The Plano Campus is closed through Sunday, March 14th due to weather damage. All classes
at the Plano Campus will be online until further notice and students should contact
their professors with any questions.
View College COVID-19 Information
Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking: What You Should Know
Collin College strives to maintain a healthy and safe environment where all members of its campus community are treated with dignity and respect. Collin College prohibits all forms of dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, as those terms are defined for purposes of the Clery Act, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX), as amended May 19, 2020, and the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA).
Definitions
Collin College's definitions of dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault,
and stalking (i.e., prohibited conduct) can be found here.
In some instances dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking occur because people do not have a good understanding of "consent"; therefore, it is important to know what constitutes consent to sexual activity.
-
Consent to sexual activity can be communicated in a variety of ways, but one should not presume consent has been given in the absence of a clear, positive agreement.
-
Consent can only be accurately gauged through direct communication about the decision to engage in sexual activity. The absence of the word “no” or the like (e.g., “stop”) does not imply consent.
-
Although consent can be non-verbal, verbal communication is the most reliable form of asking for and obtaining consent. Discussing desires, needs, and limitations with sexual partners provides a basis for positive sexual experiences shaped by mutual willingness and respect.
-
Presumptions based upon contextual factors (e.g., provocative clothing or dancing, etc.) are unwarranted, and should not be considered grounds for consent.
-
As defined in the State of Texas Penal Code §22.011 Sexual Assault, the age of sexual consent is 17. Therefore, consent cannot be obtained from someone who is under the age of 17, as that person is legally considered to be a minor.
-
Consent cannot be obtained from someone who is asleep, unconscious, or otherwise mentally or physically incapacitated, whether due to alcohol, drugs, or some other condition (e.g., an intellectual or other disability). A person is mentally or physically incapacitated when that person lacks the ability to make or act on considered decisions to engage in sexual activity. Engaging in sexual activity with a person whom you know – or reasonably should know – to be incapacitated constitutes sexual assault.
-
Consent to some sexual acts does not constitute consent to other sexual acts.
-
Consent must be ongoing throughout a sexual encounter and can be revoked at any time. If you proceed despite your partner’s verbal and/or non-verbal communication to stop, you have committed sexual assault.
-
Consent cannot be obtained by threat, coercion, or force. Agreement under such circumstances does not constitute consent.
-
A prior sexual encounter or pre-existing relationship does not indicate consent to current or future sexual activity.
The State of Texas' definition of consent to sexual activity is located in the Texas Penal Code, Section 22.011 Sexual Assault, and can be found here.
Procedures Victims of Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Should Follow
If you request it or if you have already reported the incident to a law enforcement official, a sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) or doctor will conduct both a forensic and medical exam and collect evidence. Having a forensic exam conducted does not require you to file a police report or proceed through the criminal justice process, but it will preserve evidence in the event you decide to do so at a later time.
For evidence collection to take place, it is best for an exam to occur within five
(5) days (i.e., 120 hours) of the incident. It is advised that you do not shower,
bathe, douche, eat, drink, wash your hands, change clothes, brush your teeth, or do
anything that may interfere with the collection of evidence. If you do change your
clothes, save the clothing you were wearing and be sure to take it with you to the
hospital in a paper (not plastic) bag. It is also important to share as much information
as you can remember with medical personnel. Learn more about the sexual assault exam
process here.
Collin County has a mobile SANE team. If you go to any hospital in Collin County,
the staff can contact the mobile SANE team, and they will come to that hospital to
assist you.
You can receive attention at any medical facility; however, the local hospitals listed
here have specially-trained staff to assist survivors of dating violence, domestic violence,
sexual assault, and stalking. Victims 17 years of age and under must be seen at a
hospital with an approved colposcope. These hospitals are noted with an asterisk (*)
in the list. Collin College does not provide transportation to any of these hospitals.
Consider Reporting the Incident to the Appropriate Law Enforcement Official
For immediate notification to local law enforcement, dial 911. To report the incident an incident that occurred on a Collin College campus or property
owned or controlled by Collin College to the Collin College Police Department, call 972.578.5555 or dial extension 5555 from any campus phone. Contact information for local law enforcement agencies can
be found here.
If you need assistance with reporting to law enforcement, you can ask the medical
professionals at the hospital if you received medical attention. Additionally, if
you request assistance, a Collin College official will help you with the process of
reporting to law enforcement. Note: Victims have the right not to report a crime or
to decline to notify authorities, including law enforcement, if they so choose.
