OPTIONS FOR CONFIDENTIALLY DISCLOSING SEXUAL VIOLENCE
The State University of New York and Cayuga Community College want you to get the information and support you need regardless of whether you would like to move forward with a report of sexual violence to campus officials or to police. You may want to talk with someone about something you observed or experienced, even if you are not sure that the behavior constitutes sexual violence. A conversation where questions can be answered is far superior to keeping something to yourself. Confidentiality varies, and this document is aimed at helping you understand how confidentiality applies to different resources that may be available to you.
IN THIS POLICY
- Privileged and Confidential Resources.
- Non-Professional Counselors and Advocates.
- Privacy versus Confidentiality.
- Requesting Confidentiality: How the College/University Will Weigh the Request and Respond.
- Public Awareness/Advocacy Events.
- Anonymous Disclosure.
- Institutional Crime Reporting.
PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL RESOURCES
Individuals who are confidential resources will not report crimes to law enforcement or college officials without your permission, except for extreme circumstances, such as a health and/or safety emergency. At Cayuga Community College, this includes:
- Cayuga Community College’s Counseling Services:
- The Centers for Student Engagement and Academic Advisement
- Auburn Campus
197 Franklin St. Auburn, NY 13021
Phone: 315-294-8523
E-mail: studenteng@cayuga-cc.edu - Fulton Campus
11 River Glen Drive Fulton, NY 13069
Phone: 315-294-8523
E-mail: studenteng@cayuga-cc.edu
- Auburn Campus
- The Centers for Student Engagement and Academic Advisement
- Cayuga Community College physicians, licensed medical professionals or supervised interns when they are engaged in a physician/patient relationship:
- Health Services Office
- Auburn / Fulton Campus
Suzanne Wilson, RN, BS
Coordinator of College Health Services
Room M-203
197 Franklin Street
Auburn, NY 13021
315-255-1743, ext 2203
E-mail: wilson@cayuga-cc.edu
- Auburn / Fulton Campus
- Health Services Office
Off-campus options to disclose sexual violence confidentially include (note that these outside options do not provide any information to the campus):
- Off-campus counselors and advocates. Crisis services offices will generally maintain confidentiality unless you request disclosure and sign a consent or waiver form. More information on an agency’s policies on confidentiality may be obtained directly from the agency.
- New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NYSCASA)
http://nyscasa.org - Sexual Assault Victims Advocate Resource (SAVAR)
http://www.cayugacounseling.org/sexual-assault-victims-advocate-resource-savar/
Cayuga Counseling Services
17 East Genesee St.
Auburn, NY 13021
315-253-9795 - Oswego County Opportunities, Inc.
https://www.oco.org/services/emergency-crisis/
239 Oneida Street
Fulton, NY 13069
SAF Abuse & Assault Hotline: 315-342-1600
Sliding Fee Program - Auburn Community Hospital
https://www.auburnhospital.org
17 Lansing Street
Auburn, NY 13021
315-255-7011 - Oswego Hospital
https://www.oswegohealth.org/
110 West Sixth Street
Oswego, NY 13126
315-349-5511
- New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NYSCASA)
- Off-campus healthcare providers
- Note that medical office and insurance billing practices may reveal information to the insurance policyholder, including medication and/or examinations paid for or administered. The New York State Office of Victim Services may be able to assist in compensating victims/survivors for health care and counseling services, including emergency compensation. More information may be found here: https://www.ovs.ny.gov/files/ovs_rights_of_cv_booklet.pdf, or by calling 1-800-247-8035. Options are explained here: https://www.ovs.ny.gov/helpforcrimevictims.html.
Note that even individuals who can typically maintain confidentiality are subject to exceptions under the law, including when an individual is a threat to him or herself or others and the mandatory reporting of child abuse.
NON-PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS AND ADVOCATES
Non-professional counselors and advocates can also assist you without sharing information that could identify you. These individuals will report the nature, date, time, and general location of an incident to Cayuga Community College’s Title IX Coordinator, but will consult with you to ensure no personally identifying details are shared without your consent. These individuals are not considered confidential resources as discussed above:
- The Centers for Student Engagement and Academic Advisement
- Auburn Campus
197 Franklin St. Auburn, NY 13021
Phone: 315-294-8523
E-mail: studenteng@cayuga-cc.edu - Fulton Campus
11 River Glen Drive Fulton, NY 13069
Phone: 315-294-8523
E-mail: studenteng@cayuga-cc.edu
- Auburn Campus
PRIVACY VERSUS CONFIDENTIALITY
Even Cayuga Community College offices and employees who cannot guarantee confidentiality will maintain your privacy to the greatest extent possible. The information you provide to a non-confidential resource will be relayed only as necessary to investigate and/or seek a resolution and to notify the Title IX Coordinator or designee, who is responsible under the law for tracking patterns and spotting systemic issues. Cayuga Community College will limit the disclosure as much as possible, even if the Title IX Coordinator determines that the request for confidentiality cannot be honored.
