The Title IX Coordinator will review all Prohibited Conduct allegations and make a determination if the conduct meets the criteria set forth by the 2020 Final Rule Title IX regulations.

Any PLU student who believes they have been subjected to Prohibited Conduct is an Impacted Party, and is encouraged to report such a concern. Students may report Prohibited Conduct in several ways:

• Submit a report online: anyone is able to electronically submit a report via the online Incident Reporting Form. Impacted Parties can remain anonymous; however, the Title IX office will only be able to act on as much information as is given.

• Contact the Title IX Coordinator or Deputy Coordinators via email or phone:

• Jennifer Childress-White, Title IX Coordinator (childrjl@plu.edu, titleix@plu.edu or 253.535.7361)

• Gretchen Howell, Deputy Title IX Coordinator (crosgrgm@plu.edu, or 253.535.7329)

• Eva Frey, Deputy Title IX Coordinator (eva.frey@plu.edu, or 253.535.7159)

• Submit a report via mail to Pacific Lutheran University at:

• Title IX Coordinator, Pacific Lutheran University, 12180 Park Avenue S, Tacoma, WA 98447

Students may make a report directly to local law enforcement officials by calling 911, or through contacting Campus Safety at 252-535-7911 , who can assist students in filing a report with local law enforcement.

With the exception of staff who are identified as confidential resources because of their licensure, all faculty, staff, administration, Resident Assistants, and Campus Safety student employees are considered Mandatory Reporters for all incidents related to Prohibited Conduct and will file a report when information is shared with them alleging potential Prohibited Conduct.

There is no time limit on making a complaint, but prompt reporting is encouraged in order to obtain appropriate evidence and information.

Any person with knowledge of an alleged Prohibited Conduct is encouraged to report concerns or information to any of the above-listed individuals. All of the above individuals are considered private sources. This means the offices will keep the information as private as possible, but certain procedures will need to be followed once reported.

Confidentiality. The University will make reasonable and appropriate efforts to preserve an Impacted Party’s and Respondent’s privacy and to protect the confidentiality of information. Should an Impacted Party request confidentiality, the Title IX Coordinator will inform the Impacted Party that the University’s ability to respond may therefore be limited – but that where feasible, the University will take reasonable steps to prevent Prohibited Conduct and limit its effects.

The Title IX Coordinator will further inform the Impacted Party that it is not possible to provide confidentiality in all cases and that the University’s decision to share information with others is subject to the balancing test described below in Section VII. In summary, although the University’s goal is to limit the number of individuals who may learn about an allegation of Prohibited Conduct or an investigation, the University cannot guarantee confidentiality in all matters.

1. Confidential Resources

Should an individual not be prepared to make a report, but is seeking information and wanting a confidential resource, there are several options available to the student. Individuals can explore different options without initiating further action from the University. The University encourages pastoral counselors and professional counselors, if and when they deem it appropriate, to inform the persons they are counseling of any procedures to report crimes on a voluntary, confidential basis for inclusion in the annual disclosure of crime statistics. These individuals/offices cannot and will not report the matter further, and reporting to any of these individuals/offices does not put the University on notice that Prohibited Conduct may have occurred.

• • • Pacific Lutheran University Victim Advocate
      Website: https://www.plu.edu/diversity-justice-sustainability/advocacy-services/
      Telephone: 253-535-8204
      Office: Center for Diversity, Justice, and Sustainability, Anderson University Center Room 150

• • • Pacific Lutheran University Counseling Center
      Email: chws@plu.edu
      Telephone: 253-535-7206
      Office: University Center 300

• • • PLU Counseling Center Crisis Line
      Telephone: 253-535-7075
    • Pacific Lutheran University Student Health Center
      Email: health@plu.edu
      Telephone: 253-535-7337
      Office: 121st and Park Avenue
      https://www.plu.edu/chws/urgent-emergency-resources

• • • Pacific Lutheran University Campus Ministry
      Email: cmin@plu.edu
      Telephone: 253-535-7464
      Office: University Center 190

• • • Pierce County Sexual Assault Center – Rebuilding Hope
      Website: www.sexualassaultcenter.com
      Telephone: 253-474-7273 or 800-756-7273

• • • Pierce County Domestic Violence Helpline
      Website: www.familyjusticecenter.us
      Telephone: 253-798-4166 or 800-764-2420

2. Private Resources

A report to the University may be made to any of the following offices or individuals. These are trained individuals who will initiate the University’s responsive action to a Prohibited Conduct complaint. While not bound by confidentiality, these resources will maintain the privacy of an individual’s information within the confines of the Title IX process.

