SHARE FAQ

SHARE FAQ

All educational institutions in the United States receiving federal funding are required to comply with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which mandates that: "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."

View Title IX Coordinators

If you believe that you have experienced sexual misconduct or discrimination based on your gender or sex, including pregnancy, you may report to the Title IX office.  Making a report is an opportunity to learn about resources, support and options, and does not automatically mean that you will need to engage in formal process or investigation.

You can get in contact with a college trained advisor by reaching out to the Title IX Coordinator or the Title IX Investigator to be connected with an advisor.

Your advisor can be anyone you deem appropriate: friend, faculty member, parent, advocate, attorney, etc. The Title IX Office can also help connect you to a College-trained Advisor at your request.

Helpful resources can be found in the Complainant Brochure. Some strategies to help a friend include:

  • Listen: Practice active listening skills by reflecting what they tell you and offering support.
  • Let your Friend Lead the Conversation: Allow your friend to determine the pace and focus of the conversation.
  • Avoid Asking Questions: Do not ask your friends judgmental questions or make judgmental statements. Avoid "why" questions whenever possible.
  • Take Care of Yourself: Know and respect your own boundaries. Seek support from resources on and off campus for yourself.
  • Access Support for Your Friend: You can submit an ICARE referral for your friend. For immediate support or in the case of an emergency contact Public Safety at (607) 274-3333

If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to the Title IX Office at 607-274-7761.

Helpful resources can be found in the Respondent Brochure. Some strategies to help a friend include:

  • Listen: Practice active listening skills by reflecting what they tell you and offering support.
  • Let your Friend Lead the Conversation: Allow your friend to determine the pace and focus of the conversation.
  • Avoid Asking Questions: Do not ask your friends judgmental questions or make judgmental statements. Avoid "why" questions whenever possible.
  • Take Care of Yourself: Know and respect your own boundaries. Seek support from resources on and off campus for yourself.
  • Access Support for Your Friend: You can submit an ICARE referral for your friend. For immediate support or in the case of an emergency contact Public Safety at (607) 274-3333

If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to the Title IX Office at 607-274-7761.

Yes, individuals who report sexual misconduct have a variety of options available based on the information they share. The Title IX Office can help individuals understand the options available to them.

A judicial process is when action is taken on campus with the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards, Title IX, and/or Public Safety, while a criminal process involves local and/or state police and the legal system. A Complainant can choose to move forward with either of these options or both if they wish.

SANE is free in Ithaca at the Cayuga Medical Center. This means that anyone desiring to have a SANE exam performed will have the ability to do so without financial burden. If a student wishes to receive a SANE exam they can contact the Office of Public Safety at 607-274-3333 and tell the officer they wish to be transported to Cayuga Medical Center for a SANE exam. Students are not required to share details about the incident with the officer but will be contacted by Title IX with information and resources.

Judicial action can be taken against students who attend other colleges/universities and the Ithaca College Title IX Coordinator will work with the accused individuals Title IX Office to help you facilitate the process.

If you have been the victim or witness to sexual assault, harassment or discrimination, you can report to the College through many avenues:

  • Go to the Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management
  • Talk to your Resident/Apartment Assistant
  • Talk to your Residence Director / Community Director
  • Talk to any faculty or staff member with whom you feel comfortable
  • Talk to a campus Title IX coordinator
  1. The coordinator will contact the student to explain their role, to offer resources (e.g.,
    personal safety and medical/health and wellness, both on and off campus), as well as explain
    options and processes (e.g., criminal and/or judicial action and confidential/third party
    reporting) should the reporting party choose to file a formal report.
    • The coordinator will take every measure possible to maintain confidentiality for the reporting
    party if it is requested. There are some circumstances where the threat to the
    greater community and/or the reporting individual supersedes the student’s desire for confidentiality.
    • The coordinator will initiate and/or facilitate appropriate intervention, which can and may
    include assistance with any of the following, if the reporting party chooses:
    – (Court) Order of Protection
    – (Campus) Restriction Notice
    – Safe Room: Residential and Academic Accommodations
    – Criminal and/or Judicial Action
    – NYS Crime Victim’s Rights (Assistance and Services)
    – Identifying On- and Off-Campus Resources These may include Center for Counseling and
    Psychological Services; Center for Health Promotion; Hammond Health Center; Office of Public
    Safety and Emergency Management; Center for LGBT Education, Outreach, and Services; Victim
    Advocacy; and more.
  1. It’s okay and help is available. The use of alcohol or drugs may seriously interfere with the participants' judgment about whether consent has been sought and given. Sex without consent is a crime and the involvement of alcohol and drugs may make it impossible for consent to occur. You don’t have to handle this alone. For more information about consent (definition) go to Definitions and Terms.
  2. On Campus: The IC Medical Amnesty Policy (IC MAP) was created to encourage students to call for help in alcohol or drug-related emergencies without fear of college judicial consequences. In MAP cases, the student who receives medical assistance and the student who summons help are not sanctioned through the college judicial system. For more information on the IC Medical Amnesty Policy (MAP) go to https://www.ithaca.edu/sacl/healthpromotion/icmap/
  3. Off Campus: The New York State 911 Good Samaritan Law is designed to encourage individuals to call 911 for help in an alcohol or other drug emergency. The law is supported by the Tompkins County District Attorney and the City of Ithaca and is especially beneficial to IC students living off campus, as it applies statewide, whereas IC's Medical Amnesty Policy (IC MAP) only applies on campus. To view Medical Amnesty FAQs and Briefs, including information sent to students living off campus go to https://www.ithaca.edu/sacl/healthpromotion/icmap/

