Reporting Options

If you have experienced sexual misconduct, protected class discrimination or harassment, or related retaliation, you have several options when it comes to reporting. 

1. If you are not sure if you want to initiate a University resolution process or make a police report, you can receive confidential information and services through the following resources: 

   • Students: Can contact the University Wellness Center at 719-255-4444 

   • Employees: All employees of UCCS can obtain confidential services through the Colorado State Employee Real Help Hotline: (833) 533-CHAT (2428). 

2. You can notify the University and talk about different resolution options available through OIE. Once OIE has received your report, a member of the OIE staff will reach out to schedule a meeting with you. Even if you choose not to report formally or choose not to participate in a resolution process, you can still contact OIE for information and assistance accessing on- or off- campus support services. You can report to OIE by: 

   • Calling OIE at 719-255-4324

   • Emailing OIE at equity@uccs.edu

   • Filling out the online reporting form 

3. You can choose to contact the police and file a criminal complaint with law enforcement. There may be several policy agencies that you can contact including: 

   • UCCS Police at 719-255-3111

   • Colorado Springs Police Department at 719-444-7000

   • El Paso County Sheriff's Department at 719-520-7100

You are not required, but do have the right, to file a criminal complaint with law enforcement and OIE simultaneously. The OIE can also assist in reporting to law enforcement for complainants alleging misconduct that is also a criminal offense.

Many times, individuals who have experienced sexual misconduct, protected class discrimination or harassment, or related retaliation will seek help from friends, family members, or trusted individuals. 

If you are reporting for someone else, you can do so by reaching out to the Office of Institutional Equity by phone at 719-255-4324, by email at equity@uccs.edu, or through our online reporting form. By reporting to OIE, you are helping ensure an individual is safe, making negative behaviors stop, and letting OIE gather more in-depth information from the individual so the best support can be offered.  

As a reminder, certain individual are classified as responsible employees and are considered mandatory reporters. You can find more information on mandatory reporters here. 

When an individual notifies the OIE (either directly or through a responsible employee, advocate, third party or other) that they have experienced sexual misconduct or discrimination and harassment, the OIE will provide referral information as needed (whether or not there is a formal report or participation in a resolution process) in accessing on- and off-campus services, including but not limited to counseling, health services, mental health services, victim advocacy, and/or forensic sexual assault nurse exams (“SANE”).

Additionally, an individualized assessment of appropriate remedial and/or protective measures will take place for anyone who reports to OIE. Remedial or protective measures, which may be available, include but are not limited to: 

• No-Contact Orders enforced by the University
• Academic accommodations
• Housing accommodations
• On-campus employment accommodations
• Other appropriate accommodations as determined by the Title IX Coordinator or designee

For assistance with accommodations and interim remedies, please contact Amanda Allee, Ph.D., Title IX Coordinator, at 719-255-4324. Some remedies are also available confidentially. Please contact the Wellness Center at 719-255-4444 for information on confidential assistance.

Regardless of whether or not an individual wants to report an incident, it is important to preserve any evidence of the sexual assault (or other misconduct) so that if an individual decides at any point in time to report the incident, that evidence is still available. Examples of evidence to preserve include, but are not limited to: the clothing the individual was wearing, bedding, text message correspondence discussing the assault (either with the accused or with friends or family), photographs, screenshots, emails, social media correspondence/posts (Facebook, Tinder, Snapchat, Instagram, Grindr, etc.), correspondence via other messaging applications (Whatsapp, Kik, GroupMe, WeChat etc.), and/or names of witnesses and contact information. 

Regardless of an individual’s intent to report the assault to the police, a medical exam can be done to preserve evidence. The Sexual Assault Nurse Exam (SANE) program at the Emergency Room at UCHealth Memorial Central (1400 E Boulder St, Colorado Springs, CO 80909) is available to conduct a SANE exam, ideally within five days of the sexual assault. It is best if the individual does not bathe, shower, eat, drink, douche, or change clothes. However, evidence can be collected if you have done any or all of these things. More information about the SANE exam can be found here: Wellness SANE Website. 

Please note that if some or all this evidence is unavailable or does not exist, you are still encouraged to report a sexual assault. The lack of evidence does not preclude an investigation from taking place. 

Because the school's primary concern is student safety, minor alcohol and drug violations by a complainant will be handled informally whenever possible. The complainant's use of alcohol or other drugs does not make the complainant at fault for being a victim of sexual violence.

Providing false or misleading information related to misconduct is contrary to the purposes of the Sexual Misconduct, Intimate Partner Abuse and Stalking Policy and the Discrimination and Harassment Policy. Members of the University community must provide reports of misconduct in good faith. A person who knowingly or recklessly alleges a false complaint of misconduct or knowingly or recklessly provides false information during the course of an investigation violates the Applicable Policy. Making a report or providing information in good faith, even if the facts alleged in the report are not later substantiated, will not constitute providing false or misleading information.