Reporting Options and Immediate Assistance

Any Sarah Lawrence College community member, guest, or visitor who believes they have been subjected to gender-based misconduct is encouraged to seek support and assistance through the resources listed in this policy. Seeking assistance promptly may be important to ensure safety, to obtain medical care, and to preserve evidence. Conduct that does not violate this policy can also be reported, as the College may still be able to provide options for resolution, remedy, or support. The College’s primary concern is the health, safety, and well-being of its community members, guests, and visitors. If you, or someone you know, have experienced gender-based misconduct, please seek assistance.

There is no time limitation on making a complaint to the Title IX Coordinator. However, if a respondent is no longer subject to the College’s jurisdiction and/or significant time has passed, the ability to investigate, respond, and provide remedies may be more limited or impossible. When a respondent is still subject to College jurisdiction but there is a significant delay between when an incident occurred and when it was reported, the College will respond using the policy definitions in place at the time of the incident and the current procedures.

A. Confidential Reporting

Confidential Resources listed in this section are not required by law or College policy to relay reports of gender-based misconduct to the Title IX Coordinator. Information shared with these resources will not be disclosed without stated permission or the existence of extreme circumstances, such as a health or safety emergency. Rules of civil and criminal procedure and law may result in records and information maintained by Confidential Resources, and persons serving as Confidential Resources, being subject to subpoena. Information shared with Confidential Resources may only be shielded or protected from disclosure, as a result of a subpoena, if shared with a medical, licensed counseling, or pastoral provider covered by a legal privilege or protection.

Additional resources can be found at my.slc.edu/safe.

B. Reporting to the College (Private)

Reports can be submitted by contacting the Title IX Office in any of the following manners:

• By using the Title IX & Gender-Based Misconduct Reporting Form;
• By phone (914-323-6138);
• By email (titleix@sarahlawrence.edu); or
• Through campus mail to the Title IX Office in Bates.

Anonymous reports may be made using the online reporting forms. However, the College’s ability to investigate, respond to, and provide support for anonymous reports may be limited due to restricted identifying information.

Any member of the community who wishes to make a report of gender-based misconduct with the College may do so by following the procedures in this policy. Employees who cannot guarantee confidentiality will maintain privacy to the greatest extent possible. Information provided to a non-confidential resource at the College will be reported to the Title IX Coordinator and the Title IX Coordinator will follow up with the complainant regarding options on how to proceed.

Any employee (excluding Confidential Resources) with knowledge of gender-based misconduct involving members of the Sarah Lawrence community must notify the Title IX Coordinator. Climate surveys, classroom writing assignments, human-subjects research, and events such as Take Back the Night or similar speak-outs do not constitute notice to the College. Mandated Reporters are not required to report information learned in these contexts.

Mandated Reporters must inform a reporting individual of their own reporting responsibilities (i.e., that they can provide privacy, not confidentiality) and the option of seeking assistance from confidential resources and other support services. In addition, they must provide the following information to the reporting individual at the first instance of disclosure of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and/or stalking:

• You have the right to make a report to Sarah Lawrence College security, local law enforcement, and/or state police, or choose not to report.
• You have the right to report the incident to your institution, Sarah Lawrence College.
• You have the right to be protected by the College from retaliation for reporting an incident.
• You have the right to receive assistance and resources from the College.

Individuals with questions regarding the reporting procedures for violations of this policy may speak with the Title IX Coordinator to discuss their rights, resolution process options, and available resources. They may also discuss options for No Contact Orders through the College and Orders of Protection through the court system. When information pertaining to specific incidents of reported gender-based misconduct is shared, the Title IX Coordinator will attempt to protect the privacy of all parties involved, but is required to initiate a preliminary inquiry and determine what, if any, further investigation is warranted.

An individual who is determined to knowingly have made a false report, or who provided false information during an investigation, may be subject to disciplinary action by the institution. This provision does not apply to reports made in good faith, even if the facts alleged in the report cannot be substantiated by subsequent investigation.

C. Criminal Reporting

Individuals have the right to decide whether to file or decline to file a report with the Yonkers Police Department, New York State Police, or the local law enforcement agency where the misconduct occurred. The Title IX Coordinator and other campus authorities are available to assist individuals in reporting to law enforcement.

What constitutes a criminal act will be defined by the penal code of the jurisdiction in which the alleged misconduct occurred. The College system and legal system have investigation processes that work independently of each other and can happen concurrently. This policy uses the preponderance of evidence standard (whether it is more likely than not that a policy violation occurred) for resolution processes. The standard of proof in a criminal proceeding is beyond a reasonable doubt, which is higher than the standard of proof used for violations of this policy. To file a criminal report, individuals may contact the following, and/or any other appropriate law enforcement agency:

New York State Police Campus Sexual Assault Hotline 844-845-7269

Yonkers Police Department 914-377-6000 (non-emergency)