Depending on their roles at USD, staff and faculty have varying reporting responsibilities and abilities to maintain confidentiality. In order to make informed choices, you should be aware of confidentiality and mandatory reporting requirements when consulting campus resources. The university is committed to protecting the privacy of all individuals involved in a report of Sexual Misconduct or Relationship Violence. In any report made, the privacy interests of those involved will be protected in a manner consistent with the need to respond to and to conduct a thorough review of the incident reported. Information will be shared only with those individuals who have a legitimate need to know the information in order to assist in the response to, investigation and/or resolution of the complaint.
Confidentiality, on the other hand, is not the same as privacy. Confidentiality means that the information shared with a certain university employee or outside professional cannot be disclosed to others without the express permission of the individual who shared the information. Confidential resources can be found on the Resources page.
Anonymous Reporting Options
Are you interested in reporting information to USD without disclosing your name or identities of other parties involved?
Anonymous Report through the Department of Public Safety
You may report incidents or information anonymously at the Department of Public Safety website through the Anonymous Reporting form. The Anonymous Report form is also designed to provide the DPS with crime tips, along with reports in which complete anonymity is desired. Depending on the information you provide, action by the university may be limited.
Third Party Anonymous Report
You may report your concerns through the university’s Incident Reporting Helpline. The Incident Reporting Helpline can be reached toll free at (1-855-799-8305) or by submitting an online report.
The Incident Reporting Helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To ensure caller confidentiality and anonymity, the service is administered by an independent third party, Ethics Point.
Private Reporting Options
Are you interested in filing a report with USD or speaking with someone who can provide support, safety and accommodations?
Title IX Coordinator
619-260-4594
Maher Hall 101
titleIX@sandiego.edu
Responsible for coordinating USD’s compliance with Title IX which prohibits sex discrimination, including sexual or relationship violence. The Title IX Coordinator is available to meet with students or others as needed to provide information about options for complaint resolution, to facilitate an effective response to a complaint, and to address the way in which USD responds to incidents of alleged sexual misconduct and relationship violence.
Department of Public Safety
Non-Emergency: 619-260-7777 (24 hours a day/7 days a week)
Emergency: 619-260-2222 (24 hours a day/7 days a week)
Hughes Administration Building 151
Public Safety can provide resources to help you feel safer on campus, including connecting you to a CARE Advocate or a confidential counselor after hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
USD requires all faculty members, administrators, supervisors, and any employees who have responsibility for student welfare, including Resident Assistants, to promptly report information about any incident of Sexual Misconduct or Relationship Violence. Information is to be shared with one of the above reporting options listed. All information shared will remain private and only be shared with people who can assist in accessing resources.
Where the matter involves allegations of sexual assault or other criminal conduct and/or the matter involves the safety of any member of the USD community, the Department of Public Safety will notify law enforcement of a report of Sexual Misconduct or Relationship Violence. If the incident is alleged to have been perpetrated against an individual under age 18, appropriate notifications will be made as required by California law addressing the mandatory reporting of incidents of child abuse and neglect. You may choose not to speak with law enforcement or participate in any investigation at this time.
Complaints of discrimination or harassment, including sexual misconduct and relationship violence, against an employee are investigated by the Department of Public Safety and Human Resources. Similar to a complaint filed against another USD student, you have the right to choose whether to participate in this investigation. Additionally, you can change your mind if you initially choose not to participate in an investigation and later wish to do so.
While the investigation is not confidential, it is considered a private process and information will only be shared with USD employees on a need to know basis. With that said, please note that USD prohibits retaliation against any person who makes a good faith complaint of an incident of sexual misconduct or relationship violence.
If you choose participate in an investigation, the investigating officer will contact you to gather information from you and they may ask you to meet in person to obtain your statement and ask you questions about the incident. CARE Advocates are available to accompany you to this meeting if you would like. Separate from the investigation, the Title IX Coordinator will also reach out to you to provide information about resources, the investigation process and your options.
USD’s Human Resources will also contact the employee to request an in person meeting where they will obtain the employee’s statement and ask them questions about the incident. The Department of Public Safety and/or Human Resources will also gather other information, such as witnesses named by you or the employee as important for the investigator to speak with or other witnesses that USD learns about through the course of the investigation. USD will also gathering information from other sources such as social media, text messages, phone records, email messages and more.
During the course of the investigation, the Department of Public Safety and/or Human Resources may also contact you to ask follow up questions if needed. USD understands that the investigation process can be stressful. Therefore, we will try to minimize follow up contact with you and will only follow up when necessary. Additionally, resources will continue to be available for you during the course of the investigation.
