Employees' Reporting Responsibilities - Title IX

Employees frequent interactions with students put you in a position to be the District's "eyes and ears" in the classroom and throughout the District's campuses. In this capacity you may find yourself a witness to assault or misconduct, or a student may choose to confide in you or ask for assistance. Should this occur, please follow these guidelines:

Determine if the victim is safe. If not, ask the victim if they would feel comfortable with you calling Capus Safety or 9-1-1. Determine if the victim wants or needs medical intervention. Your role is to inform them of their options, which include:

• Visiting the Health Center (during business hours)
• Transport via a friend or family member to a local hospital
• Call Campus Safety for transport to a medical facility

Offer to walk the student to the Student Health Center or to Campus Safety for further assistance.

Inform the Title IX Officer or any of the Title IX Coordinators. The Campus Title IX Coordinator will work in consultation with the District Title IX Coordinator or Officer to determine the appropriate next steps. These can include, but are not limited to:

• Assisting the complainant with various on and off-campus resources
• Offering interim remedies or accommodations to protect the safety of the complainant or the community
• Coordinating the ensuing investigation and reporting 

Explain that you're a mandated reporter and what that means. It can be a major life decision, and one requiring a significant degree of trust, for another individual to come to you with a report of sexual assault. While recognizing this and responding with empathy, it's important that you inform them of your status as a mandated reporter and explain that you have a duty to report information regarding sexual assault or misconduct to appropriate Title IX coordinator. You can assure the student that no records or reports of sexual assault are kept in the student's permanent academic records. The following statement can be used a guideline:

“I need to tell you that I am a mandated reporter. I must inform the District that an incident has occurred. Your personal safety and overall health is our number one concern. The purpose of reporting is to ensure that you are referred to necessary resources and receive appropriate assistance. If you do not want details of what occurred reported or are not interested in making a complaint at this time, you have the right to maintain your privacy. I will only report what you confide in me. If you prefer to speak with someone confidentially, I would be happy to help you get in touch with the psychologist at the Student Health Center. They are not obligated to report any details to the District.”

In general, staff are not psychologists or investigators, and will not be expected to perform these duties. Your duty is to: 

• Do your best to obtain the student's full name and contact information
• Listen and believe the student
• Inform the Student of their reporting options
• Report the incident to the appropriate persons and ensure the student is safe and connected to the appropriate campus/community resources.
• Respect the student's privacy. Share details only with the Campus and/or District Title IX Coordinators

For additional information and resources, visit the District's Title IX Employee Training page.