Page 75 - Illinois Tech Student Handbook 2022-23

sexual misconduct is unsure of someone's duties and abilities to maintain his or her privacy, he or she should ask the individual before speaking to them. As detailed further in Subsection 4(b) below, certain, limited staff members in certain Illinois Tech departments are generally obligated by law to maintain confidentiality, including certain licensed health professionals acting in their professional capacity; pastoral counselors, meaning individuals who are associated with a religious order or denomination, recognized by that order or denomination as people who provide confidential counseling and acting within the scope of that recognition; designated confidential advisors; and staff of local rape and domestic violence crisis centers.
b. Persons with the Legal Ability to Maintain Confidentiality
Illinois Tech's Student Health and Wellness Center has licensed health professionals who can meet with victims on a professional basis and discuss matters in confidence. Staff members of the Student Health and Wellness Center, whose official responsibilities include providing mental health counseling to members of the student body, when acting within the scope of their license or certification, are generally obligated by law to maintain confidentiality, and these individuals when so acting are not required by law to report criminal offenses, including sexual misconduct, about which they are informed.
In addition, Illinois law has established the recognized role of "Confidential Advisor", which is as an individual retained by a higher education institution that has certain mandated training and has the duty and ability to provide emergency and ongoing support to students who have experienced sexual misconduct. Illinois Tech has elected to contract for Confidential Advisor services. The provider of such services is:
● Resilience, located 180 N Michigan Avenue, Suite 600, Chicago, Illinois 60601. The phone number for students needing to access Resilience's 24-hour Confidential Advisor services is 773-907-1062.
Under Illinois law, communications between a Confidential Advisor and an individual who has experienced sexual misconduct and all records related thereto are to remain confidential, unless (i) the survivor consents to a disclosure in writing, (ii) disclosure is mandated by law or court order, or (iii) failure to disclose such communication would result in a clear, imminent risk of serious physical injury to or death of the individual or another. In addition, a Confidential Advisor shall periodically report to Illinois Tech's Title IX Coordinator the number and type of incidents of sexual misconduct reported exclusively to the Confidential Advisor so as to permit Illinois Tech to fulfill its crime reporting obligations under state and federal law.
In the course of working with an individual who has experienced sexual misconduct, a Confidential Advisor will (i) inform him or her of the choice of possible next steps regarding reporting options and possible outcomes, whether through Illinois Tech's policies and procedures or local law enforcement; (ii) notify him or her of the resources and services available to him or her, both on and off campus; (iii) discuss with him or her orders of protection and no contact orders; (iv) provide confidential services to and have privileged, confidential communications with him or her in accordance with Section 8-804 of the Illinois Code of Civil Procedure; and (v) at his or her request, liaise with and assist in contacting and reporting to Illinois tech officials, local law enforcement or community-based sexual assault crisis centers as well as to secure accommodations (as defined below) from Illinois Tech.
5. SUPPORT OPTIONS
In an effort to advance the cause of deterrence and reduce the possibility of a student experiencing sexual misconduct, information concerning sexual misconduct, sexual misconduct prevention options and warning signs, and safe and positive options for bystander intervention is available at web.iit.edu/student- affairs/vawa-save-acts. In addition, a description of (i) Illinois Tech's ongoing sexual misconduct prevention and awareness campaigns for members of the Illinois Tech community, (ii) existing counseling, health, mental health, victim advocacy, legal assistance and other services available for victims of sexual misconduct both on campus and in the area, and (iii) options for, and available assistance in, changing academic, living, dining, transportation and working situations (collectively, "accommodations") will be made available. Illinois Tech will provide accommodations if they are so requested by the victim and if they are reasonably available under the particular circumstances. Requests for accommodations should be made to the Dean of Students (312-567-3080; MTCC, Room 209). The option to seek accommodations is available regardless of whether the victim has elected to report the crime to campus police or local law enforcement.
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