Title IX

When Should I Contact the Title IX Coordinator?

Any student, faculty, or staff member, or applicant for admission or education who has concerns about sex discrimination or sexual misconduct is encouraged to seek the assistance of the Title IX Coordinator. You should contact the coordinator if you:

• Think you may have encountered sex discrimination or sexual misconduct and wish to understand your options.

• Learn of a situation that you feel may warrant a University investigation.

• Need assistance in determining how to handle a situation by which you are indirectly affected.

• Seek guidance on possible informal remedies or administrative measures to de-escalate or alleviate a difficult situation.

• Have questions about Assumption University’s policies and procedures.

Coordinators can also file a police report with the Department of Public Safety.

Contact Information

Title IX Coordinator: Christina Graziano, Esq.

Phone: (508) 767-7321

Email: titleix@assumption.edu

Location: La Maison – President’s Office

How Do I Report an Incident?

Reporting Options

Students are encouraged to report incidents of sexual misconduct to the University so that appropriate review, action and support can occur. The University provides numerous options for reporting incidents of sexual misconduct that offer different levels of confidentiality, as well as follow-up. Each option is outlined below and includes a description of the level of confidentiality, who receives the report, and the type and degree of follow-up that will occur. If you have questions about any of the options below, you can contact the Title IX Coordinator to discuss it them in further detail.

File a report in person or online with the Title IX Coordinator:

Reporting to the Title IX Coordinator will result in the coordinator meeting with you to get more details and to provide you with your options on campus. In most cases, an investigation will not begin without your consent. Conversations with the Title IX Coordinator are kept as confidential as possible, but information about incidents of sexual misconduct must be shared with relevant administrators if the University needs to take action for reasons of community safety. In all cases, the wishes of the person initiating the conversation are given full consideration.

A full investigation by the Title IX Coordinator can create an investigation and case that would move to a judicial hearing board. A judicial hearing board can determine on-campus sanctions such as: suspension, expulsion, etc.

Filing a report in person with Campus Police:

When you file a report of a sexual assault with Campus Police you can expect that a fully trained and certified sexual assault investigator within the department will handle the investigation in a thorough and professional manner. Evidence will be collected (Campus Police can also go to the hospital with the survivor for a SANE exam), interviews will be conducted, and additional support services will be offered. When Campus Police receives a report of an assault, they also must report it to the Title IX Coordinator who will begin their own administrative investigation. A report to campus police will result in a full criminal investigation meaning that evidence from the investigation can lead to sanctions or charges on and/or off campus. Campus Police are not considered confidential, however, they are fully aware of the sensitive nature of these particular situations and any decisions about moving forward within the criminal justice system will be with the consent of the survivor.

Filing an anonymous report online:

Any individual may make an anonymous report, however, if you wish to receive a copy of this report an e-mail address is necessary. concerning an act of sexual misconduct. An individual may report the incident without disclosing their name, identifying the alleged or requesting any action. The University will follow-up on such reports. Depending on the level of information available about the incident or the individuals involved, however, the University’s ability to respond to an anonymous report may be limited. Anonymous reports may be made by telephone at (508) 767-7667 or online. All reports will go to the Title IX Coordinator.

Reporting to an employee of the University (faculty, staff, student staff like RAs):

Unless they are a designated confidential resource, any campus employee will support you and fill out a report that goes to the Title IX Coordinator, Christina Graziano. You will be contacted by the Title IX Coordinator to have an initial meeting to discuss your options on campus.

Reporting to a designated confidential resource on campus:

You can report an assault to a confidential resource on campus. Your information will be just that, confidential. These resources do not have to file a report to the Title IX Coordinator unless the University needs to take action for reasons of community safety. Any confidential resource on campus has been trained to support you, provide you with the help that you need, explain to you your options on campus, and provide you with the necessary resources.

Not filing a report:

Students have the option of choosing to not file a report. Experiencing sexual misconduct can be overwhelming, and you will have many decisions to make. It may take some time to decide what you would like to do. If you feel as though you do not want to file a report just yet, you are encouraged to contact one of the confidential resources on or off campus to get support and an explanation of your options.

Is my Report Confidential?

