Reporting
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College encourages all members of the campus community to report any incident of sexual misconduct. The College has adopted procedures to promptly and fairly address concerns and complaints about sexual harassment. Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College encourages the reporting of sexual harassment as it may be necessary to give the College opportunity to take action. The standard of proof the college uses in Title IX and Sexual Harassment hearings will be Preponderance of Evidence or “more likely than not” that the violation did/did not occur. Below are options in which students, employees, and applicants can pursue to make a complaint of sexual harassment.
Making a Complaint Online
This form is designed to provide students, employees, faculty, vendors, visitors, or others with an online method to report specific information related to an alleged incident(s) or sexual harassment or retaliation as provided for by the MGCCC Title IX and Sexual Harassment policy. Title IX is a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive Federal financial assistance. You are not required to complete the entire form in order for the complaint to be submitted The institution will use the information provided to begin a discussion about the incident, which may include contacting the complainant, respondent, and/or any potential witnesses. However, if the report does not contain specific information, the institution’s ability to act may be limited.
Making a Complaint to College Administration
A complaint of sexual harassment by another student or college employee can be made by contacting the Title IX Coordinator at 601.528.8735, the Dean of Student Services at the campus in which the student is enrolled, or an official with authority to institute corrective measures on the college’s behalf. Although there is no time limit on making a complaint to College Administration, it is highly encouraged to report incidents of or share information about, sexual harassment as soon as possible after the incident occurred. The college may ultimately be unable to adequately investigate if too much time has passed or if an accused individual has left the institution. Other factors that could negatively affect the college’s ability to investigate include the loss of physical evidence, the potential departure of witnesses, or loss of memory. To reach the Title IX Coordinator after hours or in an emergency, please contact Campus Police.
Making a Report to Law Enforcement
In the case of an emergency, victims should call 911 from wherever they are, and a law enforcement official will respond to assist them. In non-emergency situations, allegations of misconduct should be reported to the law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction over the location where the assault or abuse occurred. Non-emergency reports to law enforcement may be made as follows:
Contact Campus Police at 228.497.7690 if the incident occurred on the Jackson County Campus and/or property.
Contact Gautier Police Department at 228.497.2846 if the incident occurred in Gautier.
Contact Campus Police at 228.896.2516 if the incident occurred on the Harrison County Campus and/or property.
Contact Keesler Center at Harrison County Campus Police 228.896.2516 if the incident occurred at the MGCCC-Keesler Center.
Contact Gulfport Police Department at 228.868.5900 if the incident occurred in Gulfport.
Contact Biloxi Police Department at 228.392.0641 if the incident occurred in Biloxi.
Contact Campus Police at 601.928.6327 if the incident occurred on the Perkinston Campus and/or property.
Contact Stone County Sheriff’s Department at 228.928.7251 if the incident occurred in Stone County.
Contact Campus Police at 601.766.6447 if the incident occurred at the George County Center and/or property.
Contact Lucedale Police Department at 601.947.3261 if the incident occurred in Lucedale.
Employee Reporting Obligations
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College makes every effort to protect students’ privacy and confidentiality. The College encourages complainants of sexual harassment to talk to somebody about what happened – so complainants can get the support they need, and so the College can respond appropriately. Different employees on campus have different abilities to maintain a complainant’s confidentiality. Some are required to maintain near complete confidentiality; talking to them is sometimes called a “privileged communication.”
This section is intended to make members of the college community aware of the various reporting and confidential disclosure options available to them – so they can make informed choices about where to turn should they become a complainant of sexual harassment. The College encourages complainants to talk to someone identified in one or more of these groups:
- Confidential Employees
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MGCCC’s Enrollment Specialists are considered Confidential Employees. Enrollment Specialists can talk to a complainant without revealing any personally identifying information about an incident to the College. A complainant can seek assistance and support from these individuals without triggering a College investigation that could reveal the complainant’s identity or that the complainant has disclosed the incident. These employees are known as Confidential Employees.
While maintaining a complainant’s confidentiality, Enrollment Specialists should report the nature, date, time, and general location of an incident to Campus Police and/or the Title IX Coordinator. This limited report – which includes no information that would directly or indirectly identify the complainant – helps keep the Title IX Coordinator and/or Campus Police informed of the general extent and nature of sexual violence on and off campus so the coordinator can track patterns, evaluate the scope of the problem, and formulate appropriate campus-wide responses. Before reporting any information to the Title IX Coordinator and/or Campus Police, Enrollment Specialists will consult with the victim to ensure that no personally identifying details are shared with the Title IX Coordinator and/or Campus Police.
A complainant who speaks to an Enrollment Specialist must understand that, if they want to maintain confidentiality, the College will be unable to conduct an investigation into the particular incident or pursue disciplinary action against the alleged perpetrator.
Enrollment Specialist will still assist the victim in receiving other necessary protection and support, such as victim advocacy, academic support or accommodations, disability, health or mental health services, and changes to living, working or course schedules. A complainant who at first requests confidentiality may later decide to file a formal complaint with the college or report the incident to local law enforcement, and thus have the incident fully investigated. Enrollment Specialist will provide the complainant with assistance if the complainant wishes to do so.
