Yale and a Safe Campus FAQs
The university is deeply committed to preventing sexual misconduct, responding with care and integrity when concerns are reported, and approaching this work with the urgency and attention it demands. Yale offers a robust slate of training, educational resources, support services, and, when warranted, disciplinary actions.
Significant national attention currently focused on sexual assault and other violence on college campuses has reopened the discussion about this work and underscores the importance of maintaining a focus on prevention, reporting, timely response, and support for those affected by sexual misconduct, assault, harassment, or violence of any kind.
Frequently Asked Questions
The university is committed to creating a culture that prevents sexual misconduct, discrimination, and harassment, and supports individuals when incidents do occur. The university’s proactive approach includes ongoing training for all university community members on preventing and responding to discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct.
In Yale College, students take part in two workshops during their first year: one on sexual assault prevention and another on bystander intervention. These are led by Campus Community Educators (CCEs), peer leaders who are trained to help foster a positive social climate on campus. CCEs also lead annual workshops for varsity athletes and engage in culture change projects throughout the year that are integrated into campus events, communities, and traditions.
Graduate and professional school students receive workshops on sexual misconduct prevention and response at orientation, along with a wide variety of educational workshops offered throughout the year on topics like consent and bystander intervention. Prevention and education efforts for students, faculty, and staff have continued to expand across campus, including through the Sexual Harassment and Assault Response & Education (SHARE) Center. The center’s new prevention, education, and outreach division (SHARE-HAVEN) launched in fall 2025, along with expanded prevention and education programming offered by the Title IX Office and the Office of Institutional Equity & Accessibility.
Students, faculty, and staff also must complete a mandatory online training course, which was updated in August 2025, related to discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct. So far, 90% of students, faculty, and staff have completed the training. Students who do not complete the training by mid-fall are blocked from completing spring semester course registration until they do so. We anticipate reaching 100% student training completion by late fall. In addition to the required online course, a range of live trainings are offered to the community, such as an overview of Title IX Policies and Resources and review of Title IX reporting requirements.
All faculty and staff (except confidential resources) must report any incident of sexual misconduct involving students to the Title IX Office. Supervisors, when acting in their supervisory capacity, must also report sexual misconduct involving trainees, staff, or faculty to the Title IX Office and report discrimination, harassment, and related retaliation involving students, trainees, staff, or faculty to the Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility.
The SHARE Center offers a conduct awareness training to members of the Yale community to provide education and self-reflection on sexual behavior and to prevent conduct that may harm others.
Yale’s Title IX website outlines numerous resources for assistance and support, reporting options, policy information, and educational resources.
The University Title IX Coordinator, the Title IX Office, and Deputy Title IX Coordinators at each school and the college help community members with concerns and questions related to sex discrimination, gender-based discrimination, and sexual misconduct (including sexual harassment). Coordinators can review options, identify and provide supportive measures, and connect individuals with other campus resources.
The Sexual Harassment and Assault Response & Education (SHARE) Center has licensed mental health clinicians who are available to provide confidential support, information, and advocacy to members of the community who have concerns related to sexual misconduct. SHARE is available on weekdays during regular business hours and has a 24/7 on-call service for time-sensitive matters after hours and on weekends/holidays (203.432.2000).
The Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility (OIEA) receives concerns of discrimination, harassment, and/or related retaliation. Staff are available to listen, discuss concerns, explain university resources, and explore resolution options. The office’s Discrimination and Harassment Resource Coordinators, appointed by the dean of each college and school, receive concerns and provide guidance related to discrimination, harassment, and/or related retaliation. They are a good initial point of contact for individuals with concerns in these areas, as they have extensive knowledge of the resources specific to their respective school or college.
The university offers many counseling and emotional support resources as well, including mental health services through Yale Health, mental health and well-being counselors within Yale College, embedded mental health clinicians within graduate and professional schools, and the Yale Chaplain’s Office.
Yale Public Safety offers a number of services and resources for anyone on campus who needs assistance. The Yale Police Department (YPD) can be contacted at any time at 203-432-4400. The LiveSafe app also offers quick communication with the YPD and Yale Security.
Emergency blue phones are located throughout and around campus for immediate access to assistance. Yale Security also provides walking escorts during evening hours. To request an escort, call 203-432-9255.
The YPD provides comprehensive victim services to support anyone affected by crime and to provide compassionate, informed, and timely assistance. A dedicated police officer, known as the Sensitive Crimes & Support Coordinator, assists victims and oversees cases involving sexual violence, harassment, assault, intimate partner violence, stalking, workplace violence, and other forms of misconduct. The Sensitive Crimes & Support Coordinator serves as a liaison between victims and the YPD, helping guide individuals through available resources and support options while working collaboratively with university partners and local organizations.
Yale’s support systems offer anyone affected by sexual misconduct or assault many options for seeking support, guidance, advocacy, resolution, or information about filing a formal complaint. Unless there is an immediate or ongoing risk to the individual or to the community, choices regarding next steps will generally be left up to the person who has been affected.
If that individual decides to file a formal complaint with the University-Wide Committee on Sexual Misconduct , the university undertakes a thorough review of the complaint. These complaints are taken extremely seriously and examined carefully. When a complaint is in the jurisdiction of the UWC, an independent investigator is appointed, an independent hearing officer is secured, and a panel of trained Yale community members is assembled. If university policy has been violated, disciplinary options include a full range of sanctions, including suspension, expulsion, or termination.
No. The university disciplinary process relates to whether any university policies have been violated; law enforcement and prosecutors are looking at whether any crimes have been committed. Reported conduct may be found to violate university policy, even if it is not investigated by law enforcement or does not result in criminal charges.
Individuals may simultaneously submit a formal complaint to the university and a criminal complaint to law enforcement.
Yale prohibits any discrimination, harassment, or sexual misconduct. This applies to students, faculty, and staff, and any third parties while on campus or participating in Yale programs. This policy follows Yale’s commitment to providing a non-discriminatory learning and working environment and is consistent with Connecticut and federal law.