A report of sexual harassment can be made to the persons below in person (during business hours) or by mail, telephone, or email using the contact information found under the section titled “Title IX Leadership Team”, including during non-business hours. A report of sexual harassment can also be made by completing the online reporting form at Appendix C – Complaint Form.
- Reporting to the Title IX Coordinator: Reports of sexual harassment may be made to the Title IX Coordinator in any of the following ways, by anyone, at any time: email, phone, online form, or mail. Reports may be made to the Title IX Coordinator in person on the Dothan Campus in Cunningham Hall, room 400. After an incident of sexual harassment has been reported to the Title IX Coordinator, the Title IX Coordinator will promptly assign the case to a Deputy Title IX Coordinator, who will work diligently and swiftly to offer supportive measures to the Complainant, regardless of whether the Complainant was the reporter of the Sexual Harassment.
- Reporting to Officials with Authority: If Officials with Authority are notified of sexual harassment, they shall promptly report such sexual harassment to the Title IX Coordinator, who will take immediate action under this Procedure. The College’s Officials with Authority include the following positions at the College: Title IX Coordinator and Deputy Title IX Coordinator(s); President of the College, and all Vice Presidents/Deans.
- Reporting to Responsible Reporting Officials: College employees who are not Confidential Employees or Officials with Authority are mandated by the College to report alleged sexual harassment to the Title IX Coordinator promptly upon receiving a report of sexual harassment.
- Reporting to Confidential Employees: Reports of sexual harassment made to Confidential Employees are considered confidential reports and will not be reported to the Title IX Coordinator without the Complainant’s permission and will not constitute actual notice to the College. The College has identified the Director of Advising and Counseling as its Confidential Employee, and that individual may be reached at 334.556.2281 or in person at the Advising Center in Grimsley Hall on the Dothan Campus.
- Anonymous Reporting: Anonymous reports may be made by telephone, in writing, or electronically to the Title IX Coordinator. A decision to remain anonymous, however, may greatly limit the College’s ability to stop the alleged conduct, collect evidence, or take action against parties accused of violating this Procedure.
- Reporting to Local Law Enforcement: Reports of sexual harassment may be filed with local law enforcement agencies. The Title IX Coordinator or assigned Deputy Title IX Coordinator can assist with contacting law enforcement agencies. Law enforcement investigations are separate and distinct from the College’s investigations.
- Mandatory Reporting under Alabama Law: Alabama law imposes a mandatory duty on all College employees to immediately report all incidences of known or suspected child abuse. Such reports must be made to the College’s Safety & Security Department. The College also encourages students, volunteers, and representatives (as well as third-party vendors and their employees, representatives, or volunteers that contract for use of College facilities with responsibilities that involve interaction with children) to report
(verbally and in writing) known or suspected child abuse to the College’s Safety & Security Department. Sexual abuse is one element of the more comprehensive term “abuse” under Alabama law. For child protection purposes, a child is any person under 18 years of age or any individual under 19 years of age who is in need of protective services and does not qualify for adult protective services under Chapter 9 of Title 38 in Alabama Law. A freshman student, a “dual-enrolled” high school student, or a summer camp participant, among others, may fall into the category of a “child.” - Consolidation of Complaints: The College may consolidate complaints of sexual harassment against more than one Respondent, or by more than one Complainant against one or more Respondents, or by one party against another party, when the allegations of sexual harassment arise out of the same facts or circumstances. When more than one Complainant or more than one Respondent is involved, references below to a party, Complainant, or Respondent include the plural, as applicable.
o The College will not consolidate complaints if consolidation would violate the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Consolidation would not violate FERPA when the College obtains prior written consent from parties to the disclosure of their educational records. - Amnesty for Students: The College strongly encourages students to report incidents violating the policy related to discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, and related inappropriate conduct. The College’s primary concern is the safety of the members of the college community, and it encourages behavior that demonstrates care and concern for members of the community. Accordingly, the College reserves the right to provide a reprieve from disciplinary actions for Complainants and other individuals who exhibit responsible and proactive behavior in reporting sexual harassment or other prohibited conduct or for students acting as a witness during the formal grievance procedures. The College may provide referrals to counseling and may require educational options, rather than disciplinary sanctions, in such cases.