- Privileged Employees
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Licensed Professional Counselors in the College’s Enrollment Services Centers who provide mental-health counseling to members of the school community are not required to report any information about an incident to the Title IX coordinator, and/or Campus Police, without a complainant‘s permission. These employees are known as Privileged Employees. While these professionals may maintain a complainant’s confidentiality from the College, they may have reporting or other obligations under state law.
A complainant who speaks to a Privileged Employee must understand that, if they want to maintain confidentiality, the College will be unable to conduct an investigation into the particular incident or pursue disciplinary action against the alleged perpetrator.
Privileged Employees will still assist the complainant in receiving other necessary protection and support, such as victim advocacy, academic support or accommodations, disability, health or mental health services, and changes to living, working or course schedules. A complainant who at first requests confidentiality may later decide to file a formal complaint with the college or report the incident to local law enforcement, and thus have the incident fully investigated. Privileged Employees will provide the complainant with assistance if the complainant wishes to do so.
- Responsible Employees
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With exception of the College’s employees designated as Confidential or Privileged Employees, every individual employed by Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College is considered to be a Responsible Employee. A “responsible employee” is a college employee who has the authority to address sexual harassment, who has the duty to report incidents of sexual harassment as defined above, or who a student could reasonably believe has this authority or duty.
A responsible employee must report all relevant details about the alleged sexual harassment shared by the victim and that the College will need to determine what happened – including the name(s) of the complainant(s) and alleged respondent(s), any witnesses, and any other relevant facts, including the date, time and specific location of the alleged incident. To the extent possible, information reported to a responsible employee will be shared only with people responsible for handling the College’s response to the report.
Before a complainant reveals any information to a responsible employee, the employee should ensure that the complainant understands the employee’s reporting obligations – and, if the complainant wants to maintain confidentiality, direct them to confidential resources.
If the complainant wants to tell the responsible employee what happened but also maintain confidentiality, the employee should tell the complainant that the College will consider the request, but cannot guarantee that the College will be able to honor it.
Responsible employees will not pressure a complainant to request confidentiality, but will honor and support the complainant’s wishes. By the same token, responsible employees will not pressure a complainant to make a formal complaint if the complainant is not ready to.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College encourages victims of sexual violence to talk to somebody about what happened – so victims can get the support they need, and so the College can respond appropriately. Different employees on campus have different abilities to maintain a victim’s confidentiality. The College Statement on Privacy and Confidentiality is intended to make members of the college community aware of the various reporting and confidential disclosure options available to them – so they can make informed choices about where to turn should they become a victim of sexual violence. The College encourages victims to talk to someone identified in one or more of these groups:
Disclosure to Responsible Employees
A “responsible employee” is a College employee who has the authority to address sexual violence, who has the duty to report incidents of sexual violence or other student misconduct, or who a student could reasonably believe has this authority or duty. When a victim tells a responsible employee about an incident of sexual violence, the victim has the right to expect the College to take immediate and appropriate steps to investigate what happened and to resolve the matter promptly and equitably. A responsible employee must report all relevant details about the alleged sexual violence shared by the victim and that the College will need to determine what happened – including the names of the victim and alleged perpetrator(s), any witnesses, and any other relevant facts, including the date, time and specific location of the alleged incident. To the extent possible, information reported to a responsible employee will be shared only with people responsible for handling the College’s response to the report.
Before a victim reveals any information to a responsible employee, the employee should ensure that the victim understands the employee’s reporting obligations – and, if the victim wants to maintain confidentiality, direct the victim to confidential resources. With the exception of Enrollment Specialists, all other College employees are considered “responsible employees.”
Disclosure to Confidential Employees
Enrollment Specialists individuals who work or volunteer in the college’s Enrollment Services Centers can generally talk to a victim without revealing any personally identifying information about an incident to the College. A victim can seek assistance and support from these individuals without triggering a College investigation that could reveal the victim’s identity or that the victim has disclosed the incident. These employees are known as Confidential Employees.
While maintaining a victim’s confidentiality, Enrollment Specialists should report the nature, date, time, and general location of an incident to Campus Police or the Title IX Coordinator. This limited report – which includes no information that would directly or indirectly identify the victim – helps keep the Title IX Coordinator and/or Campus Police informed of the general extent and nature of sexual violence on and off campus so the coordinator can track patterns, evaluate the scope of the problem, and formulate appropriate campus-wide responses. Before reporting any information to the Title IX Coordinator and/or Campus Police, Enrollment Specialists will consult with the victim to ensure that no personally identifying details are shared with the Title IX Coordinator and/or Campus Police. A victim who speaks to a professional or non-professional counselor or advocate must understand that, if the victim wants to maintain confidentiality, the College will be unable to conduct an investigation into the particular incident or pursue disciplinary action against the alleged perpetrator.