At Cayuga Medical Center, you can request a SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) exam. This is a free program.

You may also want to consider the following resources for receiving confidential guidance, support and help with explaining your options: Confidential Resources

  1. All reports will remain private and in many cases confidential. You have options when it comes to reporting: Reporting Sexual Misconduct
  2. For other reporting options, consider contacting a Campus Security Authority (CSA). To learn more about the role and responsibility of a CSA go to Campus Security Authority
  3. You have options when it comes to medical and counseling resources. For more information go to Resources and Options and SHARE Homepage

Incidents that occur off-campus can be reported to the Title IX Office. The Title IX Coordinator can work with you to review options, resources and support. If a person making a report would like to pursue judicial charges, the Title IX Coordinator can facilitate that process at Ithaca College if the accused in as Ithaca College student. If the accused attends a college elsewhere, the Title IX Coordinator can help connect the reporting party to the Title IX Office at the accused institution to proceed with that institutions judicial process.

If you are pursing criminal charges, incidents that occur off the Ithaca College campus are investigated by the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction. All support services are available to you regardless of where the incident took place. Public Safety can help you in identifying the appropriate investigative agency or agencies and assist in contacting them. All investigations, regardless of the location of the incident, are conducted in cooperation with other support efforts such as counseling and medical services. Criminal prosecution of incidents that occur on campus or elsewhere in Tompkins County is coordinated and conducted by the Tompkins County District Attorney’s Office. Victims of sexual assault and dating violence can also call the Advocacy Center 24-hour hotline (607-277-5000) for counseling and support services beyond those available at Ithaca College. You can choose to call the hotline anonymously.

  1. Yes. Even when the crime took place years ago, there may still be time to prosecute. In NYS, and with exception for felony sex offenses, there is no time limit (Statute of Limitation) for prosecuting sexual assault offenses. However, in many felony sex offense cases, legal proceedings against the perpetrator must commence within a range of 2-5 years (depending on the particular crime) after commission of the offense. For general information and assistance go to https://www.rainn.org/public-policy/legal-resources/new-york
  2. You have rights. To preserve your rights to compensation, it is important to seek legal help as soon as possible following your assault. For more information contact the NYS Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-942-6906 or download a copy of the NYS Crime Victims Bill of Rights at http://www.ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/pdfs/publications/Crime_Victims_Bill_of_Rights.pdf
  3. Pursuing a Judicial Process remains an option despite the amount of time that has passed. Once a report of a sexual assault is made to the Title IX Office, options will be reviewed.

On a case by case basis and when in the best interest of the involved parties, notification may be made. The College reserves the right to notify parents or guardians of judicial incidents and sanctions in accordance with FERPA. If a student's ability to remain in housing or at the college is in jeopardy, their parents will be notified. Additionally, if there is a concern for the student's health and safety or how the student is impacting the community, parents will be notified. The College uses parental notification as a helpful tool for creating partnerships and opportunities for success for our students. 

Yes, we can help you work with the Office of Residential Life to relocate you to a new space on campus. Go to Resources and Options for more details.

The Office of Student Affairs and Campus Life (SACL) can be a resource for other privacy considerations and options available to students, such as the removal of public access to directory information. Students are encouraged to contact SACL to learn more about privacy options.

There are a number of options for students – go to Resources and Options to review you options. The Title IX Office can help facilitate these options for you and discuss additional ideas and thoughts.

Every incoming student has a SHARE (Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Education) program as part of their first year orientation. This program discusses topics like support resources for sexual assault/violence, the importance of consent in all sexual activity, reporting and confidentiality procedures at IC (i.e. Title IX process and requirements), and the importance of bystander intervention and peer support in sexual assault prevention.

While not mandatory, there are a variety of sexual assault prevention trainings offered throughout the year, both by the college and in collaboration with outside partners such as the Advocacy Center, to all current students. Attending any of these education courses is encouraged.

Ithaca College offers a number of programs and training courses on harassment, assault, rape and much more. Visit Preventing Sexual Assault for more detail.

Ithaca College offers a number of resources for further information and assistance. Please visit the Options, Interventions, and Resources page.