• I heard the information second-hand?
  • If you were acting within the scope of your role at the time, and if the information involves at least one member of the UNA community, then yes. You are not required to ask for or obtain identifying information about the people involved unless you already know it. Just report what you heard/what was shared, the location, when the incident occurred, and any other details you may have.
  • You can do so here: FILE A REPORT
• The person really doesn’t want me to report?
  • You are required to report all instances of discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct that you become aware of when you are within the scope of your role to the Office of Title IX.
  • This may be a challenging situation to navigate – honoring the individual’s wishes while balancing your reporting obligations. However, our office is here to support you in this as well. We encourage employees to remind students of reporting obligations before a report is made and we encourage employees to share why the information has to be reported to Title IX (so that the University can reach out to impacted individuals and offer resources and options). 
• The incident happened off-campus and/or before they were associated with UNA?
  • Regardless of where or when an incident occurred (even if the incident occurred prior to the individual being a student or employed by UNA, ie. when they were a child, etc.), if at least one of the parties involved is currently a member of the UNA community, you are required to report the information the Office of Title IX.

If a student, faculty, or staff member begins to tell you about a sexual assault or sexual harassment incident you should make an effort to politely interrupt the individual and explain you are mandated to report any information they confide in you. Being prepared by having the statement below in your office or discussing it with a student group you advise at the beginning of the year may help to keep misunderstandings from occurring.

Sample prompt to share –> “I have a feeling that you may be about to disclose something to me that is very personal, and it may end up falling into one of the categories of things I am required to report to Title IX because of my role as an employee because your personal safety and overall health is our number one concern. I’m not telling you this to prevent you from sharing this information with me, nor to scare or intimidate you, but rather to let you know this in advance so that you can decide whether or not you’d like to disclose this to me knowing that a report may have to be made in response. The reason we do this report is to make sure you are able to get all the help and support you need. However, if at this time you are not interested in a report being made, but would like to speak to some one about what may have happened/be going on, I can point you in the direction of confidential resources whom you can speak to who do not have the obligation to report. You have the right to maintain your privacy, and I will support whatever decision you make and should you wish to continue, know that I will only report what you confide in me and I am here to support you.”

As an employee, you can respond by remembering to Listen --> Support --> Report.

Listening is a key step and you can do this by believing the individual, asking if they feel safe, and determining how to best help ensure their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. This leads in to letting them know that there are places on campus that they can go to for help (even if you don't personally know the best place to go!). Finally, you'll need to make that report so that Title IX can follow up and make sure they have the best, and most current, information on places to go for help and options that they may have. 

As a mandated reporter, although the individual may request that you refrain from sharing the information they disclosed to anyone else, you should be honest about your mandated reporting obligations while still trying to ensure their autonomy the best as possible.

It can be challenging to let the individual know you’re going to bring a new person into your conversation, so different options and language have been provided below.  It may be helpful to think about what you might say in a sexual harassment/misconduct reportable scenario. We know this is a hard conversation to have. As professionals and educators, we have hard conversations every day, and we work to bring warmth, patience and a supportive presence into those conversations. We can also apply those same elements in having conversations about incidents of sexual violence and reporting obligations.

“Menu” of Possible Response Options

You may wish to respond with something like…

“Thank you for sharing that with me and I’d like to support you as best I can. I wanted to let you know that I’m a mandated reporter, which means I have to inform UNA's Title IX Office when I learn that an incident of sexual harassment/misconduct has occurred. I know that may sound a bit scary and perhaps not what you had intended when you disclosed to me, but it's really just to connect you with options on-campus. Although I’m required to report I want to be able to share the information you disclosed to me in a manner that you feel most comfortable with (review options on HOW to report – see top of page for details). Please know that regardless of how a report is submitted, you will receive an email from the Office of Title IX, which contains information about your rights and available resources. They’re going to offer you an opportunity to meet with them to discuss this information further along with your available resolution options and interim & supportive measures/resources UNA can implement to best support you. However, meeting with the Office of Title IX is completely voluntary, so you can decide if that is something you’re comfortable doing at that time. If right now you’re not interested in meeting with them, that’s completely okay, and should you change your mind down the road and wish to connect with them about the variety of supports/options available to you, you can always reach back out to them and schedule a meeting. With that said, I want to be able to share the information you disclosed to me in a manner that you feel most comfortable with.“

