Faculty and Staff Responsibilities

All Pierce College employees are considered “responsible employees,” which means that you are obligated to report any Title IX concern. Under RCW 26.44.030 and as outlined in Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect, all employees are required to report child abuse and neglect of a minor.

  • Report immediately – Pierce College must take action once a responsible employee has either actual or constructive notice of sexual harassment or misconduct.
    • Actual – reported to you, even by a third party; you witnessed it; indirect notice from flyers posted on campus, media, online postings, videos; disclosed through assignments, applications, appeals
    • Constructive – information we should have known (based on rumors, general knowledge, “everyone knows”)
  • Be prepared to make modifications, but only after coordinating with Title IX
  • Attend annual trainings

Prevention Practices

  • Group Work – if students are to meet in person, remind them to meet in a public location vs. a home
  • Monitor any social media or online sites that are course or department related
  • Disclose your reporting requirement to students
  • Interrupt it – address problems, comments and behaviors as they occur
  • Request a Title IX consultation/intervention – if you have any questions or need assistance, please contact our Title IX Coordinator

Faculty Resources

  • Faculty Against Rape - FAR is a volunteer-run collective dedicated to getting more faculty involved in confronting campus sexual assault as researchers, teachers, survivors’ advocates and policy reformers. FAR is committed to supporting faculty members who experience retaliation because of their efforts to address sexual assault on campus.
  • How Syllabi Can Help Combat Sexual Assault - Chronicle of Higher Education blog