If you request confidentiality, the University will do its best to comply with your wishes but in some cases honoring that request may impair Assumption’s ability to fully investigate and respond to the incident (including disciplining or taking other action against a perpetrator). The University will also take steps to prevent retaliation and will take strong responsive action if retaliation occurs.

If you request confidentiality, that request will be balanced against the University’s obligation to provide a safe and nondiscriminatory environment for all students. The Title IX Coordinator makes this decision in conjunction with the Dean of Students and/or the Chief of Campus Police.
The following factors will be considered when determining if a report will be kept confidential:

• Have there been other complaints of sexual harassment/misconduct against the alleged perpetrator?

• Does the alleged perpetrator have a history of arrests or records from a prior school indicating a history of harassment/misconduct?

• Has the alleged perpetrator threatened further sexual harassment/misconduct against you or others?

• Was the harassment/misconduct perpetrated by multiple individuals?

• Does the report of harassment/misconduct reveal a pattern of perpetration (e.g., via illicit use of drugs or alcohol) at a given location or by a particular group?

• Was a weapon involved?

• Are there other means of obtaining relevant information?

If the University determines that it cannot provide confidentiality, it will inform you prior to making any disclosure. In addition, they may also consider interim measures necessary to protect you and ensure the safety of other students. If you request that the University inform the alleged perpetrator that you asked us not to investigate or seek discipline, Assumption will honor that request and inform the alleged perpetrator that the decision to proceed is a University decision.

If it is determined that the University can honor your request for confidentiality, it still has a duty to act. There are any number of steps Assumption may take without identifying you or commencing disciplinary proceedings, such as increased monitoring, supervision or security at locations or activities where the misconduct occurred.

Finally, even where confidentiality is provided, Assumption may take other steps (beyond confidentiality) necessary to protect you, including providing support services and/or changing living arrangements, course schedules, assignments or tests.

What and Who is a Mandated Reporter?

A mandated reporter is someone who is legally required to report incidents of sexual assault that they witness or are informed of to authorities. Most employees within the college are required to report any Title IX offenses that they become aware of.

The following individuals are NOT required to report what you tell them (note that this does not guarantee what you tell them will be kept confidential, but rather should be used as a point of reference for any question about who is and who isn’t legally bound by that law):

• SDCC staff

• Health services staff

• Campus ministry staff

• Campus advocate

• Director of the Cross-Cultural Center

• Athletic trainers

• Advisor to AC allies

• ESL director

• Disability Services

Confidential On-Campus Resources

Note that the following contacts below are confidential resources and will work with a student to obtain the help they need.

Stephanie Seyde, Campus Advocate

(508) 767-7641
advocate@assumption.edu
Empowerment counseling, non-judgmental support, information about options, medical, legal, academic, and counseling advocacy. This position is employed by Pathways for Change Inc. but housed on campus.

Office of Campus Ministry

(508) 767-7419
Campus Ministry can provide emotional support and information about your options.

Counseling Services

(508) 767-7329
Individual counseling is available to students, including education regarding normal reactions to sexual violence and relationship abuse and how to cope with distress. Non-judgmental support and information about options. All services are included in tuition.

Student Health Services

(508) 767-7329
Physical health services are available, including testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and pregnancy. Non-judgmental support and information about options. All services are included in tuition.

Local and National Resources

Know Your IX

Pathways For Change, Central Massachusetts rape crisis center and hotline, (800) 870-5905

National Sexual Violence Resource Center

RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), (800) 656-HOPE

Break The Cycle

Love is Respect

Stalking Resource Center

I Have The Right To

Information for Parents and Families

Issues of sexual violence impact communities at colleges and universities nationwide. Sexual violence is destructive to the lives of individuals, damaging their learning experiences and abilities to perform at their highest levels. It impairs or destroys our senses of safety, trust, community, and well-being. All forms of sexual violence are crimes and a violation of the law.

Most sexually violent acts occur between individuals who know each other (family, co-workers, and peers) rather than random strangers. This pattern holds true for college campuses as well; in most cases, the survivor knows the person responsible for committing the violence.

