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Putting Policy Into Practice: A Relationship Violence & Sexual Misconduct Policy (RVSM) Tip Sheet

Written by

Jeremy Van Hof

/ Published on

AUTHORS:

This post was written by Dr. Melissa McDaniels (of the MSU Graduate School), Dr. Patricia Stewart (of the MSU Academic Advancement Network), and Madeline Shellgren (of the MSU Graduate School).

 

 

The policy, administered by the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE), prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex and sexual harassment, including gender-based harassment, sexual assault/misconduct, relationship violence, and stalking.

Policy Link:

https://oie.msu.edu/policies/rvsm.html

MSU Office(s):

Office for Civil Rights and Title IX Education and Compliance

TIPS FOR FACULTY, ACADEMIC STAFF AND GRADUATE TAs

LEAD – respond, model and engage in ongoing learning   

  • Respond to disclosure using a trauma-informed interpersonal approach
    • Address and establish safety – find a private space to talk; be open and listen – avoid asking directive or leading questions; follow the lead of the survivor and go at their pace; avoid physical touch; maintain an open body language and use non-verbal skills to show you are listening
    • Believe the survivor and offer support  – “I believe you”; “I am glad you are telling me”
    • Provide support for overwhelming emotion – normalize the emotions; provide an opportunity for grounding (deep breathing); brainstorm other coping methods (relaxation, meditation, etc).

  • Respond to disclosure by carrying out your responsibilities as a university employee
    • To report sexual violence or relationship violence
      • Option 1 (preferred method) – complete the university’s online Public Incident Report Form available on the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) website: www.oie.msu.edu. This will fulfill your obligation to notify both OIE and MSU Police. Please note:  A Public Incident Report Form is NOT a police report. To file a police report directly please contact the MSU Police at (517) 355-2221
      • Option 2  – Call OIE and MSUPD. Employees must call both offices. Call OIE at 517-353-3922. Call MSUPD at 517-355-2221.
    • To report sexual harassment
      • Complete MSU’s online Public Incident Report Form available on the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) website: www.oie.msu.edu or call OIE at (517) 353-3922.

 

 

  • Model by being a partner in the MSU community’s effort to reduce sexual violence and misconduct. See the new website from the Prevention, Outreach and Engagement Office (PO&E) of the Office for Civil Rights and Title IX Education and Compliance (poe.msu.edu) for ways you can become involved. Some examples include:
    • Place language in your syllabus about resources and your responsibilities
    • Participate in events connected to MSU’s It’s On Us campaign
    • Follow MSU’s It’s On Us campaign on Facebook @ItsOnUsMSU
    • Publicize MSU’s It’s On Us events and offer extra credit to students who attend
    • Consider service on a committee
    • Check out volunteer and support opportunities for campus service providers

 

 

 

 

  • Learn by reading about trauma-informed approaches to teaching across disciplines; practicing active listening; talking to peers about strategies for supporting students. Learn by completing the required online training.

 

EMPOWER – Help students make their own choices and develop confidence and competence by creating conditions for inclusive teaching and learning.

 

  • Provide disclaimers – give students advance warning of a discussion so survivors are not caught off guard.; Structure the discussion so students opt in, which allows survivors who are concerned; about their ability to participate without being triggered to opt out of the discussion without drawing attention to themselves (as they might if they had to get up and leave class); offer opportunities for students to debrief with you after the classroom discussion; notify students up front about faculty duty to be a mandatory reporter so that students understand what will happen if they disclose an experience.

 

ADVOCATE – Refer students to campus and community resources and follow-through and check-in with students.

  • Connect students to resources including resources for reporting; confidential and private resources, additional campus resources; health care and mental health resources; other resources; community resources; national resources.

DESIGN – You use a trauma-informed approach to make decisions about your curriculum, how you engage students, and how you assess learning and get student feedback.

  • Questions to ask yourself:
    • Do I have content in my class that could be triggering to survivors of sexual assault, relationship violence, or sexual harassment?  If so, how will I empower (see above) students to make decisions about how they engage with the content?
    • How am I going to engage my students from Day 1 in class? How upfront am I going to be about my approach to LEADING, EMPOWERING, and ADVOCATING around issues of sexual assault, relationship violence and sexual harassment?
    • How might I be responsive in my course design and implementation to issues of diversity and oppression? Will I ask my students for their preferred names and/or pronouns? Will I make transparent bias’ in terms of gender identity and/or sexual orientation in the content of my field? How will I do that?

RESOURCES

 

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