Disclaimer (from author): This submission is in no way comparing or equivocating the experiences of others with Title IX. This submission doesn’t intend to target those involved and is not a breach of NCOs. I have been deemed ’not responsible’ on all allegations. This submission’s purpose is only meant to give a factual account of my experiences of Title VI and Title IX.

After seeing peers come forward to talk about their experiences of Title IX, it has inspired me to do the same. My account, however, happens to be quite different. Still, I am left with a bad taste in my mouth for how the department chose to “handle” my situation. Welcome back to the hot seat, Title IX Coordinator Patricio Jimenez. 

I came to Quinnipiac this fall excited, knowing this is going to be my home for the next four years. While the feeling of “home” still exists for me, the excitement wore off when I was abruptly removed from my dorm without an immediate reason. I mean, no house is truly a “home” without a little bit of dysfunction, right? That’s right folks, I am writing this, not as someone who filed a report, but as someone who had a biased report filed against them. To those who have experienced the horrors of reporting to Title VI and IX, I am deeply empathetic; as someone who has experienced both discrimination and sexual harassment, my heart is with you. Every student deserves to be listened to, taken seriously, and have their situation handled in a timely and professional manner. At Quinnipiac, however, this is not the case. I know firsthand how devastating it is to be mishandled by the Title VI and IX department. I’m here to let you know you’re not alone, from the perspective of the (wrongfully) accused.

From my side, the way accused people are handled is clumsy and unprofessional, and this is detrimental for all parties involved. My largest grievances with this department has to do with the lack of/poor communication of information, the execution of the dorm move-out process, and how there is no way to get a hold of this department outside of office hours.

 Here’s my experience with the investigative process. Without knowing what I was being accused of, I was approached by my Resident Hall Director and Public Saftey telling me I have 24 hours to move out. When I asked why, they told me they couldn’t say, but to check my inbox for a letter from Title IX and VI for more information. I find an email labeled ‘correspondence letter’ from Jimenez. Lo and behold, this letter had no more information for me whatsoever. To quote directly from it, “Recently, the university was made aware of an incident in which you were involved on [date (the day before)] in [residence hall]. There is currently an ongoing investigation regarding your involvement in this incident.” Notice how I’m somehow involved and also still being investigated if I was involved in this incident. It then said where I had to move and when, and that I must comply. The email ended with, “This directive is in effect until this matter is resolved to the satisfaction of the university.” This was all it said. No other details.

I took a minute to process this and responded with an email that asked for clarification. To be clear, I sent this during his office hours. I looked up at the pub safety officer; he told me to grab anything I’d need for the night and that the rest could be grabbed later. I felt it was weird that he was just standing there watching me pack. I didn’t know why he was still in my room and I didn’t ask, he certainly didn’t specify that he had to be there. I get to my new room expecting that if I was in an active investigation for Title VI and IX, I would be in a single, but I open the door to find a roommate and this person’s friend. Now I was even more confused. If I was being moved out due to suspicions of a Title IX related incident, why was I being placed with someone new? Why was this person not informed of the circumstances of why they have a new roommate? This was the first red flag I noticed with the department. If someone had actually done what I was accused of, it would not be safe for them to be moved in with someone else immediately. The thing was, I didn’t even know what I was accused of yet, and I was wracking my brain trying to figure out what to say to my new roommate. I was left to decide (without any guidance or support) what to tell this new person who isn’t even involved in my situation. This was the second red flag – the accused do not receive any immediate guidance for what they should and should not say. I didn’t know what constituted as retaliation, or even just how to make a first impression that doesn’t give this person fear of who they’re going to be living with. On top of that, I had an event I had to attend in 30 minutes. So, it was like I dropped my baggage (physical and emotional) on this person and then left. 

Here’s where it escalates (and I stop counting red flags). After I leave this event, I go back to my old residence hall, figuring that I can get ahead on my packing. Again, no one ever specified that I couldn’t enter my old residence hall, much less that if I did, I would need to be escorted. Someone held the building’s door open for me, and my old roommates always left our door propped open, so there was no chance I could’ve known my Q-card no longer gave me access. Had I known these things, I wouldn’t have gone back without asking my RHD. Only on the way out of the room, am I stopped by an RA, who tells me once more to check my emails. The Title VI and IX department that had sent an automated reply to my email not three hours before had just sent me numerous no-contact orders. That bit of information was apparently not important enough to be mentioned in the first email. 

Jimenez responded to my email the next morning and found a way to fit me into his schedule. I find it apropos that his sign-off says, “if not an emergency please schedule an appointment.” I would argue that in the Title VI and IX department there’s no such thing as “not an emergency.” Getting in contact with their department during office hours is hard, but outside of it is impossible. In fact, there is no alternative way provided to reach anyone in this department outside of office hours. Quinnipiac needs to not only hire more staff in this department, but to seriously re-evaluate how they allow their current staff to handle the investigative process.

That afternoon, I learned only that the allegation was discrimination, nothing about specific actions that would prompt these allegations. I had to wait five more days for that, during which I was rethinking anything I could’ve said or done that day that would be misconstrued. After that, I was left waiting for another email that would tell me when my hearing would be. Ten days later, I got a letter, but not the one I was expecting. I get an email detailing more charges added, which were about alleged threats of violence and a date for a separate hearing. As I read on, however, I saw the alleged incident took place on the same day the original allegations took place. So, either the Title IX department never sent me that separate allegation initially (objectively worse), or the people who originally accused me somehow forgot to mention that I ‘threatened’ them until just now. It’s probably the latter, seeing as every person who said I threatened them had a completely different story of what happened. 

This hearing happened swiftly and I have no complaints for how it was handled, seeing as the hearing was done by a completely different department. The hearing I was still waiting for, however, didn’t happen until one month later (which I have to say is speedy compared to other cases I’ve heard of). 

During the hearing, I was told that the person I allegedly discriminated against originally tried to deny being interviewed. Here’s a tid-bit of information: Title IX doesn’t allow the people reported to be the victim with an incident to deny being interviewed. This means that anyone can make a false report about an incident that doesn’t involve them, and those involved will have to proceed with the investigation even if they don’t want to.

In my situation, the Title IX department did not live up to most of the “Rights of Parties Involved” they have listed on their website. Their overall communication was extremely poor and shows they have a very distorted view of what is deemed an urgent matter. The way my situation was treated shows they give little regard for being thorough. The bar is insanely low. I am grateful that my case was handled in seven weeks because I know many aren’t that lucky.