Title IX

You can make a Title IX report several ways. If you tell a mandatory reporter (any Coker University employee) that you are experiencing sexual harassment or other prohibited conduct, they are required to report that information to the Title IX Coordinator. A Title IX Team member will reach out to you to offer resources. You can also self-report by using our Sexual Misconduct Reporting Form, calling Camus Safety and Security (843) 383-8140, emailing the Title IX Coordinator (cheatherly@coker.edu), or by stopping by the Title IX Coordinator’s Office, LITC 138.

Yes! Supportive measures can be offered to a complainant even if the alleged conduct is not adjudicated through the University’s Title IX process.

A No Contact Directive (NCD) is a written directive offered through Title IX. The purpose of the NCD is to stop all communication between two or more parties, with the goal of helping the parties move forward in a supportive and successful way. NCDs are often issued when one party wishes to have no further communication with another party, or when Coker University determines that two or more people need to have no further communication due to alleged prohibited conduct or other safety concerns. A NCD is not a finding of responsibility, and it does not mean that either party is in trouble. If one party reports a violation of the NCD, University administrators will investigate the report and recommend some type of sanction if it determines a party violated the directive

No, Title IX is separate from law enforcement. Some reported behaviors may require mandatory reports to law enforcement; therefore the University employee will report the behavior immediately. You may, at any time, report to law enforcement. If there are both law enforcement and Title IX investigations, the investigations will operate separately and simultaneously. Law enforcement will collaborate as much as possible and permissible within the law.

If a Complainant requests to remain confidential, the University will give serious consideration to that request. Only in rare circumstances will the University proceed to a Title IX investigation against the wishes of the Complainant. Generally, the University will seek to honor the request of the Complainant not to proceed to a Title IX investigation and to remain confidential and will not proceed to a formal Title IX investigation without the consent of the Complainant. The Title IX Coordinator will consider a number of factors in deciding whether the request can be honored, including the age of the Complainant, whether there is evidence of a pattern of misconduct, the severity of the misconduct, and whether there is a safety risk to the Complainant or the Coker community. Should the University, in weighing such factors, determine it must proceed, the University will explain its rationale to the Complainant and make sure that the Complainant is offered a support person throughout the process. The Complainant will not be required to participate in the process as a prerequisite to the University proceeding.

A Confidential Resource will only report to the university that an offense took place and the location. Deciding among these options can be difficult, and individuals are encouraged to seek assistance from a Confidential Resource BEFORE deciding how to proceed. Confidential consultations about Title IX Prohibited Conduct are available from persons who, by law, have special professional status (licensed mental health professionals, licensed healthcare workers and clergy).

• On campus Confidential Resources:
  • The Center for Health and Wellness is staffed by a licensed nurse through Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center. For more information or to book an appointment, visit this website.
  • The Center for Health and Wellness is staffed by licensed psychiatrists and mental health counselors through the Medical University of South Carolina TelePsyc program. For more information or to book an appointment, visit this website.
• Off campus Confidential Resources: Any individual may also access resources located in the community. These organizations can provide crisis intervention services, counseling, medical attention and assistance in dealing with the criminal justice system. If accessing these resources,individuals are encouraged to clarify whether the resources are confidential.
  • Pee Dee Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Assault
  • CareSouth Carolinas
  • Interfaith Contacts
  • National Sexual Assault Telephone HotlineNational Rape Crisis Center

Campus Safety officers can assist you at any time if you feel you are unsafe, if you need assistance filing criminal charges or if you would like to speak with a victim’s advocate. If you are in need of immediate assistance, call 843-383-8140 or 843-616-2762. Contacting campus safety does not assure complete confidentiality.

You may call local law enforcement or emergency services:
Hartsville Police Department – 911 (calls will likely result in police involvement)
Darlington County Sheriff – 911 (calls will likely result in police involvement)

You may visit a local emergency room:
Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center

843-339-4100
1304 West Bobo Newsom Highway
Hartsville, SC  29550
Maps and Directions

The Title IX Coordinator will assist individuals in knowing their options for obtaining supportive measures. Upon a report of a Title IX concern, the University will work with the Complainant to put supportive measures in place to ensure a safe, hostile free environment for the student. Following an investigation and a determination that conduct prohibited by Title IX occurred, more permanent supportive measures and remedies may be implemented. Supportive measures could include, but are not limited to:

• Changing a housing assignment
• Counseling services
• Changing a class schedule
• Escort services
• No contact Orders
• Limitation on extracurricular or athletic activities
• Campus Ban Notice
• Changing an office location
• Changing a work schedule

The Coker University Title IX Team, consisting of the Title IX Coordinator, Deputy Title IX Coordinator, Investigators and Decision-makers have completed numerous training opportunities and certifications. Those trainings and certifications are included below. Copies of certifications are located in the Campus Safety Office.

Level 1 Title IX Coordinator and Administrator Level 1, provider ATIXA, 2020

Title IX 101 Higher Education, provider Institutional Compliance Solutions (ICS), 2021
Title IX 101 Higher Education
Title IX Investigator Level 1 Higher Education, provider ICS, 2021
Title IX Investigator Level 1
Title IX Appellate Decision Makers Higher Education, provider ICS, 2021
Title IX Decision-Makers Appeals
Title IX Decision Maker Level 1 Higher Education, provider ICS, 2021
Title IX Decision Makers Level 1