The Student Support and Advocacy Center (SSAC) provides confidential services to student respondents in the University’s Title IX process. As defined by University Policy 1202, a respondent is “an individual who has been reported to be the perpetrator of conduct that could constitute Prohibited Conduct.”
SSAC recognizes that being accused of Prohibited Conduct can place strain on your academic and personal life. The goal of Respondent Services is to ensure that students who are engaged in the Title IX process are informed of campus resources and receive assistance with the coordination of services and referrals.
Respondent Services actively works to avoid conflicts of interest and protect student confidentiality. The same staff member will not be assigned to work with another individual involved in a case or investigation. Additionally, SSAC is a confidential resource, meaning the information shared will NOT be reported to Mason’s Title IX Coordinator or anyone else. The only time confidentiality will be broken is in the event of imminent harm to self or others.
If you are a student who has been named as a respondent in a Title IX process, you may request support for Respondent Services via the SSAC Request Support Form.
How Respondent Services can assist students:
- Serve as a confidential and unbiased resource to listen, answer questions, and provide helpful information
- Assist in connecting students with clinical counseling resources
- Assist in identifying avenues of finding legal resources, if needed
- Connect students to a Title IX process advisor
- Provide information and referrals to university and community-based support and well-being resources
Respondent Services limitations:
- Unable to serve as a Title IX process advisor
- Unable to provide counseling or other licensed mental health services
- Unable to provide legal advice
- Unable to represent, speak on behalf of, provide or submit statements, or advocate on behalf of any party in a Title IX investigation or process
Frequently Asked Questions
Prohibited Conduct is defined in University Policy 1202: Sexual and Gender-Based Misconduct and Other Forms of Interpersonal Violence. Prohibited Conduct includes: Sexual Assault (including Rape, Sodomy, Sexual Assault with An Object, Fondling, Incest, and Statutory Rape), Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment, Hostile Environment Sexual Harassment, Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, Stalking, Sexual Exploitation, Complicity, and Retaliation. For the full and current definitions, please refer to University Policy 1202.
If you are named as a Respondent in a Formal Complaint, you will receive a Notice of Investigation from the University’s Title IX Coordinator, which will include a description of the alleged Prohibited Conduct as well as details regarding your rights and responsibilities according to University Policy 1202. At that time, you will have the opportunity to meet with the Title IX Coordinator to discuss the process and/or supportive measures. The full process is detailed in University Policy 1201 Appendix A: Procedures for Responding to Reports of Prohibited Conduct Committed by Students and Employees
SSAC Respondent Services Staff: Respondent Services is not involved in any formal or informal Title IX investigations or resolutions; however, you may meet with Respondent Services to discuss the process in general. If necessary, Respondent Services will refer you to the appropriate resource to address specific process questions. SSAC is a confidential resource, meaning the information shared will NOT be reported to Mason’s Title IX Coordinator or anyone else. For more confidential resources, see the response to the next question.
Student Support and Advocacy Center (SSAC) provides confidential support for any students who would like to discuss topics related to sexual and interpersonal violence. SSAC Staff may assist with safety planning, resource referral, and providing a space to address student challenges and needs. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) provides confidential, short-term mental health services for enrolled students. CAPS offers crisis, counseling, and psychiatric services provided by a staff of licensed clinical psychologists, licensed professional counselors, licensed social workers, doctoral-level trainees, and a board-certified psychiatrist. In order to begin services with CAPS, please call (703-993-2380) or visit the office (SUB 1, Suite 3129). Student Health Services (SHS) provides confidential health care to all currently-enrolled Mason students at its clinics on the Fairfax, Arlington and Science and Technology campuses. There is no charge to be seen by an SHS healthcare provider; there are fees for lab tests, medications, supplies, physical exams, procedures, and some office visits. Please check the SHS website for the hours of operation at each clinic.
The resources below are confidential, meaning the information shared will NOT be reported to Mason’s Title IX Coordinator or anyone else. The only time confidentiality will be broken is in the event of imminent harm to self or others. All other Mason employees are non-confidential. If you speak with a non-confidential staff member, they are required to notify Mason’s Title IX Coordinator of any reported incidents or concerns.
The Title IX Office has a list of designated, trained employees who are able to serve as advisors for any party in a Title IX process. SSAC Respondent Services staff or the Title IX Coordinator can assist students with getting connected to an advisor.
You have the right to choose any person as your advisor, including an attorney, as long as that person is not otherwise a party or witness involved in the investigation. You may be accompanied by your advisor at any meeting or proceeding related to the investigation and resolution of a Title IX report. While the advisor may provide support and advice to you at any meeting and/or proceeding, they may not speak on your behalf or otherwise participate in such meetings and/or proceedings.