Responsible Employees

Know Your Reporting Responsibilities

The University has an obligation under a federal law known as Title IX to keep the University environment free from unlawful sexual discrimination (for campus policy click here).  Avila University is required to take immediate and appropriate steps to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct or violence, and to resolve the matter promptly and equitably.

Relationships are built on trust. There are times when trust and assurances of confidentiality become intertwined. It is for this reason that we encourage all employees of the University to avoid making assurances of confidentiality when confronted with disclosures about past or current experiences of sexual misconduct, dating/domestic violence, or stalking. This guide provides some practical advice on what to do when you, as a responsible employee, learn of alleged sexual misconduct or violence involving a member of the University community.  

1. As a responsible employee, you are required to contact Avila University’s Title IX Coordinator, at 816-501-3748. If you believe there is a risk of imminent harm to someone, you should also contact Campus Safety at 816-985-6079 or the Kansas City Police Department at 816-234-5550
   
2. If you feel as though someone is about to disclose information of sexual misconduct or violence, politely interrupt the conversation and explain that you are obligated to report any incidents and that you cannot maintain complete confidentiality.
   
3. If the individual wants to talk with someone who can maintain confidentiality, direct them to on-campus resources such as the Counseling Center (816-501-3767), Eagles Aware (816-501-2909), or Campus Ministry’s (816-501-2423)
   
4. If the individual wants to tell you what happened but also wants to maintain confidentiality, you should tell them that the University will consider the request, but that you must report the incident to the Title IX Co-Coordinator and cannot guarantee that the University will be able to honor the request for confidentiality.
   
5. If the individual proceeds to share their experience it’s crucial that you:
   • Don’t judge
   • Don’t probe for details
   • Let the individual take the lead
   • Encourage the individual to seek help
6. Encourage (but do not pressure) the individual to report the incident so that the situation can be addressed and potential future threats can be prevented.
   
7. Ask the individual about any immediate needs they may have
   
8. Share the Resource and Referral Options sheet
   
9. After the individual leaves, call the Title IX Co-Coordinator at 816-501-3748. The Title IX Co-Coordinator will ask you for all relevant information regarding the incident. Relevant information includes the name of the student, the name of the alleged perpetrator, the incident that occurred, dates, times, and locations.
   
10. Do not try to mediate or resolve the issue yourself

After meeting with the individual and reporting the matter to the Title IX Co-Coordinator, you have fulfilled your primary responsibility. While the University is responding to the incident, you may need to play a limited role by serving as a witness in the investigation process. As a University employee, it’s important that you keep the allegations as confidential as possible to respect the privacy of all individuals, to treat the people involved fairly and respectfully, to be mindful of the rights of all parties, and to not take sides.