TITLE IX AT THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON
About reporting and confidentiality
The University of Akron will preserve student confidentiality to the extent possible and allowed by law.
The degree to which confidentiality can be protected, however, depends on whether the individual to whom the sex-based offenses is reported is legally required to report this information to law enforcement.
The professional being consulted should make these limits clear before any disclosure of facts. You could say:
“Thank you for sharing this. I’m sure that was difficult. I must tell you before you go on that I am required to report what you tell me to a Title IX coordinator on campus. He/she will determine what action is needed to keep you and the rest of campus safe. If you would prefer to keep this information confidential, there are others with whom you should talk.” You then could refer to the student to a confidential employee.
WHO ARE CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEES?
When choosing a reporting resource, please consider the following information.
A person may speak confidentially with certain persons in legally protected roles, including:
- University counseling staff (psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers)
- University Health Service medical staff (physicians, nurses or nurse practitioners)
- Off-campus clergy, counselors, physicians and certain social service agencies.
Privileged reporting consists of those communications that legally cannot be disclosed to any other person without the reporting person’s consent, except under very limited circumstances, such as an imminent threat of danger to self or others or if the victim is a minor.
Student Affairs staff, including resident assistants and professional residence life staff, are required by Ohio law to report sex-based offenses to UAPD, who will report it to the coordinator.
The University will exercise sensitivity with respect to the privacy concerns of the reporting person. However, the privacy interests of the reporting source must be balanced with
- the University’s legal obligations;
- its need to protect the University community; and
- to ensure that appropriate disciplinary processes are implemented.
Notification to the parent or guardian of a victim of an incident of sexual misconduct or sexual assault will be made, if necessary in accord with the requirements of applicable privacy and reporting laws, including but not limited to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.