Sexual Misconduct Reporting

PLU employees – whether faculty, administrators, or staff – are obligated to report incidents of sex discrimination, sex-based harassment, and sexual misconduct of which they become aware. This obligation extends to all of us (except those entities who are considered confidential reporting sources) because of the University’s responsibility under Title IX to respond promptly and effectively to:

+ Stop the conduct
+ Prevent its re-occurrence
+ Remedy its effects
+ Provide care and support for the impacted or reporting person
+ Take steps to insure the safety and security of our community

The University has adopted the terms ‘Responsible Employee’ and ‘Mandatory Reporter’ to describe this obligation that extends to all individuals who a student could reasonably believe has the authority for corrective action; or has administrative leadership, teaching, or advising responsibilities (including student RAs, Campus Safety staff, teacher assistants, students working in the Athletic training room, and any student in a supervisory or managerial role with other students). By reporting what you know to the appropriate University officials specially trained to respond, you support students and others who have experienced this conduct. You also protect yourself from potential liability because when you know, the University is also considered to know. The University’s obligation to respond begins the moment the University attains knowledge that a member of our community has experienced sex discrimination.

How to Work with a Student or Other Reporting Person Who Requests Confidentiality:

As Mandatory Reporters, we can no longer have confidential conversations with students or other reporting persons about their experiences with sexual misconduct. If you believe a student or other reporting person is about to disclose to you their experience of sex discrimination, sex-based harassment, or sexual misconduct, you can explain to that person, before they make the disclosure, that you are a “Mandatory Reporter”. The reporter then has the choice to continue sharing the information or not. If they choose not to, you can offer to accompany the person to a confidential source within Health Services, Counseling Services, Campus Ministry, or the Confidential Advocacy Office where they can receive support and counsel regarding their options moving forward.

If the reporter chooses to share how they have been impacted, listen with compassion, validate their experience and emotions, and avoid passing judgement. Encourage the impacted party to utilize our campus resources for support. Explain to them that once you report the information they shared to the Title IX Office, the Title IX Coordinator will be reaching out to them with an invite to meet.

Whether or not the student or reporting person decides to disclose to you or to a confidential source, please assure the person that they will receive support, resources, and the agency to decide if they want the University to respond.

To Whom to Report and When to Report:

At the earliest possible moment following a disclosure of sex discrimination, sex-based harassment, or sexual misconduct, the Mandatory Reporter must contact one of the following offices to report the information that was shared:

University Title IX Coordinator, 253.535.7361 or titleix@plu.edu

Campus Safety, 253.535.7441 or csin@plu.edu

Student Rights and Responsibilities Office, 253.535.7462 or srr@plu.edu

Human Resources, 253.535.7185 or humr@plu.edu

or fill out the INCIDENT REPORT FORM