• • • Pacific Lutheran University Campus Safety
      Email: campussafety@plu.edu
      Telephone: 253-535-7441, Emergencies: 253-535-7911
      Office: Basement of Harstad Hall
    • Pacific Lutheran University Title IX Coordinator
      Website: www.plu.edu/title-ix
      Telephone: 253-535-7018 / 253-535-7361
      Office: DOS House 122nd and Park Avenue
    • Pacific Lutheran University Student Rights and Responsibilities
      Email: srr@plu.edu
      Telephone: 253-535-7462
      Office: DOS House 122nd and Park Avenue
    • Pacific Lutheran University Residential Life
      Email: rlif@plu.edu
      Telephone: 253-535-7200
      Office: University Center 161

The University encourages anyone who believes they have experienced a violation of this Sexual Misconduct policy to make a report through the Police Department. PLU Campus Safety is willing and able to assist with referring students to this resource. The University also encourages Impacted Parties to be aware of the importance of preserving evidence that may assist in providing information that an alleged criminal offense occurred or may be helpful in obtaining a protection order. An Impacted Party may also, in their discretion, decline to notify law enforcement officials.

Impacted Parties also have the right to seek other forms of relief from civil authorities, such as no contact orders, restraining orders, or similar. As set out in Section VI: A below, the University may enter such no contact orders and take such other Interim Measures to assist the Impacted Party.

The University welcomes students to submit anonymous reports of Prohibited Conduct, however, the University may not be able to fully address anonymous reports unless sufficient information is furnished thus enabling the University to conduct a meaningful and fair investigation. The University takes anonymous reports seriously and will address the concern in whatever steps it deems appropriate, in the University’s sole discretion, in the best interest of the overall University community.

The University will take steps to protect the confidentiality of the Impacted Party and others involved in the reporting process. Publicly available recordkeeping, including Clery Act reporting and disclosures will be done without personal identifying information about the Impacted Party. Additionally the University will maintain as confidential any accommodations or protective measures provided to the Impacted Party, to the extent that maintaining such confidentiality would not impair the ability of the institution to provide the accommodations or protective measures.

Certain situations may require the Title IX Coordinator to file a formal complaint on behalf of the university when Prohibited Conduct is reported that impacts multiple individuals or when there is an assessed threat to campus or individual safety. In these situations, anonymous reports may be included in those formal complaints.

The below resources can be utilized by both the Complainant(s) and the Respondent(s) for cases involving allegations of Prohibited Conduct. Throughout all Prohibited Conduct reporting and grievance policies, individuals are allowed to be accompanied by an individual of their choice as described below:

Advisor

The Complainant and the Respondent in an incident that meets the 2020 Final Rule Title IX criteria will have the right to an advisor of their choice, who may be, but need not be, an attorney. Students may only select one advisor per conduct process; and if the student does not have an advisor present at the live hearing, the university will provide a member of the PLU community to serve in that capacity free of cost or charge. An advisor’s role is to provide guidance through the Formal Process, and conduct cross-examination on the student’s behalf, as applicable. Parties are not permitted to conduct cross-examination themselves. The student and the advisor may confer at reasonable times as determined in the sole discretion of the Decision Makers.

Support Person

In a Prohibited Conduct incident being processed through SRR, students may select one support person per conduct process and this support person must be a member of the PLU community, may not be a family member, and may not be a lawyer. A support person who accompanies a student is present for emotional support only and may not speak on the student’s behalf. The student and the support person may confer at reasonable times as determined in the sole discretion of the Review Officer(s). A request should be made via email to the SRR Office at least 24-hours prior to the scheduled Review Meeting. If the request is approved, all students involved in the Review Meeting will be afforded the same opportunity to have a support person present.

It is in the best interest of the PLU community for students to report cases of Prohibited Conduct, because of that, an individual who reports Prohibited Conduct, either as a Complainant or a Reporter, will have the University’s focus of the investigation on the Prohibited Conduct reported.