Two students and five staff and faculty members — all women — attended the Kansas State’s Office of Institutional Equity’s Title IX training session, hosted by Scott Jones, director of Office of Institutional Equity.
“The Office of Institutional Equity strives to help the Kansas State campus become more educated and create a more normalized office to report sexual harassment and violence,” Jones said. “We act as a neutral party by analyzing facts.”
The training session’s learning outcomes were the type of conduct Title IX covers, reporting obligations, the “who, where, what and how” of making a report, support services and confidential resources, policy and procedure for reviewing complaints and the four “R’s” of eliminating discrimination. The four R’s are recognizing, reporting, providing resources and reviewing.
K-State offers all-inclusive assistance to support and assist both victims and respondents.
These services might include medical, counseling, academic and living assistance, among many others. Along with listing services, the pinwheel of resources given out by the Office of Institutional Equity also showed what services and organizations are confidential. There are also opportunities for grants to help with medical and counseling bills from K-State and Manhattan community services.
Clara Valadares Kientz, advocate and educator at the Center for Advocacy, Response and Education, said the CARE Office provides confidential services and advocacy for survivors of sexual violence, dating violence, stalking and sexual harassment. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“You, as a student, have to understand the options the university has for you,” Valadares Kientz said. “We know statistically that one in five women and one in 16 men will become victims of sexual assault. You may think that you don’t need to know and understand how reporting and coping with a situation like this works, but it could happen to a friend of yours or maybe even yourself.”
The Title IX training discussed how the reporting process is conducted. Counseling Services, Lafene Health Center and the CARE office are all confidential employees that are designed to help discuss options after sexual harassment or violence happens.
The K-State and Riley County Police Departments, Office of Student Life and Office of Institutional Equity are other places where incidents can be reported.
Kylie Kinley, journalism and mass communications adviser, attended the session.
“I think it’s important for me to become educated for all the issues that affect students,” Kinley said. “This not only helps me to improve in my job as an adviser but also helps me to better advocate for students who may face issues like sexual assault or harassment.”
Alongside the training for Title IX, The Office of Institutional Equity also conducts training sessions throughout the year for faculty, staff and supervisors on anti-discrimination, being a supervisor and the annual online training about alcohol and other drug use, sexual harassment and sexual violence prevention. The Office of Institutional Equity is located in Edwards Hall’s A-wing.
