What does it mean to be a mandatory reporter?
All UAlbany employees — including student employees — who are not specifically designated as a confidential resource are mandatory reporters for allegations of sex-based harassment, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, dating violence, domestic violence and/or stalking.
All supervisors are designated mandatory reporters for allegations of workplace discrimination. A supervisor is defined as anyone who supervises one or more employees — including teaching assistants, graduate assistants and residential assistants.
If you learn of a potential violation of University policy, you are required to report the information you have learned to the Office of the Title IX Coordinator.
Reports can be made by phone (518-442-3800), email ([email protected]) or the University's online reporting form.
Under the 2024 Title IX regulations information related to sexual misconduct that a faculty member may receive during the course of instruction (through class discussions or written class assignments) now fall under the scope of mandatory reporting and therefore must be reported to the Office of the Title IX Coordinator.
Faculty who teach subjects or give assignments where such disclosures might be more likely may want to add language to explain their reporting requirements to their syllabus to ensure that students are aware of the potential for mandatory disclosure in advance.
We are also available to answer any questions that you may have regarding your rights and responsibilities as a University employee.
Additional Guidance for Receiving Disclosures
Your response when you learn of allegations of sexual misconduct and/or workplace discrimination is very important and may determine whether the person making the disclosure chooses to tell anyone else or seek professional assistance.
Do not initiate your own investigation. Even with the best intentions, doing so may exacerbate a situation or compromise an investigation. You only need to report the information that is voluntarily conveyed to you and should not attempt to elicit a more complete set of information.
When approached by an individual choosing to make a disclosure, be sure to:
- Be clear about your role, your responsibility to report the information shared and your ability to help.
- Do not promise confidentiality. Rather, be prepared to offer information about where they can report confidentially, should they prefer to do that. Review confidential resources.
- Notify the individual of the following using exactly these words to the extent possible.
- You have the right to make a report to University Policy (UPD), local law enforcement, and/or state police or choose not to report, to report the incident directly to the institution by contacting the Office of the Title IX Coordinator, to be protected from retaliation for reporting an incident, and to receive assistance and resources from the University.
- Advise them that advocacy services and other supportive resources are available.
- Listen, but do not ask questions, beyond inquiring about their safety. Examples of appropriate safety questions include: Do you feel safe? Do you want me to call an ambulance? Do you want me to call the police? You are only required to report what you have learned. For example, if you are told about a sexual assault but you don’t know when or where it happened, or who was involved, do not ask. Report what you were told, when you were told, who told you and any additional relevant information you have.
Title IX Syllabus Language
We encourage instructors to share information with students about Title IX and their mandatory reporting responsibilities.
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs and activities.
The University at Albany provides a variety of resources for support and advocacy to assist individuals who have experienced sexual offenses. Confidential support and guidance can be found at the Office of Health Promotion, Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS), Student Health Services and Interfaith Services (518-442-5565). Counselors, Chaplains and Practitioners at these locations will not report crimes or information about misconduct to law enforcement or university officials without permission, except for in extreme circumstances, such as a health and/or safety emergency.
Sexual offenses can be reported non-confidentially to the Title IX Coordinator within the Office of the Title IX Coordinator (518-442-3800 or Campus Center 357) and/or the University Police Department (518-442-3131).
Please note, faculty and staff, including student employees, are mandatory reporters at the University at Albany, meaning that they are required to report all known relevant details about a complaint of sexual violence to the University's Title IX Coordinator, including names of anyone involved or present, date, time, and location.
In an emergency, please call 911.