Sexual Misconduct Policy

Reporting And Resources

Reporting And Resources

How to Report

The Title IX Coordinator will review all Prohibited Conduct allegations and make a determination if the conduct meets the criteria set forth by the 2020 Final Rule Title IX regulations.

Any PLU community member who believes they have been subjected to Prohibited Conduct is an Impacted Party, and is encouraged to report such a concern. Students may report Prohibited Conduct in several ways:

  • Submit a report online: anyone is able to electronically submit a report via the online Incident Reporting Form. Impacted Parties can remain anonymous; however, the Title IX office will only be able to act on as much information as is given.
  • Contact the Title IX Coordinator or Deputy Coordinators via email or phone: 
  • Jennifer Childress-White, Assistant Dean of Students, Title IX Coordinator (childrjl@plu.edu, titleix@plu.edu, or 253.535.7361)
  • Gretchen Howell, Director for HR, Deputy Title IX Coordinator (crosgrgm@plu.edu, or 253.535.7329)
  • Eva Frey, Dean of Students, Deputy Title IX Coordinator (eva.frey@plu.edu, or 253.535.7462)
  • Submit a report via mail to Pacific Lutheran University at:
    Title IX Coordinator
    Pacific Lutheran University, 12180 Park Avenue S, Tacoma, WA 98447
  • Students may make a report directly to local law enforcement officials by calling 911, or through contacting Campus Safety at 253-535-7441 (non-emergency line) / 253-535-7911 (emergency line), who can assist students in filing a report with local law enforcement.
  • With the exception of staff who are identified as Confidential Resources because of their licensure, all faculty, staff, administration, Resident Assistants, and Campus Safety student employees are considered “Responsible Employees”, also referred to Mandatory Reporters, for all incidents related to Prohibited Conduct. They are required to file a report when they have knowledge of, or have received information alleging potential Prohibited Conduct. 

There is no time limit on making a complaint, but prompt reporting is encouraged in order to provide support to those impacted, and to obtain appropriate evidence and information. There are different pathways to response for active students, staff, or faculty versus graduates or those no longer enrolled or employed by PLU.

Any person with knowledge of an alleged Prohibited Conduct is encouraged to report concerns or information to any of the above listed individuals.

All of the above individuals are considered private sources. This means the offices will keep the information as private as possible, but certain procedures will need to be followed once reported.

Confidentiality and Confidential Resources

Confidentiality. The University will make reasonable and appropriate efforts to preserve an Impacted Party’s and Respondent’s privacy and to protect the confidentiality of information. Should an Impacted Party request confidentiality, the Title IX Coordinator will inform the Impacted Party that the University’s ability to respond may therefore be limited – but that where feasible, the University will take reasonable steps to prevent Prohibited Conduct and limit its effects.

The Title IX Coordinator will further inform the Impacted Party that it is not possible to provide confidentiality in all cases and that the University’s decision to share information with others is subject to the balancing test described below in Section VII. In summary, although the University’s goal is to limit the number of individuals who may learn about an allegation of Prohibited Conduct or an investigation, the University cannot guarantee confidentiality in all matters.

Confidential Resources

Should an individual not be prepared to make a report, but is seeking information and wanting a confidential resource, there are several options available to the student. Individuals can explore different options without initiating further action from the University. The University encourages pastoral counselors and professional counselors, if and when they deem it appropriate, to inform the parties they are counseling of any procedures to report crimes on a voluntary, confidential basis for inclusion in the annual disclosure of crime statistics. These individuals/offices cannot and will not report the matter further, and reporting to any of these individuals/offices does not put the University on notice that Prohibited Conduct may have occurred.

  • Pacific Lutheran University Confidential Advocate
    • Website: Advocacy Services
    • Telephone: 253-535-8204
    • Office: Center for DJS, Anderson University Center 150
  • Pacific Lutheran University Counseling Services
    • Email: counseling@plu.edu
    • Telephone: 253-535-7206
    • Office: Anderson University Center 300
  • PLU Counseling Services Crisis Line – immediate access to counseling services
    • Telephone: 253-535-7075
  • PLU TimelyCare – online / phone -based mental health and medical care 

 

Private Resources

A report to the University may be made to any of the following offices or individuals. These are trained individuals who will initiate the University’s responsive action to a Prohibited Conduct complaint. While not bound by confidentiality, these resources will maintain the privacy of an individual’s information within the confines of the Title IX / Student Code of Conduct processes.

