I Want to Report an Incident

Reporting incidents of sexual misconduct or sex discrimination is important for not only complainants, but for also the overall campus climate. All reporting options are encouraged but before you report keep in mind the following:

• Complainants and witnesses of sexual misconduct will not be charged if drug and/or alcohol use is present before or during the incident.
• Anyone can file a report.
• False reports of sexual misconduct will not be tolerated.

When it comes to reporting there are several options, and each is different in what they may offer you. Please read through the following options; if you have further questions on which option may be best for you, please contact the Title IX Coordinator by email or 610-606-4628.

College Reporting

At Cedar Crest College any form of sex discrimination, which includes all incidents of sexual misconduct, is prohibited by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. If a complainant chooses to move forward with a Formal Complaint, the following options are available.
All students who attend Cedar Crest College are required to abide by the policies detailed in our Student Handbook. Sexual misconduct is a violation of the Student Handbook and therefore can be reported through email, phone call or reports submitted here. Students that file a Formal Complaint with the College will have the option of choosing an Informal Resolution Process or proceeding with a Title IX Investigation, both are outlined below.

Formal Complaint: Informal Resolution:

Both parties (complainant and respondent), through a written agreement, agree to resolve the matter informally through mediation or some other alternative means.

It is a voluntary process.

Can be initiated at any time prior to a finding of responsibility in a hearing, and can be terminated at any time prior to the final resolution.

Once a resolution is has been issued and both parties informed, the resolution cannot be appealed.

Formal Complaint: Title IX Investigations:

A trained investigator will be assigned by the Title IX Coordinator or their designee who will contact and interview the complaint(s), the respondent(s), and any witnesses, and will collect any relevant evidence (text messages, emails, social media posts, medical records, etc.). At the conclusion of the interviews, the investigator will prepare an investigative report which summarizes all statements and evidence as part of the investigation.

Both parties will be given the opportunity to review the Title IX Investigative Report and all evidence and will have the opportunity to respond to the report and evidence.

If the report supports the allegations, the case will be referred to a Hearing Officer.

During this process, both parties can request Supportive Measures which help ensure the safety of both parties. These include:

• Class changes
• Housing Changes
• Academic Support
• Counseling Support
• No Contact Directives

Police Reporting

Those who want to press criminal charges can contact Cedar Crest College Campus Police or contact law enforcement in the area where the incident took place. Criminal charges may be filed against any respondent, including those not affiliated with Cedar Crest College. Criminal charges involving sexual misconduct are entirely separate from violations of the Student Handbook, which only applies to Cedar Crest College students. Anyone who has experienced sexual misconduct may choose to pursue both criminal prosecution and College disciplinary processes.

Anonymous Reporting

Cedar Crest College strongly encourages those who want to file a report on behalf of themselves or someone else to identify themselves by name, but we understand that sometimes reporters may not feel comfortable doing so. The College accepts anonymous reports from anyone with knowledge of a sexual misconduct violation.

Anonymous reports can be filed here.

Informal and anonymous reports are used to collect information on instances of sexual misconduct.