Reporting Options | Resources for Students

Resources for Students

MIT’s primary concern is for the health and safety of its community members. Individuals who believe they have experienced sexual harassment or misconduct should seek immediate assistance. There are two important designations for offices at MIT with regard to sharing experiences of sexual harassment, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and stalking: 1) confidential and 2) private. This designation is created to ensure that students are connected with resources and supports as quickly as possible.

If you are an employee seeking support go to the employee resource page. 

Confidential Resources

These conversations are kept strictly confidential and, except in rare, extreme circumstances (including imminent risk of harm to self or others), nothing will be shared without your permission. The following MIT offices are confidential resources:

Violence Prevention and Response

MIT's Violence Prevention and Response staff are available to individuals in the MIT community who are looking for help in dealing with sexual assault, intimate partner violence, stalking and unhealthy relationships.

MIT Medical

MIT Medical serves the healthcare needs of the MIT community.

Student Mental Health and Counseling 

MIT Medical's Student Mental Health and Counseling Service works directly with students to understand and solve problems. Give us a call. Visits are confidential and easy to arrange.

MIT Office of Religious, Spiritual, and Ethical Life

The Chaplains at MIT, representing many of the world's religions, serve both their own religious communities, as well as the MIT community at large. MIT Chaplains are available for counseling, private talks, and consultation.

Ombuds Office

The MIT Ombuds Office helps people express concerns, resolve disputes, manage conflicts, and learn more productive ways of communicating. The Ombuds Office serves as an independent, confidential, neutral and informal resource to the diverse MIT community. Ombuds may breach confidentiality if the Ombuds determines that there is imminent risk of serious harm.

Sexual Misconduct Confidential Resource for Student Respondents

The Sexual Misconduct Confidential Resource Provider is only confidential for sexual misconduct concerns or experiences. If you're looking for a confidential resource to discuss other issues, please consider one of the other confidential resources above.

  • Jennifer Lawrence, Assistant Dean, CARE Team 
  • jlaw1@mit.edu
  • 617-253-0881

Sexual Misconduct Resource Providers assist with matters of sexual misconduct involving faculty, staff, and students, specifically for Section 9 of MIT's Policies and Procedures covering: Sexual Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, Gender-Based Harassment, Title IX Sexual Harassment and Stalking; and Section II of MIT's Mind & Hand Book covering: Harassment (based on gender, sex, sex-stereotyping, sexual orientation, gender identity, or pregnancy), Intimate Partner Violence, Sexual Misconduct, Stalking, and Title IX Sexual Harassment.

Peer Group Resources

Peer Groups including, but not limited to, Medlinks, REFS, and Peer Ears are not designated as "responsible employees" and therefore are not required to share information with the Title IX staff.

Please note that, in the course of providing treatment, MIT EMTs are not required to report disclosures of sexual misconduct to IDHR.

Private Resources

Offices designated as "private" will keep the conversation as confidential as possible, but information about incidents of sexual misconduct must be shared with the Institute Discrimination & Response Office so the Institute can take action if necessary for reasons of safety. However, the wishes of the person providing the information are given full consideration. You may speak with any of these resources about other forms of discrimination or discriminatory harassment and they do not have a duty to inform IDHR of what you have shared.

Institute Title IX Coordinator  

Sarah Rankin
W31-223
617-324-7526
srankin@mit.edu

Office of Student Support Services (S3)

S3 provides advice and advocacy for undergraduate students and acts as a hub of resources, referrals, and information across the MIT community.
617-253-4861
Monday-Friday 9am-5pm
Walk in hours: Monday-Friday 10am-11am & 2pm-3pm
https://studentlife.mit.edu/s3

Office of Graduate Education (OGE)

OGE provides support and assistance for graduate students across the MIT community. In particular, the Graduate Personal Support staff are particularly helpful for any graduate student experiencing distress, with changing your advisor, conflict negotiation, funding, academic progress, interpersonal concerns, and a student’s rights and responsibilities.
617-253-4860
odge@mit.edu

Committee On Discipline

The COD is responsible for resolving formal complaints alleging that a student has violated MIT policy. The COD's process is fair to both the complainant and the respondent and affords parallel rights to both parties. COD members who hear sexual misconduct cases are specially trained to be sensitive to both parties and to understand the dynamics of sexual misconduct and other forms of gender-based misconduct.

Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards

The Office of Student Conduct (OSC) is the department at MIT responsible for helping students develop and enforce their standards and values and manage conflict. OSC publishes the Mind and Hand Book, meets with complainants and respondents when a complaint is brought forward, facilitates the Committee on Discipline process, and consults with students, faculty, and others about issues related to student life and student behavior.
W20-507
617-258-8423
osccs@mit.edu

Office of Minority Education (OME)

Provides effective academic enrichment programs to enhance matriculation, promote higher retention and greater excellence in underrepresented minority (African American, Mexican American, Native American and Puerto Rican/Hispanic) students’ academic and general educational achievements, and encourages their pursuits of graduate degrees and professional careers. The OME’s mission embraces a strategy to address academic and graduation gaps between underrepresented minority and non-minority students on MIT campus. 
Room 4-113
617-253-5010
https://ome.mit.edu/

Institute Community and Equity Officer (ICEO)

The Institute Community and Equity Officer (ICEO) serves as a thought leader on the subjects of community, equity, inclusion, and diversity; a focal point for organizing MIT’s related activities and conversations; and a hands-on practitioner who disseminates best practices and inspires the awareness and enthusiasm to help them flourish.
(617) 715-2066
MIT, Bldg. 10-359
https://diversity.mit.edu/

Intercultural Engagement (i.e.)

Intercultural Engagement (i.e.) provides support, advocacy and education to the diverse undergraduate and graduate student populations at MIT. They build community by providing educational and social opportunities for students and 70+ cultural/identity based student organizations. They help cultivate a brave “SPXCE” (pronounced space) for students by providing a physical SPXCE (W31-110) that encourages learning about personal identity while valuing and respecting others’. i.e. hosts a variety of workshops, programs, and events that seek to celebrate culture and educate others in areas related to social justice.
SPXCE Intercultural Center
W31-110, Du Pont Athletic Gymnasium
MITixe@mit.edu 
https://studentlife.mit.edu/ixe

LBGTQ@MIT

LBGTQ@MIT offers a broad spectrum of services, activities, and resources for LBGT, questioning, and supportive individuals.
617-253-6777
617-253-5440
W31-110
lbgt@mit.edu
You are Welcome Here campaign: The “You are Welcome Here” campaign seeks to increase visibility, to identify multiple points of access to LBGT support services, and to create a more welcoming campus environment.

MIT Police

The MIT Police Department is located in building W89, and can be reached at 617-253-2996. Exploratory conversations will be kept confidential to the extent possible. The MIT Police website includes a form for anonymous reporting of a sexual assault. Police reports, with identifying information redacted, may be available to the public upon request. MIT Police involvement is generally limited to complaints of harassment that are of potentially criminal nature, such as sexual assault.
https://police.mit.edu/

The MIT Human Resources

The MIT Human Resources Office is located in NE49 (600 Technology Square) on the 5th floor, and is open between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
https://hr.mit.edu/

External Resources

Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC)

BARCC provides free, confidential support and services to survivors of sexual violence ages 12 and up and their families and friends.
617-492-7273 or 800-841-8371
24-hour hotline

The Network/LaRed

Hotline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and/or transgender (LGBQ/T) folks, as well as folks in SM/kink and polyamorous communities who are being abused or have been abused by a partner. 
617-742-4911

Casa Myrna

Casa Myrna is Boston’s largest provider of domestic violence awareness efforts and of shelter and supportive services to survivors. Their comprehensive range of services, available in both Spanish and English, provide survivors with tools to recover from the trauma of abuse and begin to build sustainable self-sufficiency. They also run the MA statewide toll-free domestic violence hotline.
1-877-785-2020

Transition House

Transition House offers a wide range of housing resources, support services and prevention tools.

617-661-7203 (hotline)
617-868-1650 (office)

RAINN: National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline

Calling the National Sexual Assault Hotline gives you access to a range of free services including: confidential support from a trained staff member, support finding a local health facility that is trained to care for survivors of sexual assault and offers services like sexual assault forensic exams, someone to help you talk through what happened, local resources that can assist with your next steps toward healing and recovery, referrals for long term support in your area, information about the laws in your community, and basic information about medical concerns.
1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

National Domestic Violence Hotline & Online Chat

HIghly-trained advocates are available 24/7/365 to talk confidentially with anyone experiencing domestic violence, seeking resources or information, or questioning unhealthy aspects of their relationship.
1-800-799-7233

The Victim Rights Law Center

Free legal services for sexual assault survivors.
617-399-6720 x19

Anti-Defamation League

Report an anti-semetic, bias, or discriminatory incident online.

Additional Resources in Massachusetts provided by the Jane Doe Inc.

 

Government Resources

The following government agencies may provide additional resources for students and/or employees who have concerns of sexual misconduct or other forms of discrimination.

U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights - Boston Office

5 Post Office Square - 8th Floor
Boston, MA 02109-3921
617-289-0111
OCR.Boston@ed.gov

Center for Changing our Campus Culture

Information and resources on how to respond to and prevent sexual violence on college and university campuses

U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women

145 N Street, NE, Suite 10W.121
Washington, D.C. 20530
202-307-6026

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

John F. Kennedy Building
475 Government Center
Boston, MA 02203
800-669-4000

Massachusetts Department of Higher Education

One Ashburton Place
Boston, MA 02108-1696
617-994-6950

The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination

One Ashburton Place, Room 601
Boston, MA 02108
Washington, D.C. 20530
617-994-6000

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) resouces: