Campus Choice

Campus Choice Element #1

A person reporting a sexual assault is offered three options for reporting: Anonymous, Confidential and Formal.

1. An Anonymous Report can be submitted by a reporting party through an online report that is directed to a Confidential Advisor. An anonymous report can also be submitted in person to a Confidential Advisor. Reporting parties can give as much information as they feel comfortable without submitting any identifying information.
2. A Confidential Report can be submitted online or to a Confidential Advisor. This form of reporting can include a limited information report or a full report. At this time the Confidential Advisor should offer to take a formal report from the reporting party.
3. A Formal Report can be submitted to a Confidential Advisor at any time. A Formal report is when the reporting party is choosing to participate in an administrative investigation and would like to participate in that process.
4. At any time an Anonymous or Confidential Report can move their concern into a Formal Report.
5. People who experienced a sexual assault are encouraged to report to a Confidential Advisor even if they do not intend to pursue an administrative process or a criminal justice process.
6. Data collected from Anonymous and Confidential Reports will be reflected in Clery reporting, but the information reflected in the Clery report will not identify the reporting party or victim.

Campus Choice Element #2

A victim or other reporting party may remain anonymous and still have the information they provide documented by a Confidential Advisor.

1. Sexual assault information received from any of the reporting options shall be documented in written form and retained in a way that best preserves a reporting party’s options and supports retrieval at a later date.
2. All information received on a reported sexual assault shall be documented regardless of the apparent credibility of the reporter or apparent veracity of the information being provided. Failure to document all available information inhibits the potential for increasing safety on campus.
3. The Confidential Advisor or other official will keep the person who experienced sexual assault informed regarding the status of the investigation resulting from a formal report.
4. Reporting parties will be informed that all formal reports will require a complete investigative process. Reporting parties will be adequately informed about the limitations of the Anonymous and Confidential reports.

Campus Choice Element #3

A victim or other reporting party may have questions answered regarding options for reporting, including an explanation of an administrative investigation and/or a criminal investigation prior to providing any identifying or incident information.

1. A Confidential Advisor will make inquiries to appropriate school personnel and outside agencies, including law enforcement, in order to answer questions of the reporting party regardless of whether they have provided identifying or incident information.

Campus Choice Element #4

When making a report there is no requirement to meet in person with a school official. For example, a victim or other reporting party may report using an online form.

Campus Choice Element #5

Reasonable efforts will be made to allow the reporting party control over the location, time and date where the initial report is made.

1. If accommodations are unable to be made as requested by a victim or reporting party, then a clear explanation as to why will be given.
2. The college or university will create space for law enforcement to conduct an interview on campus if the victim requests it.

Campus Choice Element #6

Reasonable efforts will be made to meet the needs of the reporting party and address any barriers the reporting party faces in providing a report.

1. The Confidential Advisor will discuss any concerns the reporting party has about moving forward with an administrative or law enforcement investigation and work to address those barriers so that the reporting party may feel comfortable with proceeding.
2. Campus officials will conduct interviews in a trauma informed manner.
3. In most cases, the Confidential Advisor will become the investigator for the complainant once they have submitted a formal report. The information shared with the Confidential Advisor will no longer be confidential at this point.

Campus Choice Element #7

Any university official interviewing the reporting and responding party shall be trained in Trauma Informed Interviewing such as, Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview training, and will employ this method of interviewing when working with the reporting and responding party.

1. Reasonable efforts shall me made to limit the number of times a complainant or respondent is interviewed regarding the assault.
2. The participant’s safety, cognitive impairment and mental health shall be taken into consideration prior to any interview.

Campus Choice Element #8

All involved parties will be given information regarding the university administrative process and criminal justice process.

1. When a report is made to a Confidential Advisor or investigator, the reporting party will receive detailed, accurate information about both the criminal justice system and the administrative process.
2. The investigator will have specific and accurate knowledge of student conduct violations and criminal laws and statutes. The investigator cannot, however, provide legal advice to the reporter or others.
3. The investigator must discuss any appropriate campus interim measures that may be taken by the school, the timeline for the process, and the various steps for the administrative process. This is must include a safety check to assess the reporting party’s immediate safety, the safety of others, and the ability the victim to continue engaging in their role in the campus community.
4. The investigator will provide clear and accurate information about the law enforcement reporting process. This will include a verbal explanation of the process and not be limited to a website or handout.
5. If the reporting party would like accompaniment to law enforcement, the investigator may accompany or arrange for a community based advocate to accompany the reporting party.

