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CAMPUS SECURITY AUTHORITY & RESPONSIBLE EMPLOYEE

Your safety matters to us at Southern.  Please use these forms to report any safety concerns that you have.

How to Report

A CSA/RE has three options for reporting a Clery Crime or Title IX complaint.

Option 1 - In person to the department of Campus Safety

Option 2 - In person to the office of Title IX 

Option 3 - Fill out the online reporting form

Any of the above Clery Crimes or Title IX complaints can be reported to any of the three how to report options. They only have to be reported to one of the locations.

VICTIM'S RIGHTS

In the event that a victim is reporting an incident to you, first, you should find out if they are willing to share their report in person with Campus Safety or T9. If this is the case, you can offer to escort them to the location and act as an advocate with them to facilitate the contact. This will minimize the times a victim will have to retell their story.

 If a victim expresses concern with going to Campus Safety or the T9 office, explain the university’s confidentiality policy and that you are required to report for a minimum of an evaluation for safety and security of the campus community.

When a student or employee reports to the institution that the student or employee has been a victim
of dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, whether the offense occurred on or off
campus, the institution will provide the student or employee the following rights and options. The institution must make such accommodations or provide such protective measures if the victim requests them and if they are reasonably available, regardless of whether the victim chooses to report the crime to campus safety or local law enforcement.

VICTIM'S RIGHTS

The victim's right sheet will give details regarding what information you will need if you are reporting the incident without the victim present.

To request any of the above rights during the intake/report, please let the Campus Safety Officer know.
To request any of the above rights after intake/report, please contact:
Dennis Negron/ Title IX Coordinator
negron@southern.edu / 423.236.213

Definitions

Confidentiality

The law recognizes and protects the confidentiality of communications between a person seeking care and a medical or mental health professional or religious adviser.  The medical, mental health, and religious professionals at Southern respect and protect confidential communications from students, faculty, and staff to the extent they are legally able to do so.  These professionals may have a responsibility to report, however, when they perceive an immediate and/or serious threat to any person or property. In addition, medical and mental health professionals are required by law to report any allegation of sexual assault of a person under the age of 18. General inquiries to university officials about policies or procedures other than those identified above may remain private.  In all cases, Southern endeavors to protect the privacy of individuals to the extent it can do so consistent with its obligations to uphold relevant policies and to protect the safety of the community. However, the university has an obligation to investigate complaints of sexual misconduct and/or harassment and to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual misconduct or ongoing harassment, therefore, strict confidentially may not be guaranteed. If a Complainant insists that his or her name or other identifiable information not be revealed, Southern evaluates the request in the context of its responsibility to prove a safe and nondiscriminatory environment for all students, staff, and faculty.  Thus, Southern may weigh the request for confidentially against the following factors: the seriousness of the alleged conduct, the presence of other sexual misconduct or sexual harassment complaints about the same individual, and the extent of any threat to the university community. Southern is also part of a larger community and context. If there is an independent investigation or lawsuit related to a sexual misconduct, harassment, or retaliation matter, Southern officials, those involved in the investigation, or others may be required by law to provide documents, investigation reports and related materials, and findings and sanctions issued under this policy. Before a complainant discloses information he or she wants to keep confidential, the university is obligated to inform the complainant of its duty to report sexual misconduct to the Title IX Coordinator or other designated administrator. Students who are not sure they want the incident reported should meet with a confidential resource, such as a licensed or pastoral counselor, or other professional who has a duty to keep those communications confidential. If a complainant discloses information but requests confidentiality or asks that no action be taken, the university is obligated to inform him or her that the request will be honored to the extent that confidentiality does not limit the institution's ability to respond to the incident. That is, if an investigation and response is necessary to ensure a safe campus environment for all students, including the complainant, maintaining the victim's confidentiality may not be possible. In those situations, where a response is required, information is shared on a need-to-know basis and victims' names are not included in crime statistics or other publicly-available documents unless required by law. Victims may request that directory information on file with the University be withheld by request with the Records and Advisement Office. Regardless of whether a victim has opted-out of allowing the University to share “directory information,” personally identifiable information about the victim and other necessary parties will be treated as confidential and only shared with persons who have a specific need-to-know, i.e., those who are investigating/adjudicating the report or those involved in providing support services to the victim, including accommodations and protective measures. By sharing only personally identifiable information with individuals on a need-to-know basis, the institution will maintain as confidential, any accommodations or protective measures provided to the victim to the extent that maintaining such confidentiality would not impair the ability of the institution to provide the accommodations or protective measures. The University does not publish the name of crime victims or other identifiable information regarding victims in the Daily Crime Log or in the annual crime statistics that are disclosed in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosureof Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. Furthermore, if a Timely Warning Notice is issued on the basis of a report of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking, the name of the victim and other personally identifiable information about the victim will be withheld.