The University of Oregon Senate allowed a new sexual assault reporting policy to be sent to President Michael Schill for final approval in November after months of deliberation. The policy is expected to move UO forward in its efforts to combat and reduce sexual assault rates and to respect the wishes of students who report misconduct.

The policy comes after several high profile sexual assault accusations – three basketball players were accused of raping another student in 2013, and football players Tristan Wallace and Darrian Franklin are accused of sexual assault and are currently under investigation. At the last Board of Trustees meeting on Dec. 1, Senate President Bill Harbaugh discussed the new policy when giving his report.

“My feeling is that this new policy and the new resources and strong hires that the administration has made for the new Title IX Office and in Student Life, and efforts to provide more confidential support services to the survivors of sexual assault will improve the campus climate regarding sexual harassment and violence,” Harbaugh said. “That said, there is much more to be done.”

The policy, if approved by President Schill, will create a three-tiered system for faculty members with different levels of required reporting obligations involving sexual assault. According to the policy, the faculty of UO will be moved into three groups: Designated Reporters, Student-Directed Employees and Confidential Employees.

Designated Employees are legally required to report any sexual assaults that are made known to them to the Title IX office.

Student-Directed Employees are not required to inform any higher up officials if the student reporting does not wish it. Student-Directed Employees can offer support or information for any student reporting misconduct. However, Student-Directed Employees do not have the legal authority to address any claims made to them.

Confidential Employees are provided with more legal leeway to oppose court orders seeking documentation of reported sexual assaults against the wishes of the student reporting the incidents. Confidential Employees are also able to provide the same amount of information and support to students as Student-Directed Employees are.

“This policy is intended to encourage reporting by students who have experienced prohibited conduct,” the policy document states, “because it clearly identifies ‘responsible employees’ for reporting purposes, respects the wishes of students when they talk to other employees, and makes all employees at the institution part of the solution to prohibited conduct.”

UO spokesman Tobin Klinger discussed the policy and how it seeks to make faculty at UO more easily capable of helping students report sexual violence.

“Our previous definition has been to be as inclusive with the number of people who are mandatory reporters versus some places that are more excluded in certain areas,” Klinger said. “The Senate, working in consultation with the General Councils office and Title IX, are trying to find what the right definition for those reporters on the University of Oregon Campus.”

Darci Heroy, Title IX Coordinator at UO, emphasized how the new policy will seek to make campus safer for everyone.

“The main hope is that we will create or help students understand that we have a safer environment for reporting,” Heroy said. “The goal is to have as safe of an environment as possible. Part of that sense of safety comes from people knowing very transparently who has the obligation to report.”

The passing of the new policy to the next level of approval was met with applause from the large crowd at the faculty senate meeting. The policy now goes to President Schill for review and approval. He has 60 days to either approve and enact the policy or send it back for revisions.

“This demonstrates that we have come quite a way in the past couple of years because this was such a collaborative effort between faculty, administration and students,” Heroy said. “I think the process is really a good thing and a step forward for all of us.”

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