Filing a Report | Reporting Methods | Non-Mandated Reporters
Confidential, Non-Confidential, Anonymous--what's the difference? These terms all describe ways you can go about telling someone what happened to you
or to someone you know.
Confidential reports are when you go to a Non-Mandated Reporter, such as one of the University's counselors.
These employees are not required to report the incident to the Title IX Coordinator.
If you know that you don't want the University to investigate the incident but you
want to speak with someone for support, Non-Mandated Reporters are a great choice.
Non-confidential reports are when you go to a Mandated Reporter, which includes most University employees, or when you file a report using the Electronic Reporting Option and choose to include your information. Non-confidential reports are passed along to the Title IX Coordinator so the University can document the incident. This does not mean that you have to go through with an investigation, however.
After you file a non-confidential report, the Title IX Coordinator or Deputy Coordinator
will meet with you to go over your options and explain how the investigation and judicial
process works. At that point, you can decide whether you would like to proceed with
an investigation. The University does, however, reserve the right to initiate an
investigation if the incident involves serious or repeated conduct or where the alleged
perpetrator may pose a continuing threat to the University Community.
Anonymous reports can be made using the Electronic Reporting Option and are for when you don't want
your name associated with the report in any way. The University will do its best
to investigate the incident with the information you provide, but anonymous reports
are typically much more difficult to investigate.
Electronic Reporting Option
The Incident Reporting Form can be used to quickly submit reports of sexual misconduct. Anonymous reports can also be made using this method. Many of the fields on the report can be left blank; the only required fields are the Nature of this Report, Date of Incident, Location of Incident, and incident description fields. You can specify the type of misconduct in the Title IX Concerns dropdown box in the Questions section, should you wish to do so.
Within twelve (12) hours of receiving an electronic report, the University will, so long as the report was not anonymous, respond to the reporter through verbal, written, or electronic communication. In the case of anonymous reports, the University will follow up to the best of its ability based on the information provided.
Verbal Reports to University Employees
Many people who have experienced sexual misconduct will first go to a trusted faculty or staff member for guidance. This is a perfectly valid way of getting a report started. Not everyone will know how to or feel comfortable filling out an online report, and describing your experience to someone you know can be easier than trying to put it down into words. You can report an incident to either a Mandated or Non-Mandated Reporter.
Summary of Options and Other Available Resources
All options for reporting (confidential, non-confidential, off-campus, etc.), as well as other resources, such as local law enforcement and community-based organizations, are summarized in Appendix A of the Sexual Misconduct Policy.
If an individual desires to talk confidentially about their situation, there are resources available. The following non-mandated reporters are available to assist you and will not further disclose the information you provide, unless otherwise required to do so by law (e.g., if the complainant is a minor):
Counseling Staff:
Melissa McHenry, M.A., M.S., MCPC
Assistant Director of Counseling Services
(618) 537-6416
Charles Gregory, M.A., L.C.P.C., L.P.C.
University Counselor
(618) 537-6975
Counselors may also be reached at (618) 537-6990
Chaplain:
Rev. Dr. Beverly L. Wilkes-Null
(618) 537-6962
Additionally, our Health Services staff will also maintain your confidentiality, but they are required to make a non-identifying report to the Title IX Coordinator or Deputy Coordinator so that the University can analyze whether there are patterns or systemic problems of sexual misconduct on campus.