“Thank you for sharing this with me. UNA has a lot of helpful resources available, including confidential ones like Student Counseling Services. I’m not a confidential resource, which means I do have to share this information, but only with the Title IX Coordinator.  Her name is Kayleigh, and she can send you all of the resources available to you. This doesn't mean there will be an investigation, it just means she's going to send you a letter and give you an option to meet with her.”

“I know that must have been difficult to share, thank you for trusting me. My role on campus requires I share information like this with our Title IX Coordinator.  The Title IX Coordinator’s job is to make sure individuals who may have experienced harm are aware of all resources available to them. I can call her, send an email, or send a report. We can even walk over there together, if you'd like. Do you have a preference of how I share this information? And would you like to sit with me while I reach out to her?”

However you choose to respond, you should make sure it is in a way that feels most authentic to you, while also demonstrates empathy and compassion.

It is also helpful to remind them that they:

• Are welcome to connect with a confidential resources, like Student Counseling Services
• Can file a police report with UPD at any time – 256-765-4357
• Can file an online report themselves, by clicking here. 

UNA strives to provide a safe environment in which faculty/staff and students can pursue their education and work in an environment free from the detrimental effects of sex discrimination and harassment. If there is a culture of sexual violence in our community, then we are not meeting this effort.  Reporting incidents of sexual harassment and misconduct helps us in meeting this effort.

Title IX of the United States Department of Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities. Sexual harassment, which includes acts of sexual violence, is a form of sexual discrimination.  A student who is sexually harassed or assaulted may also suffer from unequal access to educational opportunities and may be afraid to come to campus, go to class, or visit a faculty or staff member’s office. The same can be said for an employee who may have experienced sexual harassment at the hand of a colleague or supervisor – their workplace could then be seen as a potentially hostile environment. While statistics on sexual violence on campuses across the nation have increased, it is still believed that these cases are severely underreported and by having those on campus who are trained/required to report, UNA can become aware of incidents occurring and work to try and mitigate the associated effects.

1.  Reports can be submitted electronically online by clicking here. 
   1. This is the preferred reporting option.
2. Reports can be emailed to our Title IX Coordinator, at titleix@una.edu. 
3. Reports can be made via phone, by calling the Office of Title IX at 256-765-4223.
4. Reports can be made in-person, by stopping by the Office of Title IX inside GUC 202.

Employees are not permitted to submit anonymous reports unless they are reporting their own experience of sex- or gender-based discrimination or harassment. Anonymous reports significantly impact UNA's ability to respond to alleged misconduct. If you are an employee and are reporting an incident that does not personally involve you, you must include your own name and contact information, along with all other known information about the incident you are reporting.  

After receiving a report, the Title IX Coordinator will reach out to the student or employee who experienced discrimination or harassment (the Complainant) and give them information on possible supportive measures, information about whether or not they may have the option to file a Formal Complaint, how to file Criminal Charges, numerous on- and off-campus resources, and an option to meet with the Office of Title IX.  The Complainant does not have to participate in any University process and an Investigation does not start automatically on the basis of receiving a report. Likewise, the person accused (the Respondent) is not automatically notified that a report has been made; however, if an investigation occurs the Respondent will be promptly notified and given an option to participate in the process. 

Individuals reporting an incident to Title IX will receive confirmation (through the electronic reporting form, if the report is made that way) that that report has been received. To protect privacy, confidentiality, and due process, Title IX will only update involved parties about the investigation.