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Show 14 | MyWeberMedia.com| Waldo’s World 2017 Know your Title IX rights: Stay safe on campus The Signpost Archives Weber State University Police Department Chief Dane LeBlanc listens to Lillian Llanos in 2015, a WSU student at the time, about the importance of students’ safety from sexual violence. By ASHTON CORSETTI Asst. News Reporter Sex discrimination and sexual violence are pressing issues on college campuses, but Weber State University has established resources for victims. Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments protects students from discrimination based on their gender identity, sex or sexual orientation. Because of it, any educational program that receives federal funds cannot discriminate against students. The Clery Act requires any college or university receiving federal student aid “to disclose campus safety information and imposes certain basic requirements for handling incidents of sexual assault, stalking, domestic violence and dating violence.” Schools that violate these laws can be fined up to $35,000 or become barred from federal aid programs. Such institutions must also have a Title IX coordinator who evaluates the school’s compliance with the law and coordinates investigations. Weber State University Executive Director of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Barry Gomberg encourages vic- tims to bring their cases forward. “If individuals believe that their rights or the rights of others have been or are being violated, they have the right, and sometimes the duty, to report that conduct,” Gomberg said. “If they do, I will investigate the report and take appropriate action to stop any continuing discrimination or harassment, prevent its reoccurrence, address the damaging effects of both for the person whose rights were violated and others who may have been impacted.” With the Clery Act comes the Campus Sexual Assault Victims’ Bill of Rights, which allows survivors to be notified of their options toward contacting law enforcement, receiving counseling services and changing their academic and living accommodations as needed. It also allows both the complainant and respondent to have others present throughout the justice process and to be informed of outcomes from disciplinary proceedings. The Women’s Center offers advocacy training regarding sexual assault or harassment. This will be the second year of their Safe@Weber Violence Prevention & Advocacy Services. Before each school year, incoming over sexually transmitted infections, students will receive an email from the HIV and pregnancy. university requiring them to complete Victims can also get help from the the online Haven training program, university’s Counseling & Psychologithough they can also receive in-person cal Services Center. WSU has an aminstruction. Students can also take a nesty clause that overlooks underage course in the fall to qualify as peer ed- alcohol or drug use and focuses on the ucators, hold events as more pertinent safety of volunteers on the planthe survivor. “Our aim at Safe@ ning committee and Dean of Students JefWeber is to make sure apply for university pofery Hurst supervises students understand sitions in the Women’s student conduct, corrects Center, which comes violations in the student what their rights are, with a tuition waiver. that there are resources code and assists with the “Our aim at Safe@ to help if their rights are disciplinary process. He Weber is to make sure infringed upon or if they maintains that assisting students understand students with cases of vioexperienced trauma in what their rights are, lence and discrimination some way and that we that there are resourcis essential to their welllegally have an obligaes to help if their rights being. tion to respond.” are infringed upon or if “This a critical time they experienced trauin students’ lives where STEPHANIE McCLURE ma in some way and Women’s Center Director they’re making a lot of that we legally have an changes,” Hurst said, “and obligation to respond,” it can have an extreme said Stephanie Mcimpact on students’ lives. Clure, director of the Women’s Center. We … prevent sexual assault and reOther rights guarantee medical at- spond in the best way possible to help tention where victims can be exam- students get back on track.” ined for injuries and forensic evidence, Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com speak with an officer or share concerns |