Options for Reporting

Options for Reporting

Reporting Violations

Reporting

Sexual misconduct is a crime punishable by both civil and criminal legal action. Students are strongly encouraged to report misconduct to law enforcement authorities. Sexual misconduct is also a serious violation of the College Principles, which can be found in the College Catalog and in the Student Handbook.  All members of the College Community are expected to become familiar with the College's standards and regulations.

 The College offers a variety of support services in an incident of sexual misconduct. 

(1) If the reporting party chooses to file charges with law enforcement authorities, the Office of Campus Safety will assist in helping the reporting party to navigate the process. If the allegation does not result in criminal prosecution, the College offers support in understanding the results of the criminal investigation and any decisions that have been made by the prosecuting attorney. Throughout this process the support of Health Services and Counseling Services will be available to the student. The college reserves the right to pursue judicial action through campus procedures even if the case is heard in the local court system.

(2) If the reporting party chooses not to file charges with law enforcement authorities, the college's Title IX will assist the student in requesting and preparing for a hearing by the Sexual Misconduct Hearing Board. Throughout this process the support of Counseling and Health Services, as well as, student  life personnel will be available to the student.

(3) If the reporting party chooses not to proceed with a hearing by the Sexual Misconduct Hearing Board, the College reserves the right to proceed with a hearing on behalf of the college. Throughout this process the support of Health Services and Counseling Services will be available to the student.

In cases where the reporting party and the respondent are both students procedural options will be coordinated through the Title IX Coordinator. In cases involving an employee and a student the procedural options will be coordinated through the Director of Human Resources. Nothing in these procedures is intended to preclude the Vice-President/ Dean of Student Life or other College Official from taking appropriate action to ensure the safety and security of the accuser. Actions that could be taken include, but are not limited to, restricting contacts between the parties, making alternative classroom or living arrangements, or the imposition of an interim suspension. The College may take appropriate protective and administrative action even in situations where the complainant is absent.

Use of these procedures does not preclude the use of other dispute resolution options, including civil and/or criminal proceedings.

 

Hanover College participates in the federal student financial aid programs and is subject to the requirements of the Clery Act as well as Title IX.  To see the current Clery report: https://my.hanover.edu/ICS/Campus_Life/Campus_Security/Default_Page.jnz?portlet=Handouts

 

Requesting Confidentiality

Requesting Confidentiality From the College: How the College Will Weigh the Request and Respond. (click for full policy)

 If a victim discloses an incident to a responsible employee but wishes to maintain confidentiality or requests that no investigation into a particular incident be conducted or disciplinary action taken, the College must weigh that request against the College’s obligation to provide a safe, non-discriminatory environment for all students, including the victim.

If the College honors the request for confidentiality, a victim must understand that the College’s ability to meaningfully investigate the incident and pursue disciplinary action against the alleged perpetrator(s) may be limited.

Although rare, there are times when the College may not be able to honor a victim’s request in order to provide a safe, non-discriminatory environment for all students.

The College has designated the following individual(s) to evaluate requests for confidentiality once a responsible employee is on notice of alleged sexual violence:

Title IX Coordinator

Casey Heckler

Brown Campus Center 214

812-866-6740

heckler@hanover.edu

Student on Student Complaints

 

Deputy Title IX Coordinator

Holly Sipe

Long Administration Building 102

812-866-7097

sipe@hanover.edu

Complaints regarding Employees

File a Title IX Report

Campus Community members who wish to file a Title IX report may do so by clicking on the following link.  Please know that an anonymous report does limit the ability for an investigation.  A report through this avenue will initiate a conversation with the Title IX coordinator.

 

https://hanover-advocate.symplicity.com/titleix_report/

Click and scan the QR Code!

Reporting Sexual Violence

Options for Reporting

RECEIVING SUPPORTIVE MEASURES

Members of the Hanover Community impacted by Sexual Harassment are encouraged to use counseling and support services, listed in the Resources section.

 

EMPLOYEES WITH AUTHORITY TO INSTITUTE CORRECTIVE MEASURES

The college designates certain employees who have the authority to institute corrective measures on its behalf. Under this policy, their knowledge of Sexual Harassment conveys Actual Knowledge to the Hanover.

The following employees have been designated by the college as having the authority to initiate corrective measure on its behalf:

Title IX Coordinator(s)

Casey Heckler

Associate Dean of Students/Title IX Coordinator 

812-866-6740, heckler@hanover.edu 

Brown Campus Center 214

 

Holly Sipe

Director of Human Resources, Deputy Title IX Coordinator

812-866-7097, sipe@hanover.edu  

Long Administration Building 102

 

President of the Hanover/Institution  Dr. Lake Lambert

President of Hanover College

812-866-7056, lambert@hanover.edu

Long Administration Building 201

 

Dr. Carey Adams

Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs

812-866-7005, adamsc@hanover.edu 

Long Administration Building 202

 

Dr. Lindsay Faulstick

Dean of Students and Vice President of Student Life

812-866-7079, faulstick@hanover.edu

Brown Campus Center 215

 

Lynn Hall

Vice President for Athletics

812-866-7385, hall@hanover.edu

Horner Center 209

 

When one of the above employees learns of alleged sexual harassment, that employee should contact the Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Student Life as soon as possible.

