If you have been named as a Respondent or if you think you may have engaged in misconduct, you may be feeling confused, upset, scared, ashamed, and/or worried. There are resources available to support you, some are confidential.
Grinnell College is committed to treating all members of the community with dignity, empathy, and respect. Any individual affected by sexual or gender-based harassment, sexual violence, sexual assault, intimate partner violence/domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking whether as a Complainant, a Respondent, witness, or a third party, will have equal access to support through the College. The College recognizes that deciding whether or not to make a report and choosing how to proceed can be difficult decisions. We encourage any individual who has questions or concerns to seek the support of campus and community resources. These resources can provide guidance in making decisions, information about available resources, and procedural options, and assistance to either party in the event that a report and/or resolution under the College’s policy is pursued.
The Respondent is presumed to be not responsible throughout the process until, and if, a preponderance of the evidence supports a finding that the Respondent violated the Policy.
Title IX Coordinator
Bailey Asberry she/her
titleix@grinnell.edu
641-269-4999
Mears Cottage, 1213 6th Avenue
Policies and Procedures
Policies At-a-Glance
Rights and Options for Respondents (pdf)
Supportive Measures (pdf)
Safety Resources
1020 Spring Street, Grinnell
24 hours — 911 for immediate help or 641-236-2670 to speak with a dispatcher
Mears Cottage, 1213 6th Avenue, Grinnell
24 hours — 641-269-4600
Confidential Resources
There are confidential resources available to support you. Confidentiality means that information shared by an individual with designated campus or community professionals cannot be revealed to any other person without express permission of the individual, or as otherwise permitted or required by law.
Forum, Lower Level
641-269-3230
Center for Religion, Spirituality, and Social Justice
Open Monday-Friday, 8-5 pm
Available 24 hours via Campus Safety
Center for Religion, Spirituality, and Social Justice (CRSSJ), 913 8th Avenue
641-269-4981
These campus community members are confidential resources trained to provide confidential counseling services to all students, regardless of religious/spiritual orientation.
Employee and Family Resources Program (faculty and staff)
1-800-327-4692 (24 hrs)
The EFR Counseling Program aims to provide easily accessible and high-quality counseling services to individuals (youth and adult) and families in a safe and confidential setting to address issues of depression, anxiety, addiction, family or marital conflict, and/or other concerns that impact daily functioning and quality of life for all members of our community. Services are available on a voluntary and confidential basis and are provided at EFR’s offices in Des Moines and West Des Moines.
EFR’s Counseling Program is designed to help clients to achieve the goals they set for themselves. Our counselors have licensed master’s level professionals who are trained to help clients to define their concerns and set realistic goals for their work together. EFR counseling services are solution focused and experienced at working with individuals from all backgrounds. We have the utmost respect for every client and their valuable time.
Open Monday-Friday, 8–5 p.m.
Joe Rosenfield Center 311, 1115 8th Avenue
641-269-9399
The Grinnell College Ombuds Office was established to provide an independent, neutral point of view in an informal and confidential environment. The Ombuds will listen and inform, research issues to help generate options, and coach individuals on how to deal with difficult and sensitive situations. As an alternate and informal channel of communication, the Ombuds Office is available to the entire college community – staff, students, faculty, and administrators – to address concerns.
EthicsPoint is an online service that allows anyone to report suspected misconduct or other issues to Grinnell College support resources with complete anonymity and confidentiality. The College’s ability to respond with support, however, may be limited if you choose to remain anonymous. EthicsPoint also provides an anonymous reporting hotline at 855-667-1753. EthicsPoint is not an emergency service. Do not use EthicsPoint to report events presenting an immediate threat to life or property, instead call 911.
When a report is received in EthicsPoint there is an option to receive an access code to check for updates to the report. The Title IX Office will post responses to these reports to try and learn more about what is reported and to offer resources and support to the reporting party.
Support Person
Regardless of the manner of resolution, both parties have the opportunity to have a support person (advisor) present at any and all meetings.
Complainants and Respondents have the opportunity to consult with and be accompanied by the support person (advisor) of their choice to any related meeting or proceeding under these procedures. The support person (advisor) may be any individual, including an attorney. The support person (advisor) is a nonparticipating supporter at any meeting or proceeding under this policy and procedures, except that the support person (advisor) may conduct questioning of the other party and any witnesses during the hearing. The support person (advisor) may advise the Complainant or Respondent on the procedural or any other aspects of the matter or assist with the party’s review of documents and appeal process in a manner consistent with this policy. The advisor is entitled to review all information gathered in the investigation that is directly related to the allegations (as part of evidence review), to access to the investigation report, and to question the other party and all witnesses during the hearing.
A party may decline to use an advisor for all stages of the resolution process, with the exception of the hearing, where any questioning of the other party must be conducted by the party’s advisor. If a party does not have an advisor for the hearing, the College will provide an advisor, free of charge, who may be, but is not required to be, an attorney, to attend the hearing and conduct questioning on behalf of that party. This College-appointed advisor will be selected from a pool of diverse individuals.
A party may change their support person (advisor) at any point during the process. A support person (advisor) may be required to meet with the Title IX Coordinator or Senior Official in advance to understand the parameters of their role, privacy restrictions under FERPA, and the provisions of this policy. The College reserves the right to dismiss a support person (advisor) who is disruptive to College proceedings or does not abide by the restrictions set forth in this policy.
Legal Resources
Office of the State Public Defender "The Office of the State Public Defender is responsible for coordinating Iowa's Indigent Defense System. Our mission is to ensure that all indigent persons in Iowa are provided high-quality legal representation in criminal, juvenile, and other eligible proceedings in the most efficient and fiscally responsible manner."
The Iowa State Bar Association's Find a Lawyer site can be a helpful tool in finding counsel in Iowa specific to your needs.
Department of Education Office for Civil Rights
Region V Office
500 W. Madison St., Suite 1475
Chicago, Illinois 60661
312-730-1560
OCR.Chicago@ed.gov