Campus Choice Element #9

Reasonable efforts will be made to meet the needs of the victim and address any barriers the victim faces when participating in sexual assault investigations with campus and law enforcement.

1. Understanding that each victim’s individual situation is unique, the investigator shall attempt to view the investigative process from the victim’s perspective and not assume what barriers a victim faces when participating in an investigation.
2. As barriers arise during an administrative or criminal justice investigation, reasonable efforts will be made by the school to address those barriers such as: housing, classes, or employment accommodations.
3. The investigator will, at the victim’s request, collaborate with law enforcement to address any barriers to the criminal investigation.

Campus Choice Element #10

After making a report, a victim or reporting party will not be pressured to participate or not participate in an administrative or criminal investigation.

1. When a report is made to a Confidential Advisor, the reporting party will receive information and support regardless of whether they choose to pursue further action.

Campus Choice Element #11

After a formal report is given, no involved party shall be required to attend the administrative hearing. Unless it is required by law in such cases that are categorized as violations under Title IX.

1. The report taken by the investigator assigned to the complainant will serve as the representation of the reporting party’s account of what occurred: the report taken by the investigator assigned to the responding party will serve as representation for the accused if they choose not to attend. Except in cases that fall into Title IX where hearing attendance is required.
2. Once the report is written, the investigator for each party will verify the account has been reflected accurately.
3. The school will not require any involved party to participate in a hearing. If any party would like to participate in the hearing, they may, but it will not be mandatory except in cases designated as Title IX where attendance is required by Federal law.
4. The investigator for either party will gather any supplemental information requested by the Director of Equity Grievance/Title IX Coordinator.

Campus Choice Element #12

When reporting to a Confidential Advisor, a victim’s right to confidentiality shall be respected.

1. When legally permissible, no person shall be notified that the victim has reported without the victim’s consent. This includes the interviewing of identified witnesses or respondents.

Campus Choice Element #13

College or university officials will collaborate with victims during the investigative process. As the law allows, investigations will be conducted at a pace set by the victim, not the college or university.

1. The investigator will keep the victim of sexual assault informed regarding the status of the investigation.
2. The investigator assigned to the responding party will keep the respondent informed regarding the status of the investigation.
3. Reporting parties will be informed that no case can proceed without a complete investigative process. They will be adequately informed about the limitations of the information only report.

Campus Choice Element #14

Campuses will have monthly collaborative meetings; including, but not limited to, Title IX Officials, Confidential Advisors, Campus Law Enforcement, Municipal Law Enforcement and Community Based Advocacy.

1. The intention of these meetings is information sharing relating to sexual assault perpetration on campus while still respecting the requested level of confidentiality of victims.
2. Information from these meetings can be used to formulate specific educational and prevention activities to increase the safety of the entire campus community.
3. Information from these meetings can be used to take steps to eliminate a hostile environment and prevent further occurrences of sexual violence.
4. These meetings will provide a venue for continuous evaluation to ensure that the school is providing adequate, reliable, and impartial investigation for complaints.

Sexual Violence Response Review
Southern Oregon University has a multi-disciplinary body that gathers monthly to review the campus response to Title IX related reports. This group is comprised of Title IX officers, Confidential Advisors, community partners, and representatives from University Housing and Campus Public Safety. This group looks at overall campus community safety, trends in reporting, and most importantly reviews how we as a team responded to each individual report, the outcome of the report, and how the system can be improved.

ViPRA Prevention and Education
ViPRA at Southern Oregon University meets regularly to head campus prevention and education efforts. ViPRA Prevention is able to respond to campus trends and issues discovered by ViPRA Response in a timely and educational way. This allows our campus to respond to issues that are currently affecting our campus and enables us to get information and preventative care to our students quickly.