We know from our student climate surveys that in cases of sexual violence, students are most likely to seek support from parents and family members first. Parents and loved ones can be an important support for students who have experienced a sexual assault. The aftermath of a sexual assault can be a confusing and traumatic time, and when parents and families support their student in a non-judgmental way, that can help their student move forward.

Impact on Survivors

The impact of sexual assault on survivors can be psychological, emotional, and/or physical. It is important to remember that there is not one “normal” reaction to sexual assault. Survivors’ individual responses will depend on personal and situational characteristics and the effects of sexual assault can be brief in duration or last a long time. Some common effects that survivors may experience include loss of trust, depression, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, nightmares, flashbacks, sexually transmitted infections, and substance abuse.

Sexual violence may impact survivors in unique ways due to gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, class, religion, immigrant status, age, appearance, sexual orientation, religion, ability and past history of abuse and assaults. Feelings of shame and confusion may be exacerbated for members of marginalized and oppressed communities.

What You Can Do

If your student feels unsure about what has happened, he or she should know that sexual assault is ANY unwanted sexual contact that occurs without a person’s consent. If your student that they have been sexually assaulted, your primary concern, of course, is their safety and well-being. Encourage your student to seek medical attention as soon as possible, even if it has been a while since the assault occurred or they do not want to report it to the police or to campus authorities.

If your child tell you they have been sexually assaulted:

• Support your student and listen non-judgmentally.

• Do not blame or ask “why” questions.

• Allow your student the freedom to choose when and where to talk about the assault.

• It can be helpful and empowering for your student to make their own decisions regarding discussing and/or reporting the assault.

• Whether your student reports the assault to the police or to the University, you and your student should think about talking to someone who is knowledgeable and trained to help with the recovery process. There are many such resources both on and off campus who can help in the following ways:

• Crisis and long-term counseling.

• Answering to questions about medical, legal and campus procedures.

• Safety planning.

• Assisting with academic and housing problems.

• Accompanying your child to interviews, medical exams, court and campus hearings.

• Providing referrals to other services.

Assumption University takes any form of sexual violence very seriously. The University is committed to establishing and maintaining a safe and healthy environment for all members of the community by providing resources for prevention, support, education and a fair disciplinary process.

One of the federal laws governing how campuses handle sexual violence is Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in educational institutions. Sexual harassment of students includes acts of sexual violence and is prohibited by Title IX. Assumption University has a designated Title IX Coordinator, to whom all complaints of sexual violence should be reported.

Prevention Education

Worcester Consortium Anti Violence Education (WAVE) Group

This group, consisting of members from Worcester-area campuses, works together to address sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking in our communities. To accomplish this, the group works together to: create and share consistent messaging, resources, trainings, and education events; provide a forum to share goals and philosophies, campus trends, best practices, and policies and procedures; provide professional support across our community; and benchmark with other schools.

Mandatory Student Training

All incoming students at Assumption University, Clark University, the College of the Holy Cross, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute participate in bystander training during their first few weeks on campus. These programs teach students how often crimes like sexual assault occur, how to recognize them, and how to safely and effectively intervene before, during, and after an act of sexual violence.

On-going Training of Professional Staff

All Assumption judicial boards, law enforcement officials, and residence life professional staff receive training on issues of sexual violence, which includes the relevant federal and state laws that govern working with perpetrators and victims; local programming and services available to victims and specific policies, procedures, and issues on each campus. There are also multiple trainings provided by the Title IX Coordinator each year that educate employees, faculty, and student on sex discrimination and sexual misconduct and what to do if they are aware of an incident.

Coordinated Community Response Teams (CCRT)

Every Worcester-area campus has formed a group of campus and community members who work together to develop prevention education, update policies and procedures, and improve the services for survivors. It will take our entire community to end sexual violence.

Statistics source.

Title IX Training

https://atixa.org/2020-regulations-requirement-posting-of-training-materials/

The 2020 Title IX regulations 34 C.F.R. § 106.45(b)(10)(i)(D) requires campuses to post-training materials for Title IX Coordinators, Title IX decision-makers, Title IX investigators, and all who implement informal resolution processes. Assumption University received permission from its outside vendors whose materials are posted on this page to comply with the regulations.