  • Pacific Lutheran University Campus Safety
  • Pacific Lutheran University Title IX Coordinator
    • Email: titleix@plu.edu
    • Website: www.plu.edu/title-ix
    • Telephone: 253-535-7462 / 253-535-7361
    • Office: Wellbeing Services and Resources, 121st and Park Avenue S
  • Pacific Lutheran University Student Rights and Responsibilities
    • Email: srr@plu.edu
    • Telephone: 253-535-7462
    • Office: Wellbeing Services and Resources, 121st and Park Avenue S
  • Pacific Lutheran University Campus Life
    • Email: engage@plu.edu
    • Telephone: 253-535-7200
    • Office: Anderson University Center 161

Reports to Law Enforcement

The University encourages anyone who believes they have experienced a violation of this Sexual Misconduct policy to make a report through the Police Department. PLU Campus Safety is willing and able to assist with referring students to this resource. The University also encourages Impacted Parties to be aware of the importance of preserving evidence that may assist in providing information that an alleged criminal offense occurred or may be helpful in obtaining a protection order. An Impacted Party may also, in their discretion, decline to notify law enforcement officials.

Impacted Parties also have the right to seek other forms of relief from civil authorities, such as no contact orders, restraining orders, or similar. As set out in Section VI: A of this policy, the University may enact such no contact orders and take such other Interim Measures to assist the Impacted Party.

Anonymous Reports

The University welcomes members of the PLU community to submit anonymous reports of Prohibited Conduct, however, the University may not be able to fully address anonymous reports unless sufficient information is furnished thus enabling the University to conduct a meaningful and fair investigation. If you are defined as a mandatory reporter, you must report and cannot be anonymous. The University takes anonymous reports seriously and will address the concern in whatever steps it deems appropriate, in the University’s sole discretion, and in the best interest of the overall University community.

The University will take steps to protect the confidentiality of the Impacted Party and others involved in the reporting process. Publicly available recordkeeping, including Clery Act reporting and disclosures will be done without personal identifying information about the Impacted Party. Additionally the University will maintain as confidential any accommodations or protective measures provided to the Impacted Party, to the extent that maintaining such confidentiality would not impair the ability of the institution to provide the accommodations or protective measures.

Certain situations may require the Title IX Coordinator to file a formal complaint on behalf of the University when Prohibited Conduct is reported that meets the definition of the 2020 Final Rule Title IX regulations specifically “severe, pervasive and objectively offensive”, or when there is an assessed threat to campus or individual safety. In these situations, anonymous reports may be included in those formal complaints.  

Advisor/Support Person

  • Advisor – for sex-based harassment complaints involving a formal review process defined by the 2024 Final Rule Title IX regulations

The Complainant and the Respondent involved in an incident that meets the 2024 Final Rule Title IX criteria for sex-based harassment each have the right to an Advisor of their choice, who may be, but need not be, an attorney. Parties may only select one advisor per conduct process; and if the party does not have an Advisor present at the live hearing, the university may provide a member of the PLU community to serve in that capacity free of cost or charge. An Advisor’s role is to provide guidance through the Formal Process, and assist their party in constructing the hearing questions to be asked by the Decision Makers, as applicable.  The Advisor may attend all meetings, interviews, and proceedings but may not speak on the student’s behalf. During the hearing, the party and the Advisor may confer at reasonable times as determined in the sole discretion of the Decision Makers. The Advisor is also limited to the participation constraints as described in the hearing decorum policy.

 

  • Support Person -for incidents that are not sex-based harassment, but are sex discrimination or in the Student Code of Conduct purview

Students may select one support person per conduct process. The support person must be a current member of the PLU community. A request should be made via email to the SRR Office at least 24-hours prior to the scheduled Review Meeting. If the request is approved, all students involved in the Review Meeting will be afforded the same opportunity to have a support person present.

A support person who accompanies a student is present for emotional support only and may not speak on the student’s behalf. The student and the support person may confer at reasonable times as determined in the sole discretion of the Review Officer(s). 

Respect for Medical Amnesty Provisions

It is in the best interest of the PLU community for students and employees to report cases of Prohibited Conduct, because of that, an individual who reports Prohibited Conduct, either as a Complainant or a Reporter, will have the University’s focus of the investigation on the Prohibited Conduct reported.