Mandatory reporters and other important but complex titles (#1327)

Topics/tags: Academia

The other day, I received an email from a colleague at another institution that included a signatory note indicating they are now a Title IX Mandatory Reporter. I cringed a bit at that signature because Michelle always used to remind us that Mandatory Reporter has historically been a term reserved for those mandated by law to report child abuse [1] (e.g., physicians, social workers, police officers). Attaching the term to Title IX confuses the matter.

Generally, those who say that they are Title IX mandatory reporters mean that their institution requires them to report cases of sexual assault when they become aware of such cases. Is that a legal requirement with the same force as child abuse reporting? Not really. While it might be considered a legal requirement, as per various Dear Colleague and other advisory letters from the United States Department of Education, in the end, the onus is on the institution, not the individual.

I checked out my colleague’s more info page on their Mandatory Reporter statement. It reads something like the following.

I am one of my institution’s Title IX Officials Required to Report. If I learn of sex- or gender-based violence, harassment, or discrimination, I am required to report the incident to my institution’s Title IX office, including any names or details I have.

I’m not surprised that they are required to report. At Grinnell, all faculty (and almost all student leaders) are required reporters. Perhaps at their institution, not all faculty must report such issues. Perhaps Grinnell is overly conservative in this matter.

In any case, I don’t see the word mandatory there. Required, yes. Mandatory or Mandated, no. Why can’t they call themselves a Required Reporter? Certainly, the difference in policies between institutions suggests that this is an institutional requirement rather than a legal mandate.

I thought about sending my colleague a note to that effect. Maybe I still will. Or perhaps I’ll send them a link to this musing. Mayhaps they already read my musings. You never know.

I also did a bit more research (at least if you consider a Web search research). And it turns out that people mandated to report child abuse are often referred to as Mandated Reporters. See, for example, the Wikipedia page on Mandated Reporters. However, at least in Iowa, the state government also uses the term Mandatory Reporter. See, for example, this statement from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.

It’s essential that mandated reporters report child (and dependent adult) abuse. It’s also important that Title IX required reporters report gender/sex-based violence, harassment, or discrimination. But they are very different kinds of reporting. Is it that hard to reserve the mandatory term for those whose mandate is reporting child (and dependent adult) abuse? Your responsibilities to people should be clear; many people who hear mandatory reporter expect that you’re responsible for reporting child abuse. Please don’t confuse them.

If you see someone say they are a Title IX Mandatory Reporter, I hope you’ll drop them a friendly note suggesting they call themselves a Title IX Required Reporter. Perhaps you can even point them to this musing.

In case you didn’t notice it in the text above, I am a required Title IX reporter for incidents at Grinnell. If I am told or hear of an instance of sex- or gender-based violence, harassment, or discrimination, I must report it to our Title IX office.

For details, see Grinnell College Policy, Procedures and Guide to Preventing, Reporting, and Responding To Sexual Misconduct and Other Forms of Interpersonal Violence [2]. In particular,

To meet these goals, with the exception of designated confidential resources, staff and faculty members and designated student leaders are required to share disclosures of Prohibited Behavior with the Title IX Coordinator.

What’s Prohibited Behavior? Let’s see …

Prohibited Behavior includes but is not limited to sexual and gender-based harassment, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, sexual exploitation, and stalking

That reminds me: I should probably add a note about my responsibilities to my syllabus [4]. I wonder if our current syllabus design guidelines [5] say anything about Title IX required reporting. Nope [6].

[1] Also, abuse of dependent adults

[2] I’m not sure why the short title of that document is Grinnell College Guide for Prohibited Behavior. I suppose that’s better than Grinnell College Guide to Prohibited Behavior.

[3] I’m also not sure why we use the Oxford comma in one part of that title, but not another.

[4] Done.

[5] These are Version 6, last updated 08/20/24. I’m glad we’re numbering them. I’d prefer that we use a more universal dating system. And didn’t these folks live through Y2K? Years need four digits.

[6] However, I am required to include some Title IX pregnancy information.

Grinnell College is committed to compliance with Title IX and to supporting the academic success of pregnant and parenting students and students with pregnancy related conditions. If you are a pregnant student, have pregnancy related conditions, or are a parenting student (child under one-year needs documented medical care) who wishes to request reasonable related supportive measures from the College under Title IX, please email the Title IX Coordinator at titleix@grinnell.edu. The Title IX Coordinator will work with Disability Resources and your professors to provide reasonable supportive measures in support of your education while pregnant or as a parent under Title IX.

I also add the following paragraph.

If you are a pregnant student, have pregnancy-related conditions, or are a parenting student (of any age child) and would prefer to work with me directly, rather than through our Title IX office, I will do my best to support you through appropriate measures. Please reach out!

Version 1.0 of 2025-01-19 .