Appendix 7
Appendix 7: Reporting
A. Mandatory Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse
Any employee of the University of South Carolina Aiken community who has reasonable cause to suspect abuse, or neglect, of a minor under the age of 18 must make a report to university law enforcement, who will facilitate a report to local law enforcement. For more information see policy UNIV 4.00 Programs Involving Minors.
B. Reporting to Law Enforcement
The university encourages all individuals to consider their options to report any crime to the USC Aiken Police Department and/or to local law enforcement. A Complainant has the right to report, or decline to report, potential criminal conduct to law enforcement. Upon request, the university will assist a Complainant in contacting law enforcement at any time. Pursuant to the Jessica Horton Act, the university is required to report instances of Sexual Assault and murder that occur on campus to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Under limited circumstances posing a threat to health or safety of any university community member, the university may independently notify law enforcement.
An individual may make a report to the university, to law enforcement, to neither, or to both. University investigative processes and law enforcement investigations operate independently of one another.
C. Amnesty Statement
As a caring community, the university wants to foster an environment in which students take responsibility to call for help when another student is in need. There are protections for amnesty under USC Aiken’s Code of Student Conduct and Chapter 53, Title 44, Article 19 of the Code of Laws for South Carolina (Drug or Alcohol-Related Overdose Medical Treatment).
D. Privacy and Confidentiality
The University of South Carolina Aiken is committed to protecting the privacy of all individuals involved in a report of prohibited conduct under this policy.
Privacy and confidentiality have distinct meanings under this policy:
Privacy: refers to the discretion that will be exercised by the university in the course of responding to any report or complaint. Information related to a report of prohibited conduct will be shared on a need to know basis, in order to assist in the assessment, investigation, and resolution of the report and related issues. During the course of a resolution, information may be disclosed as necessary to facilitate the thoroughness and integrity of the resolution. In all such proceedings, the university will maintain the privacy of the parties to the extent reasonably possible.
Confidentiality: Those with legally-protected or privileged relationships, can keep information strictly between them and the individual they are serving. Examples of confidential resources include professional mental health counselors, medical professionals, attorneys, ordained clergy/pastoral counselors and rape crisis counselors (Appendix: Confidential Resources). Similarly, an individual’s medical and counseling records are confidential and cannot be released without the individual's written permission or unless permitted or required consistent with ethical or legal obligations. More information about confidentiality and the release of information by the university can be found in the Appendix. (See Appendix: Confidential Resources). Some confidential resources may have other reporting requirements under the law. For example, when a report involves suspected abuse of a minor under the age of 18, these Confidential Resources are required by state law to notify child protective services and/or local law enforcement.