Reporting Requirements for Staff & Faculty
“Responsible University Employee” means all University administrators, supervisors, faculty members, graduate assistants, UMPD, athletic coaches, athletic trainers, resident assistants, and first responders, who are not confidential resources.
What Does This Mean?
Responsible University Employees (RUEs) are required to promptly notify the Title IX Coordinator when they become aware of any type of sexual misconduct. Sexual misconduct includes sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic or dating violence and stalking, including such conduct occurring via email, texting, and other electronic means. All University administrators, supervisors, faculty members, graduate assistants, UMPD, athletic coaches, athletic trainers, resident assistants, and first responders are designated as Responsible University Employees at UMD. HR Services Reps are also RUEs and required to notify the Title IX Coordinator of any type of sexual misconduct, even if the person requests confidentiality and even if UMPD have been notified. The reporting obligation applies no matter where and/or when the conduct occurred, and applies to disclosures in written assignments as well as in the context of academic advising sessions and individual appointments - as they are NOT confidential. The Title IX Coordinator will further explore the issues with the student/colleague once the RUE reports the disclosure. This obligation is presented in the online training that all university employees are required to complete.
In an emergency, please call 911 to reach UMPD.
Where and What Do I Report?
To report a disclosure of sexual misconduct you receive as an RUE, you may complete the Sexual Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Online Reporting Form.
You may also contact the Title IX Coordinator at titleixcoordinator@umd.edu to report a disclosure of sexual misconduct.
If you don’t know all the information below, that is fine. You do not need to interview or investigate. Report what you know.
- Names of complainant(s) and respondent(s), if known (you do not need to investigate to get the information)
- The status of the parties – to the extent known (e.g., staff, student, non-student, faculty, etc.)
- Type of sexual misconduct (e.g., sexual assault, harassment, stalking, etc.)
- Date and location of the incident (if known)
How to Respond to Student/Colleague Disclosures of Sexual Misconduct
- Ask if the individual feels safe and/or if anything is making them feel unsafe.
- Address any safety concerns they may have by contacting emergency services, if needed.
- Thank them for trusting you with what they are sharing.
- Though, you do not need to investigate and should not question the individual.
- Remind them that you are not a confidential resource and need to notify the Title IX Coordinator of all disclosures of sexual misconduct.
- Describe the limits of your confidentiality.
- Allow the individual to share how much or how little they want to share with you.
- Make space for the individual to ask questions about your reporting requirements.
- Refer the individual directly to OCRSM (ocrsm.umd.edu) You can also inform them of the following:
- OCRSM will provide the complainant with reporting options and available resources, conduct an initial assessment of the report, and determine appropriate next steps.
- OCRSM operates with discretion and will work with those individuals/supervisors who are on a need-to-know basis about the report in order to discuss and/or implement Supportive Measures.
- Refer the individual to confidential resources on campus.
Resources for Responsible University Employees (RUEs)
The below resources are designed to support the reporting responsibilities of RUEs. For access to additional infographics and materials created by the OCRSM, please visit the "Infographics and Materials" page under the Resources tab of the OCRSM website.
Syllabus Language & Talking Points Document (Google Docs)
This resource aims to provide RUEs with language to include on their syllabi as a notice of their mandatory reporting responsibilities. In addition, this resources aims to provide talking points for RUEs to discuss the following:
- Give a brief overview of OCRSM
- Emphasize RUEs' duty to report and the purpose of RUE responsibilities, which are to ensure access to information as well as resources.
- Help RUEs differentiate between confidentiality and privacy when discussing their reporting responsibilities.
- Give an explanation of how to report to OCRSM.
- Encourage RUEs to share information on supportive measures and how to access them.
- Summarize confidential on-campus resources.
Sample Script: Explaining Your Duty to Report (Google Docs)
The OCRSM has created a sample script that aims at detailing suggested language for RUEs to use when explaining their duty to report. This sample script serves as a road map to navigating a disclosure with care and allows spaces for pauses for questions/discussion. For more suggestions on how to navigate a disclosure, please visit the "Reporting Requires for Staff & Faculty" page of the OCRSM website.
Frequently Asked Questions
As an RUE, if you become aware of any type of sexual misconduct, you still have the responsibility to make a report to the Title IX Coordinator and make sure to inform the individual of your RUE responsibilities.