Upon completion of the investigation, Human Resources will determine what action will be taken toward the employee to remediate the incident and ensure the safety of the campus community.
A CARE Advocate will be made available to you. An Advocate can help answer questions about the multiple processes involved in reporting, facilitate appropriate referrals to resources for USD students who have been impacted by sexual assault, harassment, and/or partner violence and are available to accompany students to Public Safety, and/or an interview with Law Enforcement.
The Title IX coordinator will contact you. They will request to meet with you to explain resources that are available to you as well as USD's policies and protocol pertaining to sexual misconduct and relationship violence. If you choose to meet with the Title IX Coordinator, it will happen.
No. If you have been sexually assaulted or are the victim of relationship violence and were intoxicated near or at the time of the incident, you will not be charged with a violation of the Student Code of Conduct. Additionally, a witness who participates in an investigation of sexual misconduct or relationship violence will not be subject to disciplinary sanction for a violation of the Code near or at the time of the incident unless the university determines that the violation is egregious.
Your parent or guardian may speak with USD’s Title IX Coordinator, Dr. Nicole Veloz. Please note that the Title IX Coordinator is always able to speak with your parent or guardian about USD’s process for handling complaints of sexual misconduct or relationship violence and USD policies. However, under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), USD is required to maintain privacy of education records of all students. Therefore, for Dr. Veloz to release information about your case, you will need to complete a FERPA Authorization permitting Dr. Veloz to share case specific information with your parent or guardian. The FERPA Authorization may be found on the Title IX site.
After a report is made and prior to a final determination, USD will implement appropriate accommodations, safety measures, and interim measures to protect the Complainant and the needs of others involved in the incident, if so requested by the Complainant or others involved in the incident and if such measures are reasonably available. The implementation of these measures typically is coordinated by or under the supervision of the Title IX Coordinator or the Dean of Students. These measures may include, but are not limited to:
- the implementation of a USD-issued no-contact order. A No Contact Order directs two (or more) students to avoid contact with one another both on campus and off campus. The contact to be avoided includes in person interaction as well as via phone, text, social media or through other parties. The No Contact Order is always provided to both (or all) parties equally. No Contact Orders are not a part of student conduct records, however violations of the No Contact Order may result in violations of the Student Code of Conduct.
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academic accommodations. Academic accommodations may include sending a letter from the Dean of Students (or designee) to professors indicating that the impacted student(s) are managing a sensitive personal matter at this time and requesting professor flexibility. This e-mail notification is sent as a courtesy and is not intended to suggest that the student be excused from any course requirements. Course related matters are to be negotiated between the faculty member and the student. Academic accommodations may also include reassigning a student to a different section of a course where possible, and/or communicating to a professor that it would be best if specific students not be placed in the same group for projects.
- residential accommodations. Residential accommodations may include moving impacted student(s) to another housing assignment either permanently or temporarily based upon the situation.
- transportation accommodations. On a case by case basis, the Department of Public Safety can provide safety escorts based specific safety concerns and on the availability of patrol units. DPS can also assist in arranging temporary parking based on specific safety concerns.
- employment accommodations. Employment accommodations for students working on campus may result in reassignment or shifting hours/schedules. This may also result in a temporary leave of absence (paid) if determined to be necessary based upon the situation.
- safety consultations with the Department of Public Safety. Safety consultations include reviewing safety/crime prevention tips and discussing the Women's Self Defense (R.A.D.) as applicable.
- personal protection devices. DPS provides a mini personal protection alarm as applicable. The mini personal protection alarm provides a loud siren sound when activated and includes a LED light.
- on-campus escorts. Department of Public Safety provides safety escorts from dusk till dawn for anyone with safety concerns, based on the availability of patrol units.
Until the matter is resolved, and when necessary and appropriate to protect the safety and well-being of the parties involved, the Dean of Students, in consultation with the Title IX Coordinator, may limit an Alleged Offender’s access to certain USD facilities or activities or may impose an interim suspension. Interim measures taken with respect to USD employees will be implemented in consultation with the Title IX Coordinator in a manner consistent with the university’s processes applicable to the employee.
An individual always has the right to choose whether or not to participate in an investigation. If you do not want to participate in an investigation, you can still utilize campus resources. Additionally, you can change your mind if you initially choose not to participate in an investigation and later wish to do so. Please note that during the investigation process, you will be referred to as the “Complainant” and the accused student(s) is referred to as the “Respondent.” It is also important to note that while the investigation is not confidential, it is considered a private process and information will only be shared with USD employees on a need to know basis.
If you request that USD not pursue an investigation or take any other action, USD will balance this request with its obligation to protect you and provide a safe and non-discriminatory environment for all USD community members. Therefore, USD may pursue an investigation without your participation. More information about USD’s responsibility to conduct an investigation without the Complainant’s participation can be found in the Sexual Misconduct and Relationship Violence Reporting and Response Standards and Protocols.
Investigations are typically conducted by the Department of Public Safety. If you participate in an investigation, the investigating officer will contact you to gather information from you and they may ask you to meet in person to obtain your statement and ask you questions about the incident. CARE Advocates are available to accompany you to this meeting if you would like.
The investigating officer will also contact the Respondent(s) to request an in person meeting where the officer will obtain their statement and ask them questions about the incident. Separate from the investigation, the Title IX Coordinator will also reach out to you and the Respondent to provide information about resources, the investigation process and your options.
The investigating officer will also gather other information, such as witnesses named by you or the respondent as important for the investigator to speak with or other witnesses that USD learns about through the course of the investigation. The investigating officer is also gathering information from other sources such as social media, text messages, phone records, email messages, and more.
During the course of the investigation, the investigating officer may also contact you to ask follow up questions if needed. USD understands that the investigation process can be stressful. Therefore, the investigating officer will try to minimize follow up contact with you and will only follow up when necessary. Additionally, resources will continue to be available for you during the course of the investigation.
Upon completion of the investigation, the Department of Public Safety will forward the investigatory report to the Office of Ethical Development and Restorative Practices who will determine whether sufficient information exists to proceed with student conduct procedures. These procedures may include an administrative hearing or a Critical Issues Board Hearing. Additional information about the student conduct procedures may be found on the student conduct page .You will not be required to participate in the investigation. You can choose at any time whether or not to speak with representatives of the university. If you request that your name or other identifiable information not be shared with the Alleged Offender or that USD not pursue an investigation or take any other action, USD will balance this request with its obligation to protect you and provide a safe and non-discriminatory environment for all USD community members. In these circumstances, USD will take all reasonable steps to investigate and respond to the report consistent with the request for confidentiality or request not to pursue an investigation, but its ability to respond may be limited by the request for confidentiality. USD will weigh the request for confidentiality against various factors, including but not necessarily limited to the following: the seriousness of the alleged conduct, any potential threats to campus safety, the respective ages and positions of you and the Alleged Offender, whether there have been other complaints against the Alleged Offender, whether the Alleged Offender has a record of any prior acts of violence, and whether the circumstances suggest there is an increased risk of future acts of sexual violence under similar circumstances. USD will seek to respect your request, and where it cannot do so, USD will keep you informed about USD’s chosen course of action.
You can choose at any time whether or not to speak (or continue speaking) with representatives of the university. The more information provided to the university allows for swift action to be taken to address your needs and the safety of the community.
A no-contact order is administered by the Dean of Students Office and directs two (or more) students to avoid contact with one another both on campus and off. The contact to be avoided includes in person interaction as well as via phone, text, social media, or through other parties. The no-contact order is always provided to both parties equally.
No-contact orders are not a part of student conduct records, however, violations of the order may result in violations of the Student Code of Conduct.
You may request for the university to implement a no-contact order or USD may decide to implement a no-contact order for the safety of the involved students. When implemented, the no-contact order is delivered to the involved students and they are instructed to refrain from contacting one another.
The Title IX Coordinator, Dr. Nicole Veloz, monitors and oversees USD’s compliance with Title IX and related laws regarding the prevention of sexual harassment and discrimination, which includes sexual assault and relationship violence. She also serves as a resource for you to ask questions, voice concerns, or report complaints about these incidents.
Typically, Dr. Veloz will reach out to you to provide information about resources both on and off campus as well as information on accommodations such as professor notifications or no-contact orders. Dr. Veloz is also available to answer any questions you have on university policies or procedures.
Public Safety Officers respond to crimes and medical emergencies and can provide other general assistance. Officers can facilitate reporting through the San Diego Police Department. Public Safety is primarily responsible for conducting on-campus investigations of any report related to sexual or relationship violence. CARE Advocates can be reached by contacting Public Safety Dispatch at 619-260-2222.
USD requires all faculty members, administrators, supervisors, resident assistants, scholastic assistants and any employees who have responsibility for student welfare to promptly report information about any incident of Sexual Misconduct or Relationship Violence to USD unless the employee is required by law to keep that information confidential by virtue of his or her professional role (e.g. the employee received the information in his or her role as a psychological counselor or a pastoral counselor).