REQUESTING CONFIDENTIALITY: HOW CAYUGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE WILL WEIGH THE REQUEST AND RESPOND
If you disclose an incident to a Cayuga Community College employee who is responsible for responding to or reporting sexual violence or sexual harassment, but wish to maintain confidentiality or do not consent to the institution’s request to initiate an investigation, the Title IX Coordinator must weigh your request against our obligation to provide a safe, non-discriminatory environment for all members of our community, including you.
We will assist you with academic, housing, transportation, employment, and other reasonable and available accommodations regardless of your reporting choices. While reporting individuals may request accommodations through several college offices, the following office can serve as a primary point of contact to assist with these measures:
- The Centers for Student Engagement and Academic Advisement
- Auburn Campus
197 Franklin St. Auburn, NY 13021
Phone: 315-294-8523
E-mail: studenteng@cayuga-cc.edu - Fulton Campus
11 River Glen Drive Fulton, NY 13069
Phone: 315-294-8523
E-mail: studenteng@cayuga-cc.edu
- Auburn Campus
We also may take proactive steps, such as training or awareness efforts, to combat sexual violence in a general way that does not identify you or the situation you disclosed.
We may seek consent from you prior to conducting an investigation. You may decline to consent to an investigation, and that determination will be honored unless Cayuga Community College’s failure to act may result in harm to you or other members of the Cayuga Community College community. Honoring your request may limit our ability to meaningfully investigate and pursue conduct action against an accused individual. If we determine that an investigation is required, we will notify you and take immediate action as necessary to protect and assist you.
When you disclose an incident to someone who is responsible for responding to or reporting sexual violence or sexual harassment but wish to maintain confidentiality, Cayuga Community College will consider many factors to determine whether to proceed despite that request. These factors include, but are not limited to:
- Whether the accused has a history of violent behavior or is a repeat offender;
- Whether the incident represents an escalation, such as a situation that previously involved sustained stalking,
- the increased risk that the accused will commit additional acts of violence;
- Whether the accused used a weapon or force;
- Whether the reporting individual is a minor; and
- Whether we possess other means to obtain evidence such as security footage, and whether the report reveals a pattern of perpetration at a given location or by a particular group.
If Cayuga Community College determines that it must move forward with an investigation, the reporting individual or victim/survivor will be notified and Cayuga Community College will take immediate action as necessary to protect and assist them.
PUBLIC AWARENESS/ADVOCACY EVENTS
If you disclose a situation through a public awareness event such as “Take Back the Night,” candlelight vigils, protests, and other public events, Cayuga Community College is not obligated to begin an investigation. Cayuga Community College may use the information you provide to inform the need for additional education and prevention efforts. For more information, contact:
- Student Activities Board (SAB)
Norman Lee
Director of Student Activities
leen@cayuga-cc.edu
ANONYMOUS DISCLOSURE
For anonymous support and assistance, please contact:
- Sexual Assault Victims Advocate Resource (SAVAR)
https://cayugacounseling.org/
Cayuga Counseling Services
17 East Genesee St.
Auburn, NY 13021
315-253-9795 - Oswego County Opportunities, Inc.
https://www.oco.org/services/emergency-crisis/
239 Oneida Street
Fulton, NY 13069
SAF Abuse & Assault Hotline: 315-342-1600
Sliding Fee Program
The following Hotline is for crisis intervention, resources and referrals and is not a reporting mechanism:
- New York State Hotline for Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence: 1-800-942-6906
INSTITUTIONAL CRIME REPORTING
Reports of certain crimes occurring in certain geographic locations will be included in the Cayuga Community College Clery Act Annual Security Report in an anonymized manner that neither identifies the specifics of the crime or the identity of the reporting individual or victim/survivor.
For more information, contact the Office of Public Safety:
- Auburn Campus Police
197 Franklin Street
Auburn, NY 13021
315-255-1743 ext 2461 - Fulton Campus Police
11 River Glen Drive
Fulton NY 13069
315-592-4143 ext 3067
Cayuga Community College is obligated to issue timely warnings of Clery Act crimes occurring within relevant geography that represent a serious or continuing threat to students and employees (subject to exceptions when potentially compromising law enforcement efforts and when the warning itself could potentially identify the reporting individual or victim/survivor). A reporting individual will never be identified in a timely warning.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act allow institutions to share information with parents when (1) there is a health or safety emergency, or (2) when the student is dependent on either parents’ prior year federal income tax return. Generally, Cayuga Community College will not share information about a report of sexual violence with parents without the permission of the reporting individual.