“There Are Good and Bad Elements to It for Sure”: Students’ and Faculty/Staff’s Perceptions of the Title IX Mandated Reporting Policy

Abstract

Faculty, staff, and students employed by or who serve as representative of universities in the United States are required by the Title IX federal law to report all instances of sexual harassment, discrimination, and sexual assault on college campuses. Despite the well-intended purpose of the Title IX regulations, less is known about campus communities’ experiences and perceptions of this “mandated reporting,” and its influence on disclosure. This exploratory mixed-methods study examines student ( n = 88) and faculty and staff ( n = 77) thoughts, concerns, and experiences regarding this policy at a mid-sized Northeastern University. Participants were recruited utilizing a campus lab system, with supplemental recruitment through student-life offices on campus. Data were collected via an anonymous survey hosted on the Qualtrics platform. Descriptive statistics were conducted for quantitative responses, whereas thematic analysis was utilized to analyze open text responses. Descriptive statistics demonstrate that the majority of participants (students and faculty/staff) were aware of their “mandated reporter” status. Additionally, students and faculty/staff varied regarding their support of the policy and the majority of faculty/staff had not had students disclose sexual violence to them and thus, had not reported any incidences of sexual violence to the university. Results of the thematic analysis further highlight the complexity of students and faculty/staff views’ regarding the “mandated reporter” policy illustrating positive and negative perceived impacts of this policy, as well as several suggestions for improvement. Implications for research and practice are framed within the literature on Title IX, sexual harassment, and violence in the context of universities.

Analyzing the shifting state of college sexual violence compelled disclosure policies: National trends, empirical findings, and implications.

“…However, empirical research suggests that even IHEs that do have a publicly accessible policy may not be well understood by members of the campus community. Studies of IHE employees have consistently found that employees are likely to be generally aware of their reporting requirements, and intend to fulfill them, but they lack important logistical knowledge about this role (e.g., where and how to report; Brubaker & Mancini, 2017; Johnson et al, 2023; Koon-Magnin & Mancini, 2023; Mancini & Koon-Magnin, 2023). For example, IHE employees frequently report receiving training about their institution’s MR policy, but concrete knowledge on the policy is variable (e.g., to whom they must report), and many employees indicate that they are unsure if they are a mandatory reporter (Koon-Magnin & Mancini, 2023; Mancini & Koon-Magnin, 2023).…”

“…Studies of college students have found that most report some level of awareness of employee reporting requirements when queried in a survey or presented with scenarios describing sexual violence (e.g., Johnson et al, 2023; Newins et al, 2018; Newins & White, 2018), but students report less awareness of mandatory reporting policies than employees (e.g., Johnson et al, 2023). Moreover, a recent a qualitative study with graduate student survivors examined participants’ experiences with mandatory reporting (Cipriano et al, 2023); few survivors in this study knew that they were disclosing to a mandated reporter before they disclosed, and those mandated reporters lacked logistical knowledge beyond their requirement to report (e.g., what would happen after the report was made), which caused survivors significant psychological distress.…”

“…When asked about MR policies in general (or in response to specific sexual violence scenarios), researchers have found that employees and students often express support for mandated reporting, but they also consistently believe there are risks (e.g., Brubaker & Mancini, 2017; Koon-Magnin & Mancini, 2023; Newins et al, 2018; Newins & White, 2018). For example, IHE employees commonly endorse both perceived benefits of MR policies (e.g., holding perpetrators accountable, increased campus safety) and perceived risks (e.g., retraumatizing victims; Johnson et al, 2023; Koon-Magnin & Mancini, 2023). IHE employees (Brubaker & Mancini, 2017) and support providers (e.g., mental health providers, advocates; Holland et al, 2020) have also voiced concerns about the MR policies limiting survivor autonomy and creating additional barriers to help-seeking or reporting, especially for marginalized communities (e.g., Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, plus students, underrepresented students, international students).…”

Developing and implementing survivor-centred approaches for college student-athletes: perspectives from athletic department, Title IX, and campus advocacy personnel

“…Mandatory reporting, also known as compelled disclosure, is one common policy on campuses requiring certain employees to report disclosures of student experiences of SV to university officials, regardless of whether a student wants to report (Holland et al, 2018 ; Newins & White, 2018 ). Research on the student and faculty/staff support of mandatory reporting policies, and their effects on SV prevention and intervention, is varied (Holland et al, 2018 ; Johnson et al, 2023 ). Mandatory reporting policies that limit the number of people required to report SV and offer autonomy and flexibility are most preferred by survivors (Holland, Cipriano et al, 2021 ), but are not necessarily aligned with how policies are practically implemented (Wiersma-Mosley & DiLoreto, 2018 ).…”