Dear Colleagues:

Humboldt State University students are launching a campaign to spread the word about Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in education. The California State University is complying with Title IX by requiring all faculty and staff (except Counseling and Psychological Services counselors and a few key staff positions) to be mandated reporters of incidents of sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, stalking, and gender-based harassment that occur while a student is enrolled. Many of us have taken CSU’s online training, which provides important information, but it doesn’t tell us how best to fulfill our role as mandated reporters in a way that supports our student survivors.

You can make a difference in the lives of our students who are affected by sexual assault, violence, and discrimination. Please join me in participating in the “Know Your IX” campaign and learn about the “1, 2, 3” of fulfilling your role as a mandated reporter in a supportive way:

1. hang the door sign in or near your office;
2. interrupt students before they disclose and refer them to our new Campus Advocate Team; and
3. read the best practices document so you are prepared if a student chooses to talk with you about their survivorship.

Please look for copies of these documents in your mailbox tomorrow. You’ll also find a binder in your department office with all of these documents, plus a summary of the results of HSU’s Safer Campus Survey and information about what students are learning about Title IX.

Why interrupt a student who is about to share information with you? During an act of violence, a survivor's choice is taken away from them. Mandated reporting requirements may lead survivors to feel re-victimized, as their choices (about who to tell and what steps to take in response to the violence) may be once again taken away. To reduce the likelihood of this secondary harm, we can let students know we are mandated reporters before they disclose information to us.

If you teach about these issues, please see the optional syllabus statement.

All resources mentioned in this email can be found on the “resources for faculty and staff” tab on the Title IX webpage.

Thank you for working to make HSU a community that puts student needs at the center of our work.

Sincerely yours,

Lisa A. Rossbacher, Ph.D.
President