Coronavirus + Title IX: Info for Students

March 13. 2020

The below information is for students. If you are a Title IX administrator looking for our guidance on best practices during COVID-19, click here.

How your school’s response to Coronavirus may impact your Title IX case

Due to Coronavirus (COVID-19), it is likely that Title IX offices, hearings, and investigations will be impacted as campuses close and Title IX offices adjust their plans to work remotely to address staff and student health and safety concerns. 

Currently, your school or your Title IX office may not have their plans totally finalized or may change plans unexpectedly as circumstances change and more information becomes available. Additionally, you may have concerns regarding your own personal health and safety, and may have questions about participating remotely. 

You should ask your school’s Title IX office how they are planning on handling cases with regard to potential or current campus closures. Even if your school is currently open, asking questions now may help you prepare for potential campus closures by creating a plan with your Title IX office. If you already have an advocate, they may be able to help you understand what your school is doing or assist you in asking questions.

If you are working with ERA through our Legal Advice & Counseling or ENOUGH programs, please note that we might need additional time ahead of any deadlines in your case to make a plan with you and your Title IX office. We may need to provide remote-only support for the health and safety of you and our staff/volunteers.

If you are requesting help from us, please give us as much advance notice of deadlines as possible. 

Here are some sample questions that you can consider asking your Title IX office, depending on where you are currently in the Title IX process: 

• Will the Title IX office and staff be working remotely during campus closures? If your campus has not yet closed, does the Title IX office have a plan if a closure is ordered, and how will they notify you? How will the timeline of your Title IX case be impacted, if at all?
• If you have an upcoming hearing: Will your hearing be postponed? If not, will hearings move to video conference? If your hearing is moving to a video conference or if you cannot attend an in-person hearing due to concerns about COVID-19, will all parties meet via video so that you are not disadvantaged by doing so?
• If your case is in evidence review: How will they share evidence review files remotely?
• If you need to report a Title IX issue: How can you make a report remotely?

To apply for a phone appointment with an ENOUGH advocate (a volunteer attorney who can help you navigate the Title IX process at your school), fill out our Legal Advice & Counseling form.

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