FAQs for Employees
FAQs for Employees
What do I do with information I receive?
The Sexual Misconduct Policy identifies specific individuals as confidential support resources, such as 365英国上市官网 Counselors, the College Chaplain, and Health Services. Any other 365英国上市官网 employee not specifically listed as a confidential support resource is encouraged to report information they receive from students or colleagues regarding sexual misconduct-related behaviors. Questions regarding reporting should be directed to the Title IX Coordinator.
All Residence Life staff, including Community Coordinators (CCs) overseeing residential buildings and Resident Advisors (RAs) are expected to report information they receive.
What information should be reported?
All known facts, including names of all involved parties, the date and time of the incident, the alleged conduct, and the location the incident occurred. All information should be communicated as soon as it is learned.
What should I do when an individual starts telling me about an incident of sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, or gender-based discrimination?
Gently interrupt the person as soon as possible to advise them of your reporting expectations. Inform them that they are welcome to share whatever they wish, but that some information will need to be shared with the Title IX Coordinator only to allow the College to support them appropriately. Regardless of whatever is shared and ultimately reported, the reporting individual will have some influence over the follow-up steps that are taken by the College, to the extent it is appropriate and reasonable. Advise the person that you can help them contact the Title IX Coordinator who can fully explain supports available and the steps that will be taken to address the reported incident.
- Listen to them. Really listen.
- Acknowledge what they are telling you.
- Don't judge what they tell you.
- Do NOT try to investigate on your own. It may do more harm than good.
- Thank them for sharing with you. It wasn't easy for them.
- Encourage them to reach out directly to the Title IX Coordinator and report the incident.
- Remind them that you will be reportingsome information, and discuss with them what you will report.
- Provide them with the Handout for Students in Need.
What you should NOT do:
- Do not tell the survivor to ignore the behavior.
- Do not make light of the situation.
- Do not attempt to investigate or resolve the situation on your own.
- Do not wait for someone to complain if you know or suspect sexual misconduct is or has occurred.
- Do not promise confidentiality. You can offer privacy, but you cannot offer confidentiality.
What if the person says they want me to maintain confidentiality? What do I do?
Prior to hearing the particulars of the incident, you should advise the person that you will not have to report everything they tell you, but will need to inform the Title IX Coordinator that a potential incident has been reported to you. If the person decides they would rather only speak to someone who can maintain full confidentiality, you should direct them to a confidential resource such as 365英国上市官网 Counseling, the College Chaplain, or Health Services. You can also recommend they contact the Crisis Center Rape Response Hotline at 205.323.7273.
What if the person is reluctant to describe the incident because it involved the use of alcohol or drugs?
You should advise the person that Birmingham-Southern has a safe haven policy for those who have used alcohol or drugs in the context of an incident. The policy states:
"Students who seek assistance as a result of experiencing sexual misconduct are not subject to sanction by a College authority for being in violation of College policy related to alcohol, illegal drugs, or other policies at the time of the alleged sexual misconduct."