Deciding to report prohibited conduct and choosing how to proceed are difficult decisions.
We recognize that your feelings about whether to report an incident and how to proceed may change over time, and we support all individuals who have experienced sex discrimination, sexual harassment, or other form of sexual misconduct during this decision-making process. If you are uncertain of whether you want to report, what reporting means, or have other questions you want to be answered before you report, you may wish to speak with a confidential resource before deciding how to proceed.
The University encourages all individuals who may have experienced prohibited conduct to report the incident(s) to the University. In addition, the University encourages individuals who may have experienced potentially criminal behavior to report the incident(s) to local law enforcement. However, an individual may choose whether to make a report to the University, to law enforcement, both (at the same time or one after the other), or neither.
The University will cooperate with investigations by law enforcement and may, at the request of law enforcement, briefly delay any concurrent investigation by the University. However, the University uses this and other policies to determine what constitutes misconduct, rather than Ohio criminal laws and therefore does not defer to law enforcement’s findings in lieu of administering this Policy.
Title IX Coordinator
All individuals are encouraged to report prohibited conduct to the Title IX Coordinator, and all University employees (except confidential resources) are required to report prohibited conduct to the Title IX Coordinator. Such reports may be made in person at the Student Affairs Office on the 1st Floor of Old Main, via email at
[email protected] , or by telephone at (419) 434-4570. More information about reporting to the Title IX Coordinator can be found below.
Law Enforcement
All individuals are encouraged to report criminal conduct to Campus Safety at (419) 434-4799. Campus Safety can connect individuals to the appropriate local law enforcement agency to file a police report, and can assist with securing the scene, providing safety transports, and preserving evidence if needed. Reporting to law enforcement does not require an individual to pursue criminal charges.
Anonymous reporting of crimes is available through the
Campus Safety's Silent Victim/Witness Program. Note that providing information anonymously may impede the University’s ability to respond to and investigate the reported incident(s).
If you or someone you know has experienced Prohibited Conduct, the first concerns to be addressed should be to make sure the individual is safe and has access to medical care if needed. Campus Safety (419-434-4799) can provide a safety transport and assist in obtaining emergency medical assistance. Emergency assistance can also be accessed by dialing 911.
Once the individual is safe, there are three primary considerations that should be addressed:
- The individual should consider whether they want to access resources, either on campus or off campus, to get assistance. Emergency medical assistance can be reached by dialing 911 or contacting Campus Safety at (419) 434-4799.
- Evidence should be preserved so that it is available if needed for purposes of a University investigation and/or a criminal investigation.
- The individual should consider whether to make a report to the University, to law enforcement, both, or neither. Note that employees of the University, unless they have been designated as “Confidential Resources” according to this Policy, are required to report all Prohibited Conduct to the Title IX Coordinator as soon as possible after learning of the incident.
Faculty and staff who are made aware of Sex Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, or Other Form of Sexual Conduct must immediately report the incident to the Title IX Coordinator.