Title IX Process at Muhlenberg College

Information about changes made to Title IX regulations by the U.S. Department of Education

The Department of Education announced the final regulations for Title IX on April 19th, 2024 and are effective August 1st, 2024. Muhlenberg College has amended its policies to be in compliance with new Title IX regulations. Under the new regulations, the Title IX process mirrors the required Title VI process, and live hearings are no longer required following Title IX reports, among other changes. Those policies and procedures are in final review and will be uploaded and shared by August 1st, 2024. 

DOE FACT SHEET 

Report to the Office of Civil Rights

Individuals at the College have the right to file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights (OCR), U.S. Department of Education or with OCR’s Customer Service Team at 1-800-421-3481 if they believe a Title IX violation has occurred. For more information, please visit the federal Office of Civil Rights website on Title IX and Sex Discrimination. 

Safety and Resource Information for Victims/Survivors of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking

1. Prioritize your safety: Go to a safe location as soon as you are able. If you are off campus and in an emergency situation, call 911. You may also call Allentown Police Department’s non-emergency line at 610-437-7751.
2. Seek immediate medical attention if you are injured, or if you believe you may have been exposed to an STI/STD or potential pregnancy. Campus Safety (484-664-3110) will provide transportation to the local hospital of your choice. The Lehigh Valley Hospital Emergency Room at 17th and Chew Streets are prepared to treat sexual assault victims. After hours, on-call Student Health Services nursing staff is available for students by calling Campus Safety (ext. 3110) for emergency situations.
3. Evidence Preservation: It is important to preserve physical evidence that may include tissue and fluid samples, evidence of violence, sheets, towels, clothing, etc. You may choose to avoid washing, bathing, urinating, etc. until after being examined at the hospital, if possible. Because evidence of a sexual assault can deteriorate quickly, you may choose to seek a medical exam as soon as possible. Evidence collection should be completed within 120 hours of an assault, but fluid, hair samples, and DNA can be collected for a long time thereafter. Even if you have washed, evidence can often still be obtained. After 120 hours, it may still be helpful to have medical attention, even if you are not trying to obtain evidence of an assault. Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) are trained in the collection of forensic evidence, and can check for injuries and exposure to sexually transmitted diseases. If you are still wearing any clothes worn during the assault, wear them to the hospital, but bring a change of clothes as the hospital will keep the clothes you are wearing as evidence. If you have changed clothes, bring the ones you were wearing during the assault to the hospital in a clean paper (not plastic) bag or wrapped in a clean sheet. Leave sheets/towels at the scene of the assault. Police will collect them. Typically, police will be called to the hospital to take custody of the rape kit, but it is up to you whether you want to speak with them or file a criminal complaint. The Crime Victims Council of the Lehigh Valley* provides FREE & CONFIDENTIAL onsite support at any of the Lehigh Valley hospital emergency rooms. Call 610-437-6611 for assistance 24/7. Other physical evidence that should be preserved, particularly for allegations of dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking, include records of witness names and contact information, witness statements, photographs of physical injuries (with date stamp), and documentation of written and electronic communication. You may wish to try to memorize details or write notes to remind you of details if you are able to do so.
4. Options: You have options and are encouraged to contact a confidential resource on or off campus to discuss them. The following options are available to you:
   1. Do nothing until you are ready;
   2. Pursue resolution through Muhlenberg College; and/or
   3. Initiate criminal proceedings; and/or
   4. Initiate a civil process against the perpetrator.

Note on confidentiality: If a student wishes for the report to remain confidential, they may speak with Counseling Services (484-664-3178), the Student Health Center (484-664-3199), the College Chaplain (484-664-3120) or off-campus rape crisis resource centers such as Crime Victims Council of the Lehigh Valley (610-437-6611). Students may switch from confidential or anonymous reporting to filing a formal complaint at any time.

An impacted person may pursue whatever option or combination of options is best for them. Students that wish to have an incident investigated by the College should contact the Equity & Title IX Office. Employees should contact the Office of Equity & Title IX, the Vice President of Human Resources, or the Provost. Those who would like to file a criminal complaint should contact Campus Safety or local police where the assault occurred. The College system and the criminal system work independently from one another.

