence includes any felony or misdemeanor crime, act of violence, or threatened act of violence that occurs between individuals who are involved or have been involved in a sexual, dating, spousal, domestic, or other intimate relationship. Intimate Partner Violence may include any form of Prohibited Conduct under the Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment, and Related Interpersonal Violence, including Sexual Assault, Stalking (as defined herein) and/or physical assault.

Intimate Partner Violence may involve a pattern of behavior used to establish power and control over another person through fear and intimidation or may involve one-time conduct. A pattern of behavior is typically determined based on the repeated use of words and/or actions and inactions in order to demean, intimidate, and/or control another person. This behavior can be verbal, emotional and/or physical.

Questions to Help Identify Relationship Violence

Does Your Partner...

  • Humiliate or belittle you in front of friends, family or in public?
  • Put down your goals or accomplishments?
  • Constantly criticize your abilities as their spouse, partner, girlfriend, boyfriend, employee or student?
  • Constantly call you names?
  • Make you feel helpless to make your own decisions?
  • Threaten to harm you, your children, pets, friends or family to gain compliance?
  • Destroy personal property or your valuables to scare you?
  • Tell you that you’re nothing without them?
  • Grab, hit, punch, push or shove you?
  • Call or text you constantly or show-up to make sure you’re where you said you’d be?
  • Isolate you from friends or family?
  • Use drugs or alcohol as an excuse for hurting you physically or verbally?
  • Blame you for how they feel?
  • Pressure you to do sexual acts or have sex when you don’t want to?
  • Act jealous of other people in your life?
  • Threaten to harm themselves or commit suicide if you leave?

Do You...

  • Feel scared of how your partner will act?
  • Constantly make excuses to other people for your partner’s behavior?
  • Believe that you can help your partner change if only you change something about yourself?
  • Try not to do anything that would cause conflict or make your partner angry?
  • Feel like no matter what you do, your partner is never happy with you?
  • Always do what your partner wants you to do instead of what you want?
  • Stay with your partner because you’re afraid of what they’d do if you broke up?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you may be in an abusive relationship.  Please visit the Find Help page for resources.

    Helping a Victim of Intimate Partner Violence

    If someone you know is a victim of relationship abuse, here are ways you can help:

    • Avoid shaming the victim. Remember that your friend or family member did not ask to be abused and it may be difficult to get out of a relationship due to a variety of factors including finances, children, dependency issues, and/or lack of a support system.
    • Let the victim know that individuals in the UConn Police Department, the Dean of Students Office or the Women’s Center can help them to develop a safety plan.
    • Listen to the victim and let them know that you are there to support them.
    • Provide a link to the University resources. Explain to the victim what their options are without making the decision for them.

    For additional information on intimate partner violence, please visit the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

    Stalking

    Stalking means engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific individual that would cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety or the safety of others, or for the individual to suffer substantial emotional distress. Stalking includes unwanted, repeated, or cumulative behaviors that serve no purpose other than to threaten, or cause fear for another individual.

    Stalking includes cyberstalking.

    Stalking can happen to anyone of any age, gender, race, ethnicity, size, strength, sexual orientation, religion and physical or mental ability. It also happens between ex-partners, friends, family, acquaintances or strangers.

    Create a strong support system of friends, family and co-workers. Stalking can cause emotional stress, exhaustion, disrupted sleeping or eating patterns. You may want to consider developing a safety plan, and there are several strategies to help protect yourself against stalking. For specific strategies and safety planning guidance, please visit these resources. Additionally, UConn has resources to help you.

    The UConn Police Department offers self-defense classes  to train students, faculty, and staff in basic self-defense techniques and offers viable options when confronted with various threats of violence and aggression. program of realistic self-defense tactics and techniques.

    Discriminatory Harassment and Sexual Harassment

    Discriminatory Harassment consists of verbal, physical, electronic, or other conduct based upon an individual’s actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religious creed, age, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), marital status, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, genetic information, physical or mental disabilities (including learning disabilities, intellectual disability, past/present history of a mental disorder), veteran status, status as a victim of domestic violence, prior conviction of a crime, workplace hazards to reproductive systems, gender identity or expression, or membership in other protected classes set forth in state or federal law that interferes with that individual’s educational or employment opportunities, participation in a University program or activity, or receipt of legitimately-requested services or benefits. Such conduct is a violation of this Policy when the circumstances demonstrate the existence of either Hostile Environment Harassment, Quid Pro Quo Harassment, or Sexual Harassment as defined below.

    A violation of The Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment and Related Interpersonal Violence may be found when the conditions for Hostile Environment Harassment or Quid Pro Quo Harassment are present:

    Hostile Environment Harassment: Discriminatory Harassment that is so severe, persistent or pervasive that it unreasonably interferes with, limits, deprives, or alters the conditions of education (e.g., admission, academic standing, grades, assignment); employment (e.g., hiring, advancement, assignment); or participation in a University program or activity (e.g., campus housing, official University list-servs or other University-sponsored platforms), when viewed from both a subjective and objective perspective.

    Quid Pro Quo Harassment: Discriminatory Harassment where submission to or rejection of unwelcome conduct is used, explicitly or implicitly, as the basis for decisions affecting an individual’s education (e.g., admission, academic standing, grades, assignment); employment (e.g., hiring, advancement, assignment); or participation in a University program or activity (e.g., campus housing).

    Sexual Harassment: Discriminatory Harassment that consists of unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature. This may include, but is not limited to, unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, inappropriate touching, acts of sexual violence, or other unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, whether verbal, non- verbal, graphic, physical, written or otherwise. Such conduct is a violation of this Policy when the conditions for Hostile Environment Harassment or Quid Pro Quo Harassment are present, as defined above.

    Examples of sexual harassment may include, but are not limited to:

    • Unwelcome sexual advances, particularly when repeated
    • Requests for sexual favors in exchange for hiring, promotion, raises, good grades, or any other workplace or academic benefit
    • Sexual violence of any kind, including sexual assault, sexual exploitation, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and stalking.
    • Touching, hugging, kissing, fondling others, or touching oneself sexually for others to view
    • Suggestive comments
    • Viewing or displaying in sight of others sexually explicit or pornographic material at the workplace or within the academic environment (where not connected to any academic or work-related purpose)
    • Sexual violence of any kind, including sexual assault, sexual exploitation, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and stalking.

    You are encouraged to report incidents of harassment and may do so through the Office of Institutional Equity Reporting Form.

    Sexual Exploitation

    Sexual Exploitation is taking advantage of a person due to their sex and/or gender identity for personal gain or gratification. It is the abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust for sexual purposes. Examples include, but are not limited to:

    • Recording, photographing, disseminating, and/or posting images of private sexual activity and/or a person’s intimate parts (including genitalia, groin, breasts, or buttocks) without consent;
    • Threatening to disseminate sensitive personal materials (e.g. photos, videos) by any means to any person or entity without consent;
    • Allowing third parties to observe private sexual activity from a hidden location without consent (for example through a hidden location (e.g., closet) or through electronic means (e.g., Skype or livestreaming of images);
    • Fetish behaviors including stealing articles of clothing for personal gain and/or satisfaction;
    • Manipulation of contraception;
    • Peeping or voyeurism;
    • Trafficking another person for sex;
    • Intentionally or knowingly exposing another person to a sexually transmitted infection or virus without the other’s knowledge; or
    • Possessing, distributing, viewing or forcing others to view illegal pornography.

    If you have experienced or are experiencing sexual exploitation, help is available through the Human Trafficking Hotline and the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Additionally, you may seek counseling and services through the CT Alliance to End Sexual Violence.