The Title IX Office received applications and conducted trainings this semester for its inaugural peer adviser program, which the office said will begin this fall.

Assistant Provost and Title IX Coordinator Asha Reynolds said the Title IX Office reviewed 35 applications and selected 11 students to serve as peer advisers, who will help students involved in the Title IX process navigate resources and offer emotional support during intake hearings. The Student Government Association passed the Survivors Bill of Rights last fall to consolidate Title IX resources and establish a peer adviser program, with applications for the program opening last November.

Reynolds said the peer adviser program launched its pilot stage, which involved the Title IX Office initially matching students going through the Title IX process to a peer adviser and gathering feedbacks to improve on the program in February and has recently received student requests for matches. The pilot program is currently gathering feedback from peer advisers who participated in the training as well as students who have requested matches through the program to identify opportunities for improvement.

“The Title IX Office has recently started to receive requests to match, and we are hoping to match more students as the program grows, and more students become aware of the opportunity,” Reynolds said in an email.

Reynolds said the Title IX Office has an anonymous feedback form for both student advisees and volunteer advisers, which the office will share with students when they are initially connected with an adviser, with students welcome to share feedback through the form as many times as they would like while they participate in the program. She said the results from the anonymous feedback form has been “very positive,” with officials hoping to expand in the fall as more students become aware of the program.

“The Title IX Office has evaluation tools for both participants and peer advisors so they can continuously report back about their experience,” Reynolds said in an email. “They are also directly connected with Title IX staff so they can immediately share any questions or concerns.”

Peer advisers are trained to support students involved in the Title IX process by offering emotional support during intake meetings and helping them find on- and off-campus resources. The peer adviser program supplements existing Title IX policy, which allows students to bring in an adviser of their choosing to sit in on hearings. Students who do not have a personal adviser can request that the Title IX Office appoint them a trained adviser.

Reynolds said prospective peer adviser candidates are required to submit a resume and letter of interest and, if selected, will undergo an interview process with Title IX and SGA officials. She said the office selected students with “commitment” to social justice and due process, prior experience researching sexual violence, working on prevention programs or supporting people who have experienced trauma.

Reynolds said the selected students attended a mandatory eight-hour retreat in early February on topics including Title IX policy, trauma-informed care and supporting students in distress and that students have received ongoing training from Title IX officials on how to help students navigate the Title IX processes throughout the semester.

“As a part of the initial eight-hour training, Title IX Office staff reviewed in depth the role of the volunteer advisors, including their scope of work,” Reynolds said in an email

Former Executive Secretary of Graduate Affairs Jennifer Locane, who served on the panel with Title IX staff interviewing peer adviser applicants, said she was “encouraged” by the number of applicants from all genders and how enthusiastic the applicants were. She said applicants from diverse backgrounds and prior experiences in trauma work or research related to sexual assault “really stood out.”

“It was truly heartwarming for everyone at Title IX and myself to see how passionate these applicants were to help fellow students during what can be a very challenging, painful and emotional process,” Locane said in a message.

Locane said she received feedback from the peer advisers on their experience with the training through anonymous survey forms, which she said showed the advisers were “so grateful” to learn more about the Title IX process and participate in the program to support their peers.

“I did attend the full-day training, and it was truly inspirational for all of us to see students dedicate a full Saturday to learning about what is a heavy topic,” Locane said in a message.

Former SGA President Ethan Fitzgerald said he developed the Title IX peer adviser program with Locane during his monthly meetings with the Title IX Office.

Fitzgerald said before the SGA and Title IX established the peer adviser program, students who were going through the Title IX process could bring a friend for support during hearings. He said this option does not help students who may want support but do not want to involve their friends in the case or prefer someone with knowledge on the Title IX processes.

“​This is the supplementary resource area where we said, ‘Okay, let’s train people for students who don’t feel comfortable bringing someone they’re close with or who don’t know people who have expertise,’” Fitzgerald said. “’Let’s have this pool available for them.’”

Fitzgerald said the peer adviser training sessions in February were “holistic” and open to the public to inform the student population on the Title IX processes and how to support other students. Fitzgerald said it is important the training is holistic to prepare for “varying circumstances” of supporting students going through the process.

“The training is holistic in the sense that they know how to respond to a number of other circumstances, know how to connect people with resources,” Fitzgerald said.

Fitzgerald said the training prepared advisers to assist students on proper reporting mechanisms or how to bring up a concern that they hear from another student to the Title IX Office. He said peer advisers are not for a replacement for Title IX staff, who will have more experience and conduct the intake meetings, negotiate a solution and launch investigative hearings.

“This is a very important program, and it is essential to have these advisers, but there is still formal Title IX staff who are always going to have more experience, who are on payroll, who have more expertise and background in this,” Fitzgerald said.