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Campus Sexual Violence Prevention and Response

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The Office of Higher Education's Campus Sexual Violence Prevention and Response program provides leadership, technical expertise to institutions, and coordination of campus sexual violence prevention and response programs to leverage cross-organizational supports for Minnesota postsecondary institutions.

About Sexual Violence Prevention and Response

In 2015, the Minnesota Legislature added to the law that requires career colleges, colleges and universities that have more than 100 students to do certain things to end sexual violence on campus. The law is called Sexual Harassment and Violence Policy. It includes training for all employees, but specific training topics for campus administrators, campus security authorities, and employees involved in the investigation and disciplinary process. Institutions must also train students on specific topics, as well as inform them of the policy. The law requires institutions to provide the number of sexual assault incidents reported on campus, and what the institution did when they received the report. It requires active participation in sexual violence prevention and response.

Sexual violence prevention is when people and communities take steps to make sure sexual violence never happens in the first place.

Sexual violence response is when people and communities take action to help those affected by sexual violence. Response may be right away such as getting a victim to medical treatment. It could also mean helping a victim learn about how to file a police report, or how to start a college disciplinary process.

The Office of Higher Education Sexual Violence Prevention and Response office provides training, resources, and technical assistance to career colleges, 2- and 4-year colleges and universities to make sure the institutions do everything possible to support students who are affected by sexual violence.

Campus safety officers

Minnesota Statute §135A.15 requires postsecondary institutions to have an agreement called a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that defines the responsibilities of campus officials and law enforcement. Components of the MOU must include:

How investigations proceed when there is a criminal and campus investigation
How parties are informed of and communicated with about each investigation process
How law enforcement and campus officials share information about specific crimes, with the permission of the victim;
The process of sharing crime-related information that may impact the safety of the campus community;

Institutions must share the MOU with their employees who work on the campus location the MOU is affiliated. If an institution and law enforcement agency participate in a sexual assault protocol team, such as a county or regional sexual assault response team (SART), the institution does not need to follow this provision.

MN Statute 135A.15 Sexual Harassment and Violence Policy

The following is OHE's interpretation of MN Statute 135A.15 Sexual Harassment and Violence Policy.

Who is responsible for complying with statute?

Minnesota State System
Private postsecondary institutions who participate in Federal Pell Grant assistance or State Financial Aid under statute 136A.103 and have 100 students or more enrolled in the institution

Who is requested to comply with statute?

University of Minnesota System

Key Elements of MN Statute 135A.15

Includes both employees and students
Includes victim rights, like allowing victims to decide if they want to report to law enforcement
Requires campus authorities to treat victims with dignity
Requires campus authorities to offer fair and respectful mental and physical health care options
Requires an online reporting system to receive reports; must allow anonymous reporting
Includes employees’ obligations and duties to report and respond
Includes required training components for employees and students
Applies to criminal incidents by a student or employee that occurs on property owned or leased by the institution, or by a fraternity or sorority
Sexual assault definition is the same as the Clery definition, CFR title 34 part 668 appendix A, as amended
Requires amnesty for victims and witnesses who may have violated code of conduct by using alcohol or drugs
Student Health Services must screen for sexual violence and sexual harassment, and offer resources on and off campus
Requires a designated confidential resource

Overview

Institutions must offer a clear and understandable written policy and procedure to address sexual harassment and sexual violence. The policy must include victims’ rights under the Crime Victims bill of rights such as assistance from the Crime Victims Reparations Board and the Commissioner of Public Safety. The policy must also include how to report incidents of sexual violence and the disciplinary process to resolve such reports.

Institutional Requirements

Institutions must coordinate with local law enforcement to create and administer a Memorandum of Understanding or participation in a Coordinated Community Response team. The MOU must be updated every two (2) years and delivered electronically to campus community.

Institutions must maintain an online reporting system that informs reporters of sexual violence about access to the information being reported and access to on- and off-campus resources that support victims of sexual violence.

Institutions must participate in the Office of Higher Education Sexual Assault Data Report. Data collection on incidents, resolutions, and disciplinary actions, including previous incidents that were not resolved by October 1 of each year. Data collected in a given year is data from the previous calendar year.

Institutions must ensure privacy of data. Incidents of sexual assault are private data under section 13.02 subdivision 12. Information can be shared with Campus Security officials and campus officials tasked with the investigation and adjudication, but otherwise limit access unless authorized by the student involved in the report.

Comprehensive training for employees involved in the intervention and response to reports of sexual violence. Specific training requirements for campus security officers, campus administrators who investigate or adjudicate cases, employees who respond to victims of sexual violence, and student health service professionals.

Institutions must provide comprehensive training to students defined by statute 136A.103. Topics that must be covered include the definition of consent, preventing and reducing the prevalence of sexual violence, procedures to report a sexual assault, and on and off campus resources to support victims of sexual assault

Student training must be completed no later than ten (10) business days after the start of a student’s first semester of classes.

Institutions must distribute its sexual misconduct policy at student course registration.

Educational Sessions

Stalking and Co-Occuring Victimizations (Video) - Presented by Julia Holtemeyer, Stalking Prevention, Awareness & Resource Center (SPARC), October 10, 2023
Title IX and Clery: Navigating Intersections and Response Obligations (PowerPoint) - Presented by Ballast
Human Trafficking on College Campuses: Identification, Response & Resources (Video) - Presented by the MN Department of Health Safe Harbor Regional Navigators
Culturally Responsive Primary Prevention Practices Panel by MDH Grant Recipients (Video) - Discussion moderated by Mary Hopkins, MDH Sexual Violence Prevention Program

TrainEd Training

2022 Sessions

CUES: Addressing Domestic and Sexual Violence in Campus Health Settings - Presented by the MN Department of Health (MDH) Sexual Violence Prevention Program & Violence Free Minnesota
- Recording Day One of CUES (Video)
- Recording Day Two of CUES (Video)
Laws 2.0 The Intersection of Title IX, VAWA & Clery (Video) - Presented by Standpoint
Identifying and Assessing Strangulation in Sexual Assault & Intimate Partner Violence for Campus First Responders (Video) - Presented by Kelly Nelson-Cichosz RN, BSN, SANE-A; Patient Care Supervisor, Allina Health Forensic Nursing
Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) Grant Recipients Panel-Lessons Learned Panel (Video) - Presented by Minnesota Postsecondary Grant Recipients