Employees may have additional reporting obligations provided by law and/or other Hanover policies.

Corrective action may be taken against any individual who has a duty to report and who fails to respond in a manner consistent with the provisions of applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures

 

EMPLOYEE DUTY TO REPORT

All Hanover employees have reporting responsibilities to ensure the Hanover can take appropriate action.

All Hanover employees, except those exempted by legal privilege of confidentiality or expressly identified as a confidential reporter, have an obligation to report incidents of Sexual Assault.  Any employee who receives a disclosure of Sexual Assault or becomes aware of information that would lead a reasonable person to believe that a Sexual Assault may have occurred involving anyone covered under this policy, must report all known information immediately.

In addition to the requirement of reporting incidents of Sexual Assault, the following members of the Hanover Community have an additional obligation to report all other incidents of Sexual Harassment, when they receive a

disclosure of Sexual Harassment or become aware of information that would lead a reasonable person to believe that Sexual Harassment may have occurred involving anyone covered under this policy. These individuals must report the incident within five business days of becoming aware of such information:

  • Executive officers;
  • Deans, directors, department heads/chairs (including those serving in assistant or associate roles);
  • Graduate and undergraduate chairs;
  • Supervisors who have hiring or firing power over at least three employees who are not student or post-doc employees;
  • Faculty and staff who serve as advisors to or coaches of Hanover-recognized Student groups;
  • Any individual, whether an employee or not, who serves as a coach of a club sports team;
  • All individuals, including Student-employees (such as Resident Advisors) working in Student Life, Campus Safety, Intercollegiate Athletics, except those who serve in non-supervisory positions in dining services, clerical, or custodial/maintenance capacities;
  • Hanover Campus Safety designed by the college under the Clery Act not otherwise specified in this provision; and
  • Individuals serving in any of the positions described above on an acting or interim basis.

Employees are not required to report disclosures of information regarding Sexual Harassment pursuant to this policy in the following circumstances, unless an individual covered under this policy is implicated or the individual is explicitly seeking assistance from the college:

  • At public survivor support events including, but not limited to: “Take Back the Night,” candlelight vigils, protests, and survivor speak-outs;
  • To Student-employees when they are operating outside of their official work capacity; or 
  • During an individuals’ participation as a subject in an Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved human subjects research protocol.

Employees with a duty to report should refer to the chart in Reporting Allegations of Sexual Harassment. Contacting the Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Student Life to share all known information will satisfy the employee duty to report.

Employees may have additional reporting obligations provided by law and/or other Hanover policies.

The following categories of employees are exempt from the duty to report Sexual Assault and other Sexual Harassment, due to their legal or professional privilege of confidentiality or their designation by the college as a confidential reporter:

 

Professional and pastoral counselors

A professional counselor is a person whose official responsibilities include providing mental health counseling to members of the Hanover Community and who is functioning within the scope of that license or certification and their college employment. 

  • This definition applies even to professional counselors who are not employees of the college but are under contract to provide counseling at the college. 
  • This also includes an individual who is not yet licensed or certified as a counselor but is acting in that role under the supervision of an individual who is licensed or certified (e.g., a Ph.D. counselor-trainee acting under the supervision of a professional counselor at the Hanover).
  • A pastoral counselor is a person who is associated with a religious order or denomination, is recognized by that religious order or denomination as someone who provides confidential counseling and is functioning within the scope of that recognition and their role at the Hanover. 
  • Other employees with a professional license requiring confidentiality who are functioning within the scope of that license or certification and their Hanover employment.

Corrective action may be taken against any individual who has a duty to report and who fails to respond in a manner consistent with the provisions of applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.

 

Counseling Services:

Sara Crafton, M.Ed

Director of Counseling Services

Brown Campus Center 302

812.866.7074

Crafton@hanover.edu

 

Pastoral Care:

Catherine Knott, M. Div, Th. M

Brown Campus Center 207

812.866.7087

 knott@hanover.edu

 

REPORTING ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Any person may report sexual harassment.  By way example, this includes::

  • Students
  • Employees
  • Parents
  • Any Hanover Community member or other individual who is directly involved in, observes, or reasonably believes that Sexual Harassment may have occurred. 

 

Reports can be made to the Title IX Coordinator in the following ways:

  • In-Person: Brown Campus Center 214
  • Mail: 517 Ball Drive, Hanover, In 47243
  • Phone:  812-866-6740