Guest Column: Multiple resources available to USU students impacted by sexual misconduct
Welcome back, Aggies! My name is Hilary Renshaw, and I am the USU Title IX Coordinator. Part of my role at Utah State University is to help ensure your academic experience on any USU campus or center is not impacted by sexual misconduct.
I am thrilled that students are returning to campus; even though our experience looks and feels very different this year. I know there are many stressors that our Aggie family may be experiencing at this time, and I don’t want sexual misconduct to be one of them. To start, let’s be clear that USU does not tolerate sexual misconduct in any form, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, relationship violence, or stalking.
If you experience behavior like this, there are resources available to you. You have the option to make a confidential report to the Counseling and Psychological Services Office or the Sexual Assault and Anti-Violence Information Office. You can report to the University for a response, including through the Office of Equity and/or USU Police. Please visit sexualrespect.usu.edu to learn more about resources and options that exist for all USU students, no matter where they are located. You can also report any incident of sexual misconduct online at equity.usu.edu/report, by emailing me at titleix@usu.edu, in person in Old Main 161 on the Logan campus, or over the phone by calling 435-797-1266.
The Office of Equity works as a team to create a process that helps members of the USU community who experience sexual misconduct understand their options and receive information regarding support and resources. The Office of Equity’s supportive measures specialist meets with students to talk about how they can be supported and will provide information concerning: receiving supportive measures to address academic and safety concerns, accessing on- and off-campus resources (including for confidential advocacy or counseling), filing a formal complaint with the Title IX Coordinator to either pursue a full investigation or seek an informal resolution, and reporting to law enforcement. If you experience sexual misconduct while you are at USU, supportive measures are available to you regardless of whether you participate in an investigation.
Ultimately, my goal is to create a learning and living environment free of sex discrimination, including sexual misconduct. It’s up to all members of the Aggie family to participate in sexual misconduct prevention programs and to help create an inclusive and safe campus.
Hilary Renshaw is the Title IX Coordinator for Utah State University. She can be contacted at 435-797-1266 or titleix@usu.edu.