Reporting — Employee Reporting Responsibilities

RESPONSIBLE EMPLOYEES AT WVSU HAVE A DUTY TO REPORT

AT WVSU THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF EMPLOYEES… CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEES, RESPONSIBLE EMPLOYEES AND OFFICIALS WITH AUTHORITY.

A Confidential Employee is any WVSU employee who is entitled under state law to have privileged communications. Confidential employees will not disclose information about prohibited conduct to the university without the permission of the student or employee.

Confidential employees and resources at WVSU include the following:

• Counseling and Accessibility Services (CAS) employees
• Employee Assistance Program employees 
• Volunteer chaplains

A Responsible Employee is any employee and DSO who is not a confidential employee.

Responsible employees include (but are not necessarily limited to):

• The President
• Vice Presidents
• Deans of the University
• Title IX Coordinator
• Department Chairs
• Program Coordinators
• Faculty (full-time and part-time)
• Directors
• Supervisors
• Staff (full-time and part-time)
• Resident Advisors
• Graduate Students with classroom responsibilities
• Public Safety

Duties of Responsible Employees

In no event should the victim be told that your conversation will be confidential.

As a WVSU employee, you have an obligation under Board of Governor Policy # 14 – Sexual Harassment, to advise the Title IX Coordinator if you witness or receive a report of a sexual assault.

As a faculty or staff member who sees your students regularly, you are in a unique position to detect behavioral changes, increased stress levels or academic deterioration that can signal a serious problem. Students value faculty and staff opinions. You are not expected to take on the role of counselor or investigator, but don’t underestimate your ability to share helpful information with your students about the resources available at WVSU, especially if a student approaches you for help.

Indicators of a student in distress

These indicators can help identify a distressed student, including victims of sexual assault, relationship violence or stalking:

Academic Indicators

• Deterioration in quality of work and classroom performance.
• Drop in grades.
• Repeated requests for extensions.
• Missed assignments.
• Repeated absences.
• Disorganized or erratic performances.
• Creative work or writing with themes of extreme hopelessness, isolation, rage, fear or despair.

Communication Indicators

• Direct statements about distress because of problems with family, friends, boyfriend/girlfriend.
• Unprovoked anger or hostility.
• Exaggerated or uncharacteristic personality traits – suddenly withdrawn or more animated than usual.
• Excessive dependency.
• Tearfulness.
• Expressing hopelessness, fear, worthlessness.
• Classmates expressing concern about student.

Physical Indicators

• Deterioration in physical appearance.
• Lack of personal hygiene.
• Excessive fatigue.
• Visible weight changes.

Safety Risk Indicators

• Any written or verbal statement with a suicidal tone or sense of finality.
• Writing that focuses on despair, suicide, violent behavior or death.
• Statements about “going away for a long time.”
• Giving away valuable possessions.
• Self-injury or self-destructive behavior, including abusing drugs or alcohol.

Officials with Authority

Officials With Authority (OWA) are trained Title IX administrators who can receive Title IX complaints. You can contact any OWA listed here to make a report of a Title IX violation. While OWA are Responsible Employees, all Responsible Employees are not OWA. All OWA who witness Prohibited Conduct including Title IX Sexual Harassment and Retaliation or who receive a verbal or written report of Title IX Sexual Harassment or other Prohibited Conduct including Retaliation are required to notify the Title IX Coordinator of the Prohibited Conduct.