Responding to an Allegation

1. For confidential support and guidance, Respondents may contact the CARE Office, Social Identity Harm Advocate (SIH), Counseling Service, Office of Restorative Practices (for students), or the Employee Assistance Program (for employees).
   • Note on Privacy vs. Confidentiality. The Confidential Campus Resources listed above do not advise Complainants and Respondents on how best to respond to Office for Institutional Equity investigations or College resolution process. While the conversations between Complainants and Respondents and SIH Advocates, CARES, SAVP, or the Office of Restorative Practices are kept private, the program does not offer complete confidentiality in the way a licensed therapist, counselor, or attorney would.
2. Request supportive measures through the Office for Institutional Equity or confidential resource listed above.

• The Office for Institutional Equity sends an outreach email to the Respondent along with a written notice of investigation and summary of the allegations as reported to the Office for Institutional Equity.
• The Office for Institutional Equity offers to connect student Respondents with a CARE case manager, Counseling Services, and/or Social Identity Harm Advocate (SIH) and connects employees to an EAP counselor.
• The Office for Institutional Equity will offer supportive measures at no cost, such as academic assistance, changes in housing, workplace adjustments, counseling, and other reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to the College’s programs and activities.

The Office addresses reports of discrimination, harassment, sexual misconduct, interpersonal violence, and related concerns. It has primary responsibility for reviewing reports, formal complaints, and notices of alleged policy violations.

The Institutional Equity Team:

• Responds promptly and impartially to reports
• Provides supportive measures and connects individuals with resources
• Conducts impartial investigations and oversees resolution processes, including informal resolution or formal decisions by an external decision-maker on whether a policy has been violated
• Offers education, training, outreach, and engagement to promote a respectful and inclusive campus climate

Institutional Equity Team

• Assistant Vice President for Institutional Equity and Title IX Coordinator – Leads the Office, directs the College’s response to reports and complaints under College policies, and oversees compliance with federal and state civil rights laws, including Title IX.
• Faculty Director for Institutional Equity – Oversees faculty-related equal employment opportunity and nondiscrimination compliance.
• Institutional Equity & Title VI Coordinator – Oversees compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, addressing race, color, and national origin discrimination and harassment in education programs.
• Other Team Members – The Office also includes deputy coordinators, case managers, investigators, external decision-makers, and facilitators for informal resolutions. Together, they support fair processes, equal opportunity, and accessibility for all members of the College community.

Yes. A Respondent may bring one Support Person to any meetings with the Office for Institutional Equity for moral and emotional support. Ordinarily, a Support Person is someone not directly involved in the incident, such as a faculty or staff member, another student, a family member, a friend, or a union representative. We ask that parties let us know in advance if they plan to bring a Support Person.

Support Persons are present to provide comfort and guidance, but they do not play an active role in the process unless College policy specifically allows it. They cannot speak on behalf of the party they are supporting, and individuals are expected to present their own concerns and make their own decisions.

Yes. You may have both an Advisor and a Support Person.

• Complainants and Respondents have the right to bring one Advisor to all meetings and interviews, including the intake stage after a report is made to the Institutional Equity office. An Advisor may be anyone of the party’s choosing, such as a friend, mentor, family member, or attorney, provided they are eligible and available.
• If a party does not have an Advisor during the Administrative Resolution Process, the Office for Institutional Equity will provide a trained Advisor at no cost.
• It is important to note that the College cannot guarantee equal Advisory rights. For example, if one party chooses an attorney as their Advisor and the other party does not (or cannot), the College is not required to provide an attorney.

No. The Respondent is not automatically notified when a report is made to the Office for Institutional Equity. Notification only occurs if:

• The Complainant files a formal complaint, and an investigation begins
• The College is legally obligated to initiate an investigation (for example, when there is a potential ongoing threat to campus safety, a pattern of reported behavior, or when required by law).
• The Complainant or Respondent requests a No Contact Directive

The Office respects the Complainant’s privacy to the greatest extent possible throughout this process.

Yes. Even if the conduct took place at an off-campus location, or online, a Complainant can still provide information to the Office for Institutional Equity and request supportive measures.

If the alleged prohibited conduct occurred in a different semester or year, the complainant can file a formal complaint as long as the Respondent is still affiliated with the College as either a student or an employee.

If the Respondent is no longer affiliated with the College, the Complainant can still request assistance with supportive measures.

In most cases, no. The decision to involve law enforcement is up to the Complainant. However, the College must notify police in certain circumstances, including violent crimes, hate crimes, or hazing.

Key points to know:

• Law enforcement coordination: Vassar has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with local police to support trauma-informed, coordinated responses to sexual assault, violence, and hate crimes, while respecting requests for privacy whenever possible.
• Campus alerts: Safety and Security must issue timely warnings if an incident presents a confirmed, ongoing threat to the community. These alerts provide enough information to protect campus safety but do not include personal identifiers.
• Statistical reporting: Some employees are considered Campus Security Authorities (CSAs) and are required to report certain crimes (such as sexual assault) for federal reporting and inclusion in the annual Campus Security Report. These reports do not include names or personal identifiers, but they must note the general location of the incident.
  • Who is not a CSA: College-designated confidential resources, including counselors, medical providers, and pastoral providers, are not CSAs and are not required to make these reports.

Reporting crimes: All Clery-reportable crimes, including sexual assault, should also be reported to Safety and Security at (845) 437-7333 or through the online Campus Safety forms.

Yes. Disability-related accommodations are available throughout the process, including when making a report, participating in meetings or interviews, and during the investigation or resolution process.

Examples of accommodations may include:

• Extended time for meetings, interviews, or hearings
• Breaks during meetings or interviews
• Use of assistive technology or screen readers
• Interpreters, captioning services, or note-taking support
• Materials provided in alternative formats (large print, Braille, electronic text)
• Accessible meeting locations or virtual participation options
• Modified scheduling to reduce conflicts with medical or mental health needs
• Support animals, where applicable
• Other individualized adjustments based on documented needs

You may request accommodations by contacting:

• Office for Institutional Equity
• Office of Accessibility and Educational Opportunity (AEO)

Both offices can be reached by phone or email and will work together to coordinate reasonable accommodations to support full participation.

As a Respondent, you have important rights during the College’s investigation and resolution process. These include:

Options for Moving Forward

• The right to access supportive measures (such as academic, housing, or workplace adjustments) regardless of whether a formal complaint is filed.
• The right to participate in either informal or formal resolution processes.
• The right to participate—or decline to participate—in an investigation or resolution process. Choosing not to participate will be respected, though the process may move forward.

Fair and Impartial Process

• A prompt, impartial, thorough response and resolution process, consistent with the College policies and procedures.
• A presumption that you are not responsible for the alleged conduct unless and until a determination is made by the external decision-maker under the “preponderance of the evidence” standard.
• Trained, impartial officials with no conflict of interest or bias.

Respect and Support

• The right to be treated with dignity and respect.
• Access to campus and community support resources.
• Information about interim safety and supportive measures (such as no-contact directives, academic adjustments, housing or workplace changes).
• The option to have an Advisor and/or Support Person of your choice at all meetings.

Transparency and Communication

• Timely notice of meetings you are expected to attend.
• Periodic updates about the status of the case, including explanations for any delays.
• Written notification of the outcome of the investigation, informal or formal resolution, including the reasoning.
• Written notice of any sanctions or corrective actions imposed.

Appeals

• A clear explanation of the process and timeline for appeals.
• The right to appeal the external decision-maker’s findings and/or any sanctions or corrective actions.
• A consistent, policy-based appeal process.

Protection

• The right to be free from retaliation or intimidation for participating in the process.