Harassment and Sexual Assault Reporting Procedures
If a student or employee wishes to report dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking, he/she may report it to Campus Police and Security for appropriate follow-up.
If a student wishes to report sexual harassment and/or sexual assault, he/she may report it to Tamatha Sells, the Dean of Student Services, in 244-A (sells.t@ptc.edu). If an employee wishes to report sexual harassment and/or sexual assault, he/she may report it to the Director of Human Resources in 157-A (brown.a@ptc.edu). Once a report is received, a preliminary investigation will be conducted to determine appropriate follow-up and violations of PTC’s policies and procedures, if any. Confidentiality will be maintained to the extent that the institution can still provide a safe and nondiscriminatory environment for all students, faculty, staff, and administrators. PTC Polices & Procedures, which relate to this information, can be found here and here for students and here for employees.
Disciplinary Action
Disciplinary actions imposed for sexual assault and sexual harassment offenses vary according to the severity of the conduct and may include expulsion of a student or termination of employment for a faculty or staff member. Due process under established college disciplinary procedures will be afforded to all parties. Both the complainant and the accused have the right to counsel, but solely for offering advice. Both parties will be notified of the resolution of any disciplinary proceedings and both parties have the right to appeal. All procedures are found in the Student Code Procedures for Addressing Alleged Acts of Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment on pages 50-52 of the Student Handbook.
Reporting to the Police
Following an incident, victims are encouraged to make a report to camps police or to the local police. This action does not obligate prosecution, but it does make legal action possible if the decision to prosecute is made at a later date. The earlier an incident is reported, the easier it is to collect valuable evidence. Incidents may also be reported to a Title IX Coordinator who will assist in obtaining assistance for the victim. Police officers will aid the victim in completing the report. Off-campus incidents should be reported to the police in whose jurisdiction it occurred as well as to a College official. PTC is committed to making every effort to see that the victim is offered medical and psychological care as well as informed about prosecuting the suspect through the criminal court’s legal system or PTC’s policies and procedures while keeping their report of sexual assault in confidence and protecting the victim’s right to anonymity, to the extent feasible taking into consideration the victim’s desires as to reporting.
Campus Police and Security believes a victim deserves the right to a professional investigation. Victims are often confused and not sure if they wish to report the incident. Reporting the assault to the police and obtaining medical attention are not synonymous with criminal prosecution. The victim retains the right not to pursue criminal prosecution even if these steps are taken. Even if the victim decides not to pursue charges, reporting the assault is a step in regaining a sense of personal control. Providing information about the assault may help someone else avoid becoming a victim. The Title IX Coordinator will aid victims in arranging for medical care and contacting counseling and other resources that are available. All members of Campus Police and Security will treat the victim and the case with sensitivity and professionalism and will be available to answer questions and explain the processes involved. Campus Police and Security will refer the case to local authorities, if the assault happened off-campus, to investigate the case, which may result in an arrest and prosecution of a suspect. Finally, the victim will be kept up-to-date on progress of the investigation or prosecution as well as their rights and options.