Austin Title IX Lawyer: Defense Resources for UT Austin and Texas State

If you are looking for an Austin Title IX lawyer because your school’s Title IX or equity office just contacted you, this page is a starting map. It is for students (and parents of students) accused of sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking or other sexual misconduct at UT Austin, Texas State, Austin Community College or St. Edward’s University. It points you to each school’s office and governing documents. Texas state law is covered on our Texas Title IX defense attorney page.

What to Do First at Any Austin-Area School

These steps are useful at any of the four schools listed below.

• Identify which office sent you the notice, and the name of the policy or procedure it cites.
• Find that policy and its date. Schools replace old versions, and the dates in the document and in your notice help show which version governs your case.
• Read the notice start to finish. At UT Austin the notice lists the potential policy violations being investigated. In a Title IX matter at Austin Community College it names the sections of the Administrative Rule alleged to have been violated.
• Write down every date, meeting time and deadline in the notice, and keep a copy of the notice.

UT Austin

Office: the UT Austin Title IX Office. Governing policy: HOP 3-3031, Prohibition of Sexual Assault, Interpersonal Violence, Stalking, Sexual Harassment, and Sex Discrimination. The Title IX Office says the revised policy went into effect August 14, 2020. The steps are in the Grievance Process Track A, Track B and Track C documents dated 03.25. Older Track documents are superseded.

• The track depends on the allegations. Track A covers sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking and sexual harassment, when the other conditions in the Track A document are met. Track B covers those allegations when the conduct occurred off campus and meets the Track B conditions. Track C covers matters such as sex discrimination, sexual exploitation and retaliation.
• You receive a written “Notice of the Formal Complaint” that states you are presumed not responsible until a determination is made at the end of the process.
• You may have an advisor of your choice, who may be, but is not required to be, an attorney.
• In Tracks A and B, an appeal may be made within 10 business days of the Written Determination Letter.

For the full walkthrough, see our UT Austin Title IX lawyer page.

Texas State University

Office: the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX, on the San Marcos campus. Governing policy: the Texas State University System Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedures, adopted August 12, 2022.

• The policy has two grievance processes: Title IX Sexual Harassment and Non-Title IX Sexual Misconduct. The office helps decide which one fits the reported behavior.
• A person accused under the policy is presumed not responsible until a determination is made at the end of the grievance process, and the standard is preponderance of the evidence.
• In a Title IX Sexual Harassment matter, you have a right to an advisor at the hearing. If you have none, the university provides one for the limited purpose of conducting cross-examination for you.

For more, see our Texas State Title IX lawyer page.

Austin Community College

Office: the ACC Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance. Complaints are filed with the District Title IX Coordinator. Governing documents: the Title IX Grievance Procedures (G/P 6.0100.01.1, effective 02/28/22) and the Sexual Misconduct Investigation Procedures (G/P 6.0100.01.2, effective 08/14/20), both under Administrative Rule 6.0100.01, Prohibition of Sexual Misconduct.

• Which procedure applies depends on the complaint. The Title IX Grievance Procedures apply to a signed Formal Complaint of Title IX Sexual Harassment that meets the procedures’ conditions. The Sexual Misconduct Investigation Procedures cover sexual misconduct that does not fall under the Title IX process.
• The decision uses a preponderance of the evidence standard, described as “more likely than not to have occurred.” The notice also states that the respondent is presumed not responsible.
• You may bring an advisor, who may be an attorney. The advisor may consult with you but may not speak for you at meetings, except to ask questions at the live hearing. Under the Sexual Misconduct Investigation Procedures, written notice that you plan to bring one is due no less than 3 days before the proceeding.
• An appeal must be submitted in writing within 5 business days from the date on the letter. If the respondent is a student, it goes to the Provost.

St. Edward’s University

Office: the St. Edward’s Title IX Coordinator, listed on a Dean of Students Office page, who is also the Executive Director of Human Resources. Governing documents: the St. Edward’s University Title IX Policy and Procedures, which the university says it revised in August 2020 and again in August 2021.

• The revisions provide for live hearings to decide allegations of sexual misconduct. Those hearings can be conducted virtually.
• Where the accused is a student, the page directs you to the Code of Student Conduct for terms and definitions. Where the accused is an employee, it directs you to the Employee Handbook.
• The page does not state an appeal deadline or an advisor rule. Ask the Title IX Coordinator for the full policy and read it before any meeting.

Texas Law in Brief

Texas law generally requires employees of Texas colleges to report suspected sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence or stalking involving a student or employee to the Title IX coordinator, with some exceptions such as confidential employees. If a student cannot reenroll for a reason other than academics or finances, the school must note that on the transcript, and it may remove the note later on request. If a student withdraws or graduates while a charge is pending, the school cannot end the disciplinary process or issue a transcript until it makes a final determination, and it must share information about such a determination with another school that asks. Read more on our Texas Title IX page.

Related pages: our Texas Title IX defense attorney page, our UT Austin Title IX lawyer and Texas State Title IX lawyer pages, and our Title IX investigation guide.

Official Austin-Area Title IX Offices

• UT Austin Title IX Office
• Texas State Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX
• Austin Community College: Title IX – Sexual Misconduct
• St. Edward’s University: Title IX

Last verified: October 2026

Frequently Asked Questions About Austin Title IX Cases

Which office handles my case?

At UT Austin it is the Title IX Office. At Texas State it is the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX. At Austin Community College it is the Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance, through the District Title IX Coordinator. At St. Edward’s it is the Title IX Coordinator.

Does getting a notice mean I was found responsible?

No. UT Austin states that its notice letter means an investigation has started to determine whether there was a violation of policy. UT Austin, Texas State and Austin Community College each state that a respondent is presumed not responsible until a determination is made at the end of the process.

Can a lawyer be my advisor?

At UT Austin, your advisor may be, but is not required to be, an attorney. At Austin Community College, you may bring an attorney, but the role is limited to advising you, apart from asking questions at the live hearing. Texas State gives parties in a Title IX Sexual Harassment matter a right to an advisor at the hearing. The St. Edward’s page does not state an advisor rule.

How long do I have to appeal?

At UT Austin, appeals in Tracks A and B must be made within 10 business days of the Written Determination Letter. At Austin Community College, a written appeal is due within 5 business days from the date on the letter. At Texas State, in a Title IX Sexual Harassment matter, the TSUS policy allows 10 calendar days from issuance of the decision (the Non-Title IX process has its own shorter steps, explained on our Texas State page). The St. Edward’s page does not state a deadline, so check the determination letter and the full policy.

Does Texas law apply to private schools like St. Edward’s?

Yes. The Texas Education Code sections summarized above (51.252, 51.9364 and 51.287) define a postsecondary educational institution to include private or independent institutions of higher education. The St. Edward’s page also lists a Texas Senate Bill 212 reporting item. Our Texas Title IX page explains the state provisions in full.

What happens if I withdraw while a complaint is pending?

At Austin Community College, the college may proceed under either procedure, and it will not issue a transcript until it makes a final determination of responsibility. Texas law sets a similar rule for pending charges, described above. Check your own school’s policy before you withdraw.