Faculty and Staff Reporting Responsibilities

Faculty and staff reporting requirements are based on the University-wide Policy on Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation (the Policy), which details reporting responsibilities related to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as well as the current Resolution Agreement with the Office for Civil Rights, California Senate Bill 493, and the Clery Policy

The information below is to ensure all USC faculty and staff are aware of their obligations as they learn of and receive reports as well as available resources to learn more about these obligations.

Designated Employees

To ensure that the University has a comprehensive process for centralized reporting and responding appropriately to notice of sex discrimination, the following are Designated Employees who are required to report prohibited conduct to the Office for Equity, Equal Opportunity, and Title IX (EEO-TIX):

  • Faculty
  • Academic advisors
  • Staff employees, including student employees who hold supervisory positions
  • Teaching assistants
  • Research assistants
  • Residential assistants

Designated Employees must report disclosures, reports, or other known information about the following forms of prohibited conduct, as defined in the Policy:

  • Harassment and discrimination based on protected characteristics (i.e., sex, race, disability, religion, etc.)
  • Sexual and gender-based harassment, including Title IX sexual harassment
  • Sexual assault
  • Dating and domestic violence
  • Stalking
  • Non-consensual viewing, recording, and dissemination
  • Exposure
  • Complicity
  • Retaliation

Designated Employees report to: Reports must be made to EEO-TIX and can be made in person at USC’s King Hall 101, by telephone at (213) 740-5086, or by email at eeotix@usc.edu.

Campus Security Authorities

The following are Campus Security Authorities (CSAs) who are required to immediately report potential Clery Act crimes:

  • Any member of the Department of Public Safety (DPS)
  • Individuals with responsibility for campus security in some capacity
  • Individuals or offices where a university policy directs students, staff, or faculty to report criminal offenses
  • Officials with significant responsibility for student and campus activities, including but not limited to student housing/residential education, student discipline, and campus judicial proceedings

CSAs must immediately report potential Clery Act crimes, including sexual offenses, observed by them, or reported to them by other individuals, based on the report itself, without regard to whether the alleged crime actually occurred. This includes information received by a CSA from a confidential resource.

CSAs report to:

Reports must be made through the CSA Crime Incident Report Form, directly to DPS, or to the Office of Clery Compliance.

Confidential Resources

Confidential Resources include campus or community professionals who are required by law to maintain the confidentiality of information shared with them in the context of a legally-protected or privileged relationship (such as professional mental health counselors, medical professionals, attorneys, and ordained clergy). Confidential Resources must maintain the confidentiality of communications disclosed within the scope of their provision of professional services, unless required or permitted to disclose information by law or ethical obligations. Information shared with Confidential Resources when they are acting in the scope of their profession will not be disclosed to the VP for EEO-TIX or any other university official without the express written permission of the individual seeking services or as otherwise provided by law (i.e., where there is an imminent threat of harm to self or others or the conduct involves suspected abuse of a minor). In other instances, a Confidential Resource may share information as it relates to patterns or trends but will not reveal any personally identifiable information.

Confidential Resources at the university include Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention and Services (RSVP), Student Counseling Services (SCS), medical professionals at Engemann Student Health Center and Eric Cohen Student Health Center, the USC WorkWell Center, Office of the Ombuds, and clergy in the Office for Religious Life.

All other staff employees

Reporting is an essential tool to address Prohibited Conduct and to keep the campus community safe. All employees who are not Designated Employees or Confidential Resources are also strongly encouraged to share any information about such conduct with EEO-TIX.

Timely reporting

Failure to make a timely report means the university cannot fulfill its obligations under Title IX and the Clery Act and goes against our Unifying Values. It may also result in furthering harm to the campus community by not providing the university the opportunity to respond and take action.

Resources to learn more

Designated Employee designation and reporting responsibilities:

Campus Security Authority designation, reporting responsibilities, and resources:

Resources to support impacted individuals

The University provides a robust range of resources and supportive measures to support students, faculty, and staff impacted by sexual-or gender-based harassment and violence. Resources and supportive measures are available to all USC community members, including Reporting Parties and Respondents. A list of campus and community resources, including reporting options and confidential resources, is available on the EEO-TIX webpage.