Employees and students should use the following guidelines and complete a Title IX Incident Report in discussing sexual misconduct with the Title IX Committee.
Manchester Community College takes its obligations to comply with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) very seriously. Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity. The Office of Civil Rights of the Department of Education considers sexual misconduct (including sexual harassment, sexual violence, sexual assault and intimate partner violence) to be a form of sexual discrimination and requires the college to take immediate and effective steps to respond to sexual misconduct.
To satisfy the requirement that the college take immediate action to eliminate sexual misconduct, prevent its recurrence and address its effects, the Title IX Coordinator reviews every Title IX Incident Report made to college employees and determines the appropriate course of action to investigate the report. This means that the Title IX Coordinator may contact identified victims, alleged perpetrators, and witnesses. In addition to ensuring that all reports of sexual misconduct and discrimination are properly investigated by the college, the Title IX Coordinator identifies and addresses any patterns or systemic problems that arise during the review.
All incidents of sexual misconduct must be reported to:
MCC Deputy Title IX Coordinator
T.J. Barber
860-512-3203
SSC L287
CT State Title IX Coordinator
Dr. John Paul Chaisson-Cardenas
VP of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
860-612-7056
jchaisson-cardenas@commnet.edu
Responsible employees (all Manchester Community College employees are considered “responsible” employees for the purpose of Title IX) must complete this report immediately no matter when the incident occurred, if anyone (e.g., faculty, staff, students or third parties) reports or discloses a situation that may constitute sexual misconduct to include sexual harassment sexual violence, domestic/dating violence and stalking. If you have any questions about the report, contact T.J. Barber at 860-512-3203 or via email at T.J. Barber
You may also be obligated to complete MCC’s Clery Act reporting form if you have been identified as a Campus Security Authority (CSA) by the college. If you are unclear about your status as a CSA, please contact Sgt. Donna Manning, Campus Police and Clery Compliance Officer at 860-512-3682.
Definition
Sexual misconduct is a term used to encompass unwanted or unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that is committed without consent. Sexual misconduct may be committed by anyone, including but not limited to, a friend, a stranger, an intimate partner, a student, an acquaintance, a supervisor or a faculty member. Males and females can be victims of sexual misconduct, and misconduct can occur between people of the opposite sex or the same sex. It can involve conduct that occurs on campus or at an off-campus location. It can consist of verbal utterances, threats and/or coercion, nonverbal behavior, violence or behavior that could be characterized as stalking. For further definitions of types of conduct that may constitute sexual misconduct such as sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking, please visit www.manchestercc.edu/title-9
Directions for completing the report:
- Review the attached checklist to ensure you are discussing the items with any victim of sexual misconduct. The items do not need to be discussed in any particular order but are arranged in a manner that can help you with your discussion.
- Prepare to fill in the fields as requested – name, date, etc.
- Complainant – is defined as the individual who has been impacted or targeted by the sexual misconduct.
- Against Whom – if the complainant reveals the name of the alleged perpetrator you must include that information here. If the complainant does not reveal the name of the alleged perpetrator, other types of information can be noted such as the individual’s affiliation to MCC, if the perpetrator is a student at another school, a visitor, a vendor, etc.
- Description of the Incident – try to get as much information about the events that happened as revealed by the complainant, such as the circumstances of the conduct, what conduct was disturbing and how, names of witnesses or others involved, etc. Refrain from judgment and describe the facts that were told to you or that you witnessed.
- By completing this report it will send an email to T.J. Barber for follow up.
Please review the checklist and ensure you are discussing all of the items with any victim of sexual misconduct. These items do not need to be discussed in any particular order. Additional copies of this form are available at www.manchestercc.edu/title-9 .
- Determine if the victim requires immediate medical assistance. If so, call 860-512-3111 (x23111 on college phone).
- Ask the victim if he or she would like you to contact the police immediately. If so, call 860-512-3111 for MCCPD. If not, you should respect the victim’s wishes.
- Advise the victim that you can protect their privacy, but you cannot promise confidentiality. Tell the victim that you are required to report the incident to the college’s Title IX Coordinator, but you will not tell anyone else. Let the victim know that the Title IX Coordinator may be in touch with him or her. [Confidentiality will be provided by Connecticut Sexual Assault Crisis Services (CONNSACS) and member agencies of the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV]).]
- Remind the victim that acts of sexual misconduct, such as sexual assault, relationship violence and stalking are never the fault of the victim. Thank the victim for telling you what happened and reassure him/her that you have information to share which might be useful, and then provide him/her with the list of resources. Resources are provided on-line at www.manchestercc.edu/title-9 and in college brochures available from the Title IX Coordinator.
- Discuss the options he/she has (CONNSACS, CCDAV, counseling, police report, etc.), if you are comfortable and have the knowledge to do so. The Title IX Coordinator or members of the MCC Title IX Resource Team can also provide resources and information for victims.
- Advise the victim that he or she has the right to file a complaint or not to file a complaint with the college. Title IX information is available at www.manchestercc.edu/title-9 which describes the filing process, or the victim may be in touch with the Title IX Coordinator directly to better understand the process.
- Advise the victim that there may be times when the college must take action against a perpetrator, even if that is against the victim’s wishes. The college undertakes these decisions very carefully and would inform the victim and take appropriate steps to ensure the victim’s safety prior to taking any action against the perpetrator.
- Advise the victim that he or she has the right to contact or not to contact the police at any time. An incident on campus should be referred to the MCC Police Department. An incident off-campus should be referred to the appropriate police jurisdiction. The MCC Police Department will give its full assistance in response to a report of sexual misconduct or interpersonal violence on campus. If the incident occurred off-campus, MCCPD can assist in contacting the police department of the town in which the incident occurred.
- Some victims are in situations where they don’t feel safe going to classes, going home or going to work. Let the victim know that there are people on campus that can help them. Advise the victim that assistance can be provided by the college (Title IX Coordinator or Dean of Student Affairs) for changing academic situations and working situations, if requested by the victim and if reasonably available, regardless of whether the victim chooses to report the situation to the police.
- Inform the victim that retaliation by the alleged perpetrator or anyone else is prohibited and will be punished by the college. The college wants to make certain the fear of retaliation does not prevent the victim from reporting the incident either to the police or formally to the college. If the victim experiences any retaliation, he or she should immediately contact the Title IX Coordinator at the college.