MIT CORE Program (Cultivating Ownership and Responsibility through Education)

Background

Over the next academic year, a small working group of staff across MIT worked to develop CORE (Cultivating Ownership and Responsibility Through Education). Program implementation, training, and design continued through the spring of 2025, with a campus pilot planned for fall 2025–spring 2027.

Description

The CORE program is designed to address sexual harm in a college student population. The program uses a multi-modal, evidence-based approach to identify gaps in understanding of risk factors for perpetrating sexual harm and to strengthen knowledge of protective factors among students who may have engaged in sexual misconduct. Participants learn about a range of topics such as alcohol and drug use, healthy relationships and sexuality, and positive decision-making, as well as taking ownership and responsibility for upholding community standards and policies.

Goals

The CORE Program Pilot aims to:

• Support students in developing beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that promote healthy, consensual, and safe intimate relationships and sexual decision‑making, including taking responsibility for their actions.
• Foster positive growth, learning, and accountability for students who may have caused sexual harm.
• Strengthen community support for the safe and constructive reintegration of students who may have violated community policies and norms.
• Deliver evidence-based interventions that improve the Institute’s response to and prevention of sexual misconduct.

Eligibility

The program is currently limited to MIT graduate and undergraduate students who have:

• Been found responsible for violating Institute policies related to sexual misconduct by the Committee on Discipline (COD); or
• Signed an Adaptable Resolution (AR) agreement to address allegations of sexual harm; or
• Were referred by their Fraternity/Sorority or Independent Living Group Chair(s) as a part of an educational intervention.

Participant eligibility is assessed based on various factors, including the nature of the misconduct, appropriateness of psychoeducational interventions, and personal motivation to change. The Title IX Coordinator makes final approval for eligibility for referral to the program in coordination with the CORE Program Manager.

Individualized Curriculum

Trained facilitators (comprised of Institute staff) work with participants to deliver an individualized curriculum based on a psychoeducational assessment and self-identified goals and values. The program can take a minimum of 4 to a maximum of 12 sessions to complete, with a 2–4-month commitment. Participants are expected to work actively with the facilitator to finish the program as designed to meet the requirements.

Potential Learning Modules

Participants will complete a Baseline Knowledge Assessment as part of the intake process, which will help determine the final individualized curriculum.

The curriculum may be composed of the following learning area topics:

• Understanding consent, boundaries, and respectful sexual behavior
• How social and cultural messages about relationships and sex shape our beliefs and choices
• Recognizing risk factors and developing skills to prevent harm
• Building self-awareness, accountability, and healthy decision-making
• Learning about the impact of harmful behavior on individuals, relationships, and communities
• Developing healthy relationships, repairing harm, and contributing positively to your community

Program Administration and Contact Info

For more information about the program and pilot, contact Nina Harris, Manager of Adaptable Resolution, IDHR at nnharris@mit.edu.