When informing the individual of your responsibilities, we recommend walking through what happens when a report is received so they are aware of the outreach they will receive. Below is a summary of what outreach the OCRSM conducts after receiving a report:
- When the OCRSM receives a report, the OCRSM will conduct outreach via email and provide the complainant (the individual identified as the impacted party on the report) with reporting options and available resources, conduct an initial assessment of the report, and determine appropriate next steps. The OCRSM will also invite the complainant to meet with a member of the OCRSM for an Intake Meeting to discuss rights, Supportive Measures and other resources, and further options to move forward with the report, such as filing a Formal Complaint. The OCRSM operates with discretion and will work with those individuals/supervisors who are on a need-to-know basis about the report in order to discuss and/or implement Supportive Measures.
Remember, you do not need to investigate and should not question the individual that is disclosing to you. Allow the individual to share how much or how little they want to share with you and make space for the individual to ask questions about your reporting requirements.
Students are strongly encouraged but not required to report the incident(s) promptly to OCRSM, unless they have a role on campus where they oversee other individuals and/or peers. Students in roles such as, but not limited to, Resident Assistants, Teaching Assistants, Graduate Assistants, and others, are considered Responsible University Employees (RUEs) and hence, are required to promptly notify the Title IX Coordinator when they become aware of any type of sexual misconduct.
If you have questions about available training for students in roles that qualify them as RUEs, please feel free to contact OCRSM's Training Manager, Alejandra K. Galarce Diaz, at agalarce@umd.edu.
When the OCRSM receives a report, the OCRSM will conduct outreach via email and provide the complainant (the individual identified as the impacted party on the report) with reporting options and available resources, conduct an initial assessment of the report, and determine appropriate next steps. OCRSM will also invite the complainant to meet with a member of the OCRSM for an Intake Meeting to discuss rights, Supportive Measures and other resources, and further options to move forward with the report, such as filing a Formal Complaint.
OCRSM operates with discretion and will work with those individuals/supervisors who are on a need-to-know basis about the report in order to discuss and/or implement Supportive Measures.
*A Report is only a notification to the OCRSM by a member of the UMD community that an incident alleging Prohibited Conduct may have occurred. A Formal Complaint is a document filed by a Complainant or signed by the Title IX Coordinator alleging Prohibited Conduct against a Respondent and requesting that the university proceeds with the resolution process.
No. A disclosure of any type of sexual misconduct is a difficult conversation to navigate, hence the OCRSM provides training and education around how to navigate this conversation with care and support, while still taking care of yourself. For resources and materials around navigating a disclosure, please see above for "Resources for Responsible University Employees (RUEs)." If you would like individualized support on how to navigate this conversation, they are welcome and encouraged to contact the OCRSM’s Training Manager, Alejandra K. Galarce Diaz at agalarce@umd.edu, to request a meeting to discuss best strategies.
The role of the Responsible University Employee (RUEs) is very crucial in connecting others to options and information. Hence, resources and support are also available for those that have received a disclosure, so if any individual would like to explore this support, they are also welcome and encouraged to contact the OCRSM.
If an individual feels uncomfortable discussing these issues with others, which includes receiving disclosures, we suggest to ensure that the students and staff (& others) this individual works with are well-aware of resources available for them to be able to speak to someone if they require support or would like to disclose any type of sexual misconduct. We suggest that all faculty discuss their RUE responsibilities at the beginning of the semester as well as confidential resources available so their students are as informed on options as possible. Suggested syllabus language and further information on talking points can be found above under "Resources for Responsible University Employees (RUEs)."
Responsible University Employees (RUEs) are not required to report information disclosed in connection with public awareness events when individuals do not intend to make a disclosure such as “Take Back the Night,” "Occupy McKeldin," candlelight vigils, protests, town hall meetings, etc. The university may provide information about available university resources, support, rights, and options at public awareness events.
Additionally, Responsible University Employees (RUEs) are not required to report information disclosed in connection to a student’s participation as a subject in an Institutional Review Board-approved human subjects research protocol (“IRB Research”). Institutional Review Boards may, in appropriate cases, require researchers to provide such information to all Student-subjects of IRB Research. In such instances, resources will be provided to the participants. Questions about reporting obligations can be directed to the Title IX Coordinator at titleixcoordinator@umd.edu.