Information for Witnesses
All employees are required to fully participate in the investigation process as per Texas A&M System Regulation 08.01.01.
Students must appear at all meetings and hearings when given appropriate notice by CREI as per Texas A&M SAP 08.01.01.M1.01.
When you make a report, in good faith, as a student complainant or a student witness to an incident of sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking, the University will not take disciplinary action against you for violations of the Student Conduct Code occurring at or near the time of the incident reported.
The University may, however, investigate to determine whether a report of an incident of sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking was made in good faith.
The amnesty policy will not apply to a student who reports the student’s own commission or complicity in the commission of sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking. A determination that a student is entitled to amnesty is final and may not be revoked.
Absolutely. You may submit documents, digital media, or other information to the investigator, who will determine if it is relevant to the allegations. Your information and evidence will be included in the report, as appropriate.
Yes. The Investigator will write a report which will include your statement. Both parties will have the opportunity to read the report.
No.
Your participation during the process is highly appreciated. However, CREI limits the right to review the report to the Complainant, the Respondent, and their advisors.
Anyone can report sex based-discrimination, sexual harassment, or related retaliation. Visit our Make a Report page for more information about reporting.
You may report without sharing your name by using the electronic reporting form found at tellsomebody.tamu.edu.
Your report will be forwarded to the Title IX Coordinator or other appropriate University Administrator for review. Depending on the amount of information disclosed, the University’s ability to investigate and respond to the report may be limited.
Witnesses may share information attesting to the character of the complainant/respondent. However, information attesting to the character of someone in most cases is not considered to be relevant to an investigation of whether or not someone violated a University rule.
Unfortunately, there is no free parking near YMCA. Both University Center and Stalling Blvd garages are near the building for paid parking. If you have a University Business Pass, you can park in lot 30 without paying.
You can also reach YMCA by using any Aggie Spirit Bus with a stop near the Memorial Student Center.
We will work with your schedule to try and avoid scheduling you for an interview time that conflicts with your work or class schedule. However, if it is not possible to avoid this conflict, we will provide you with an excuse note that you can give to your professor or supervisor.
Student Counseling Service
No cost counseling service for students. If you are in crisis, no appointment is necessary.
24 Hour HelpLine (979) 845-2700
Schedule an Appointment: (979) 845-4427
Website: scs.tamu.edu
Student Health Services
Schedule an appointment: (979) 458-8310
Located in the A.P. Beutel Health Center, 1264 TAMU, College Station, TX
Website: shs.tamu.edu
Texas A&M University’s Title IX investigations are bound by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a federal privacy law, as well as the university’s privacy policies. We will not talk to your parents unless you sign a FERPA waiver which gives us permission to do so.
Note that CREI is also bound by state child abuse reporting laws which require us to notify the proper authorities if we become aware of an incident of child abuse (ie. the abused student is a minor).
The best ways to support friends involved in a Title IX complaint is to be there for them: listen, acknowledge that they are in a difficult situation, and be non-judgmental. Stay connected and check in frequently.
You should also encourage your friends to talk to people who can help guide them through the process. The Case Managers in the office of Civil Rights and Equity Investigations (CREI) are an excellent source of information and support. You can also direct you friends to our resources page, where your friends can find information about counseling, medical care, and advocacy.
Your friend could also ask you to be an “advisor” during the investigation. A party has the right to bring an advisor with them at any time during the investigation and resolution process, including the interview with the Investigator. The advisor may be any person selected by a party, including legal counsel. The advisor’s participation will be limited to the role of an observer, although the advisor may request a break at any point to give the party advice. The advisor cannot be called as a witness once they have assumed the role of advisor because it would allow the witness to adjust their evidence to line up with evidence submitted by the party.
There is no requirement that you dress up for a meeting or interview with CREI. We recognize that participating in our process can be quite stressful, so we advise that you wear whatever makes you feel most comfortable. Sometimes our offices are chilly, so we recommend layers.
If you are participating in an investigation in our office in any capacity, we recommend that you not speak to the media, or at least wait until the investigation is complete. Our investigations delve into sensitive and often intimate matters that most people would prefer not to share with the world at large. However, there is no prohibition against speaking to the media at any time.
Texas A&M University does not retain legal counsel for any person (witness or party) involved in an investigation. If you would like an attorney, you will need to retain one on your own. You can locate attorneys by consulting the State Bar of Texas’ website.
Texas A&M System Regulation 08.01.01 requires that any employee who becomes aware of alleged discrimination must report it to either their supervisor or a member official (such as the Department of Civil Rights and Equity Investigations [CREI]). Included in discrimination is any adverse action against someone based on a protected class that is severe, persistent, or pervasive. Included in discrimination is any act of sexual violence, including sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, and/or stalking.
If you are not sure if an allegation rises to the level of discrimination or not, it is always better to report it than not. When in doubt, report it out.
There are a few employees who are exempt from being mandated reporters. Specifically, licensed health care personnel and sexual assault advocates who have completed a training program approved by the Attorney General of Texas. This exemption only applies when acting in this capacity as part of their official employment. For example, a mental health counselor is not required to report when one of their patients discloses being the victim of discrimination. However, a mental health counselor who observes another counselor being discriminated against by their supervisor would be required to report. If you are not sure if you qualify for one of these exceptions you can reach out to [email protected].
Students are encouraged to report, but are not required to do so unless they are also employees AND they become aware of the discrimination while acting in their employee role.
Individuals needing disability accommodations during the investigation and resolution process should notify their case manager as soon as possible. Please note that it is an individual’s responsibility to make their need known and to provide any supporting documentation requested by the case manager to support the need for the accommodations.