As part of the #MarshalluFamily, we must all make ending sex discrimination a priority. However, some individuals at the university have been identified as having specific responsibility for reporting any behavior that has the potential to be discriminatory or harassing. We call these individuals responsible employees, or mandatory reporters.
Who is a Mandatory Reporter?
A Mandatory Reporter is any one:
- Any employee of the University who becomes aware of sex discrimination as defined in this policy (including sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, stalking on the basis of sex, dating/intimate partner violence or sexual exploitation), regardless of whether the recipient of the behavior is a student, employee, volunteer or visitor of the University.** Exception: Employees with a legal obligation or privilege of confidentiality (including health care providers, counselors, lawyers, and their associated staff) are not considered Mandated Reporters and are not required to report when the information is learned in the course of a confidential communication.
- Additionally, all employees of Marshall University must report alleged violations involving threats of harm, any type of physical injury, hazing, drugs and/or alcohol, weapons, or acts of discrimination or harassment to the Office of Student Conduct at www.marshall.edu/student-conduct/. or to another University office responsible for examining and upholding standards of conduct.
- Any reports that involve employees committing any of the above misconduct should be reported to Title IX or Human Resources to be appropriately addressed or forwarded to the appropriate agency.
- If you are unsure if an incident would need to be reported for any reason, please still report the incident. When in doubt, report.
Examples of Mandatory Reporters include:
- Professors
- Administrative Staff
- Academic Advisors
- Resident Advisors (RAs)
- Teaching Assistants (TAs) and Graduate Assistants (GAs)
What is the Purpose of a Mandatory Reporter?
Through your knowledge and application of University policy and state laws, you play an important role in:
- Protecting students, faculty and staff from incidents of sexual violence.
- Supporting sexual assault survivors.
- Helping the University maintain a safe environment by striving to eliminate, prevent, and address discrimination on the basis of sex, including sexual violence.
What are your Primary Responsibilities as a Mandatory Reporter?
The main responsibility of mandatory reporters is to report any Title IX violations to the University as soon as possible. You are required to report incidents you personally observe as well as incidents reported to you. You must report these offenses to the Title IX coordinator.
Please see the Reporting Relevant Offenses section for details on what qualifies as a violation and the Taking Action section for details on how to report.
What Additional Responsibilities might you have as a Mandatory Reporter?
Many mandatory reporters under Title IX are also considered Campus Security Authorities (CSAs) under the Clery Act. As such, you may be required to file reports of certain crimes, including sexual assault and child abuse/neglect, according to procedures outlined by the Clery Act. Please note that a CSA must report to the Title IX Coordinator within two (2) days, all relevant details about the alleged Prohibited Conduct that the student or another person has shared. This includes the names of the alleged perpetrator (if known), the student who experienced the alleged sexual violence, other students involved in the alleged sexual violence, as well as relevant facts, including the date, time, and location.
