Connecting with a Title IX Resource Coordinator
Harvard maintains a network of over 50 Title IX Resource Coordinators who address issues of sexual harassment, including sexual assault, and other sexual misconduct, and work together to carry out the University’s commitment to providing a positive learning, teaching, and working environment for the entire community. As the Title IX Resource Coordinators working within Harvard Griffin GSAS, we:
- receive disclosures concerning concerns of a sexual and/or gender-based nature
- provide supportive measures
- serve as resources for questions about sexual harassment, including sexual assault, and other sexual misconduct.
We address questions and concerns about issues relating to sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct, even if you are unsure if a policy has been violated. You can contact us to discuss:
- general information about how sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct policies and procedures work at Harvard
- concerning situations in which you experienced or may have witnessed harassment
- concerning situations in which you were a bystander or witness
- concerns about your own actions
- customized training, workshops, or initiatives for your department or group.
We care about Harvard Griffin GSAS students’ mental, emotional, and physical well-being. If you would like to connect with a Harvard Griffin GSAS Title IX resource coordinator, please contact Seth Avakian, Stephanie Clendenin, or Katie Mulroy.
Beyond local resources within Harvard Griffin GSAS, staff within the Office for Gender Equity are also available as a resource to community members who want to speak about incidents that either involve them directly or may have impacted a friend or colleague.
What you can expect when you contact a Title IX Resource Coordinator for an appointment
We try to return all emails within 24 hours but may need extra time to respond to emails received overnight, on weekends, or on University holidays. If you are in urgent need of assistance, please contact the Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) at 617-495-1212, the SHARE Confidential Crisis Hotline at 617-495-9100, CAMHS Cares line at 617-495-2042, or Harvard University Health Services.
We will provide information about policies over email, but many students find an in-person, Zoom, or phone conversation is more beneficial to understand the options and resources available. We typically meet with students in our quiet, private offices on the Cambridge campus, but we can meet anywhere that is most comfortable to you, including the Longwood campus. We also use Zoom and other video chat apps to meet with students who are more comfortable talking remotely or are far from campus.
When you reach out to a Title IX Resource Coordinator, you may disclose as much or as little information as you choose. Reaching out to a Title IX Resource Coordinator is not the same as filing a complaint and does not automatically launch an investigation.
During our conversation, we may discuss one or more of the following topics, depending on what information you would like to receive:
- sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct policy and procedures
- how to file a formal complaint
- supportive measures, such as restrictions on contact, course schedule changes, or increased monitoring of certain areas of campus
- options for support at Harvard and/or outside of the University.
We treat information that individuals share with us with the utmost discretion and sensitivity. Please feel free to contact a Title IX Resource Coordinator to discuss the distinction between confidential and non-confidential resources and to find the appropriate resource for you.
What you can expect when you contact a Title IX Resource Coordinator to request a training or presentation
The Title IX Resource Coordinators are available to present to your department, program, or group. We tailor each presentation to meet the needs of the audience (students, postdocs, faculty, staff, visitors) and to ensure that the content is appropriate to your identified need.
Examples of presentation titles/topics include, but are not limited to:
- Sexual Harassment and Other Sexual Misconduct Policies and Procedures
- Sexual Harassment and Other Sexual Misconduct and Fieldwork
- Sexual Harassment and Other Sexual Misconduct and the Lab
- Sexual Harassment and Other Sexual Misconduct and Your Teaching Fellow Responsibilities
- Beyond Sexual Harassment: Intersections of Power
- Bystander Intervention: Promoting Civility and Equity
- Difficult Conversations and Sticky Situations