Reporting Options
Filing a Report with...
The College
The Colleges have a responsibility to respond to reports of sexual violence or sex
harassment and attend to the needs of the students who are involved. Reports of sexual
violence and sex harassment are taken with the utmost seriousness, and the student
will be promptly referred to the appropriate persons or resources for assistance.
The Colleges are also responsible to ensure that the individual charged with committing
such violence or harassment is treated fairly. Individuals are presumed innocent unless
proven responsible, and will also be referred to appropriate services for assistance.
The individuals noted below are trained in responding to sexual violence reports and
prepared to work with you to make sure you understand the process and resources available
to you. The Title IX Coordinator or other appropriate administrator will work with
you to determine what, if any, accommodations such as a no-contact order, change of
housing assignment, or classroom accommodation are needed in order to provide a safe
environment on campus for you as the College responds to your report.
Reports can be filed by the alleged victim or a third party who is aware of allegations
of sexual violence or sex harassment, including other students or College employees.
Reports should be filed with one of the designated College administrators and/or employees
responsible for student services, as follows:
- President
- Vice Presidents
- Academic Deans
- Title IX Coordinator and designees
- Dean of Students and Associate Vice Presidents for Student Affairs
- Housing/Residence Life Staff including:
- Directors
- Managers
- Assistant Directors
- All Residence Hall Advisors
- Athletic Directors and Associate Athletic Directors
- All Coaches
- Campus Security Officers
Reports to the above designated administrators or employees will constitute “notice”
to the College for the purposes of considering an investigation and institutional
response in conjunction with the Title IX Coordinator.
College employees (even medical or mental health professionals identified below) are
required by law to report any allegations of sexual abuse or assault of a minor to
either law enforcement or the Department of Health and Human Services.
Exception Regarding Employee Reporting: The law recognizes and protects the confidentiality of communications between a person
seeking care and a medical or mental health professional. Medical or mental health
professionals employed by the Colleges (Licensed Student Counselors and Nurses) respect
and protect confidential communications from students, faculty, and staff to the extent
they are legally able to do so. Employees may have to breach a confidence, however,
when they perceive an immediate and serious threat to any person or property.
Additional details related to confidentiality and the disciplinary process from Board
Policy 3020 are noted below:
Confidentiality
The College appreciates the privacy concerns inherent in allegations of sexual violence
or sex harassment. To protect students’ privacy rights, the names of students or other
identifying information, especially that which is contained in written documents and
notes, will only be disclosed to third parties if; (a) prior written permission is
given by the student concerned; (b) the disclosure is necessary to conduct an investigation;
(c) the disclosure is necessary to pursue disciplinary action; or, (d) the disclosure
is otherwise required by law.
Victims will be informed that the College has a legal duty to include information
about reports of criminal sexual misconduct in annual security report statistics which
do not identify either the person claiming to have been subject to criminal sexual
misconduct or the alleged perpetrator.
If an alleged victim is under the age of eighteen (18) years, the College will obtain
consent from the parents or guardians prior to beginning an investigation or disclosing
information, unless otherwise required by law.
If the alleged victim requests confidentiality, asks that the report not be pursued,
or declines to participate in an investigation or disciplinary proceeding, the College
will document the request. The College will take reasonable steps to investigate and
respond to reports consistent with such a request, if possible. Requests will be evaluated
and weighed against the College’s responsibility to provide a safe and nondiscriminatory
environment.
Disciplinary Processes and Consequences
Processes and procedures described in Board Policies 3100 and 3200 may be used subsequent to a sexual violence or sex harassment investigation to address
cases of student misconduct, due process and discipline. If the alleged perpetrator
is an employee, other Board Policies or Collective Bargaining Agreements will determine
the due process steps and disciplinary consequences.
Disciplinary consequences may include, but are not limited to: warnings, disciplinary
probation, loss of privileges, restitution, remedial work assignments, remedial educational
requirements, service requirements, remedial behavioral requirements, College housing
relocation, College housing suspension, removal from College housing, suspension,
and expulsion.
Nemaha County Sheriff's Department
The College encourages individuals to file a report with the Nemaha County Sheriff’s
Department in the event of sexual violence or sex harassment. A member of Campus Security
or a College employee can accompany you to make the report at your request.
Students are advised that physical evidence can be collected at the same time as medical
care is provided, but that medical evidence for a criminal prosecution cannot be collected
without a report being made to local law enforcement. It is important that you make
an informed decision regarding important physical evidence that can be preserved.
The closest location for performing a post-evidence collection kit to preserve physical
evidence is Lincoln or Omaha, both approximately an hour from campus. You may choose
to bring a friend and/or College employee for support and/or the College can arrange
for an advocate from Project Response at your request. Physical evidence must be collected
within 72 hours of the incident and can take up to 4 or more hours to complete.
While students are not required to notify law enforcement authorities regarding a report of sexual violence or sex
harassment, reports still need to be filed with Campus Security to inform them that
an act of violence may have occurred. Campus Security shall notify the Title IX Coordinator,
who is responsible for coordinating the College response to the reports of sexual
violence and sex harassment. Pursuant to federal law, the College has a legal responsibility
for documenting and reporting an incidence of sexual violence and sex harassment.
Regardless of whether or not the law enforcement authorities choose to prosecute a
reported offense, the College can pursue formal disciplinary action against a student
or employee alleged to have committed sexual violence or sex harassment.
Anonymously
The College offers an anonymous reporting site for all violations of Peru State College
policy including sexual assault, rape, stalking, relationship violence and sexual
harassment. If a potential Title IX violation has been reported, this report will
be sent to the Title IX Coordinator for investigation and follow-up, all other policy
violation reports will be reviewed by the Dean of Student Life. Please note, by filing
an anonymous report, limitations in information provided may prevent the College from
completing a thorough investigation.
Anonymous Report Form
Confidentially
The law recognizes and protects the confidentiality of communications between a person
seeking care and a medical or mental health professional. Medical or mental health
professionals employed by the Colleges (Licensed Student Counselors and Nurses) respect
and protect confidential communications from students, faculty, and staff to the extent
they are legally able to do so. Employees may have to breach a confidence, however,
when they perceive an immediate and serious threat to any person or property.
Your confidential reporting options are as follows:
Counseling Center
402-872-2436
counseling@peru.edu
Health Center
AWAC Room 216
402-872-2229
healthcenter@peru.edu
Title IX Office
24 Hour Phone: 402-209-3797
Email: title9@peru.edu
To submit a report:
Visit peru.pharos360.com
If it is an emergency, call 911
Contact Us
Title IX Office
24 Hour Phone: 402-209-3797
Email: title9@peru.edu
To submit a report:
Visit peru.pharos360.com
If it is an emergency, call 911