If an impacted person is interested in obtaining an external order of protection (e.g. restraining orders, injunctions, Protection From Abuse orders, or Sexual Violence Protecive Orders, contact the Office of Equity & Title IX or Campus Safety are available to provide information to students and employees to assist them in obtaining such protective orders. Crime Victims Council of the Lehigh Valley can also provide this service and provide advocacy by accompanying victims to Court and guiding them through the process. If external orders of protection are obtained, please notify Campus Safety or the Office of Equity & Title IX so that these orders can be observed on campus. The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR) also provides options: http://www.pcar.org/search-synonyms/civil-protection-orders.

To learn more, please contact one of the following offices or organizations:

On Campus:

Office of Equity & Title IX, 484-664-3562, 8:30 – 5:00 M-F (Students & Employees)
Campus Safety, 484-664-3110, 24/7 (Students & Employees)
Student Health Services*, 484-664-3199, 8:00 – 4:30, M-F (Students)
Counseling Services*, 484-664-3178, 8:30 – 4:30, M-F, on-call 24/7 (Students)
Vice President for Human Resources, 484-664-3166, 8:30 - 5:00 M-F (Employees)
Employee Assistance Program (EAP), 800-395-1616 (Employees)

Off Campus:

Crime Victims Council of the Lehigh Valley* (CVCLV), 610-437-6611, 24-hour hotline (Students & Employees)
Turning Point/Domestic Violence Shelter*, 877-438-4957, 24-hour helpline (Students & Employees)

*Note that campus officials may contact on-call staff from other departments when their offices are closed or they are otherwise unable to assist immediately. The caller does not have to provide the dispatcher with information about an incident. The caller should ask to speak with a nurse or counselor on call.

Bias Related Incidents

Bias incidents can take on a variety of forms, including but not limited to discrimination, spoken or written hate speech or harassment, offensive visual representations, threats, vandalism, physical confrontation, and similar conduct or communications on or through social media. These incidents on campus will not be tolerated and we encourage you to report to Campus Saftey or the Equity & Title IX office for support and options.

If your property has been vandalized-call Campus Safety. If there are words, drawings etc. on your property that are bias in nature, please do not remove the images, call Campus Saftey, take photos for your files. If you receive a text, email, message on social media etc. please do not delete the message as this can be evidence in a report. Screenshot the offensive material and save that for the report.  

Interim and Supportive Measures

Upon notice of alleged bias related incident, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking or upon request by a Reporting Party or Responding Party, the College will evaluate whether initial or interim supportive, remedial, responsive and/or protective actions are necessary. Such actions are non-disciplinary, non-punitive, individualized services offered as appropriate, as reasonably available, and without fee or charge to the parties to restore or preserve access to the College’s education program or activity, including measures designed to protect the safety of all parties or the College’s educational environment, and/or deter harassment, discrimination, and/or retaliation.

These measures can include but are not limited to: 

• No contact orders;
• Referrals to counseling and/or medical services;
• Academic support or accommodations;
• Living or working arrangement adjustments;
• Transportation accommodations;
• Visa and immigration assistance;
• Student financial aid counseling; 
• Providing campus escort;
• Referrals to the Employee Assistance Program for employees; 
• Referral to campus and community support resources; and/or
• Other academic or work schedule and assignment accommodations deemed appropriate by the Office of Equity and Title IX or an Official with Authority. 

The College will maintain as private as possible measures implemented, provided confidentiality does not impair the College’s ability to provide the measures, and that it does not infringe upon the rights of a Reporting Party or Responding Party. 

The College may take additional prompt remedial and/or disciplinary action with respect to any Community Member or third party upon a finding that they have engaged in harassing or discriminatory behavior under the Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination Policy. Procedures for handling reported incidents are fully described in the Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination Procedures for Students, Faculty, or Staff.

Learn what happens after a report is filed with Equity & Title IX. Equity & Title IX Process What Are My Rights Flyer