Terms and Concepts

Below is a list of common terms used with the University Grievance Process: 

Complainant: A Complainant (CP) is a person who has experienced harm, or identifies as a victim or survivor of prohibited conduct under the university policies.

Respondent: A Respondent (or Responding Party, RP) is the individual and/or organization reported to be the alleged perpetrator of conduct that violates the policy. The Respondent is designated to respond to a report received by the university.

Third-Party: Someone who may not have directly experienced prohibited conduct under Title IX, but may have knowledge of prohibited conduct. 

Mandatory Reporter: A UT employee designated by the Title IX Coordinator who is required to report incidents of alleged prohibited conduct under Title IX to the university. This designation applies to all employees in the Title IX Office and all Deputy Title IX Coordinators, as well as certain student employees including, but not limited to, undergraduate and graduate TAs, GAs, GRAs, AIs, RAs, and paid mentors. 

Consent: The act of willingly agreeing to engage in each specific sexual contact or activity. Consent must be clear, knowing, voluntary, and expressed prior to engaging in and during each sexual act.

Sex Discrimination: Disparate treatment of an individual on the basis of sex or gender (including, but not limited to, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and pregnancy status) that adversely affects the terms or conditions of the individual's employment or substantially interferes with the individual's access to education or educational benefits.

Formal Complaint: A formal report submitted by a Complainant requesting the University initiate the Grievance Process. The Title IX Coordinator may also file and sign a Formal Complaint based on any incident report received which will initiate the Grievance Process.

Leave of Absence: A period of time when a student is not enrolled in classes but is eligible to reenroll in the future. A leave of absence, for the purpose of this Policy, is also known as an academic withdrawal.

Parenting Student: A student who is the parent or legal guardian of a child under 18 years of age. 

Pregnancy or Related Condition: Pregnancy, childbirth, miscarriage, lactation, or any other conditions directly related to being pregnant.

Pregnant Student: A student who has, or is recovering from, a pregnancy or related condition.

Student: A person who is currently enrolled at the University, is accepted for admission or readmission to the University, has been enrolled at the University in a prior term and is eligible to continue enrollment in the term that immediately follows, or is attending an educational program sponsored by the University while that person is on campus.

Supportive Measures: Individualized free services that are available to individuals affected by Title IX-related matters, along with pregnant and parenting students.

To read the the university's definitions of these terms and more, please see the Policies page.