Personal and group counseling sessions are offered free of charge to all currently enrolled Collin College students. Counseling sessions are confidential and conducted by licensed mental health professionals. Additionally, the Counseling Services Office can provide appropriate referrals to on- and off-campus resources for Collin College students and employees. For more information, contact the Counseling Services Office at 972.881.5126 or personalcounseling@collin.edu.
Collin College employees can contact the Human Resources Office (HR) for advocacy and support. HR can assist employees with appropriate accommodations and reporting to law enforcement. Additionally, HR provides appropriate referrals to off-campus resources. For more information, contact HR at 972.758.3856 or hr@collin.edu.
Collin College provides confidential and voluntary assistance to full-time employees and their household members through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). This benefit is available 24 hours a day, seven (7) days a week, and provides up to eight (8) sessions per service type per year. There is no charge for full-time employees and their household members to use the EAP’s services. For more information, contact the EAP at 1.866.324.2400, email eap@deeroaks.com, or go to www.collin.edu/hr/benefits/eap.html.
Keep a Journal
Write down everything you can remember about what occurred including, but not limited
to the:
- events that led up to the incident,
- date the incident occurred,
- time the incident occurred, and
- names of any potential witnesses or persons who may have additional information.
If applicable, keep any emails, harassing letters, online postings, photos, texts, voicemails, etc., as evidence.
Preservation of Evidence
Collin College recognizes that making the decision to report dating violence, domestic
violence, sexual assault, and stalking may take time. Nevertheless, pending the decision
to report, all individuals are strongly encouraged to take immediate steps to preserve
evidence that may assist in proving the alleged criminal offense occurred; be helpful
in obtaining a protective order; or assist with an investigation by the police, Collin
College, or both, should the victim choose to report the incident. Such evidence may
include, but is not limited to, the following:
- a forensic sexual assault examination completed within five (5) days (i.e., 120 hours) of the incident;
- any clothing, sheets, towels, or other materials containing bodily fluids. These items should be stored in cardboard boxes or paper bags, not plastic;
- electronic exchanges to the extent that they can be captured or preserved (e.g., emails; text messages; and social media posts in Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, etc.);
- photographs, including photographs stored on smartphones, tablets, and other electronic devices;
- voicemail messages; and
- any other physical, documentary, or electronic data that might be helpful or relevant in an investigation.
Risk Reduction Strategies
Risk reduction consists of options designed to decrease perpetration and bystander
inaction, and to increase empowerment in an effort to promote safety and help individuals
and communities address conditions that facilitate violence. Learn more about risk
reduction strategies here.
Note: Reporting to any individual other than the appropriate Title IX coordinator or deputy Title IX coordinator does not constitute filing a formal complaint for the purposes of initiating the Title IX complaint resolution process. To initiate the Title IX complaint resolution process, the complainant must submit a formal complaint to the appropriate Title IX coordinator or deputy Title IX coordinator listed below. Additionally, to initiate the Title IX complaint resolution process, complainants cannot remain anonymous.
Collin College designates the following persons as Title IX coordinators and deputy Title IX coordinators:
Title IX Coordinator for Students
Terrence Brennan
Dean of Students
Collin Higher Education Center (CHEC)
3452 Spur 399
Suite 457
McKinney, TX 75069
Phone: 972.881.5734
Email: tbrennan@collin.edu
|
Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Students
Amy Throop
Associate Dean of Students
McKinney Campus (Central Park)
2200 West University Drive
Suite B-336
McKinney, TX 75071
Phone: 972.881.5667
Email: athroop@collin.edu
|
Title IX Coordinator for Employees
Floyd Nickerson
Chief Human Resources Officer
Collin Higher Education Center (CHEC)
3452 Spur 399
Suite 339
McKinney, TX 75069
Phone: 972.599.3159
Email: fnickerson@collin.edu
|
Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Employees
Tonya Jacobson
Manager/Employee Relations
Collin Higher Education Center
3452 Spur 399
Suite 339
McKinney, TX 75069
Phone: 972.758.3856
Email: tjacobson@collin.edu
|
Collin College must provide certain options and interim action if the victim requests them and they are reasonably available, regardless of whether a victim chooses to report to local law enforcement, the Collin College Police Department, or the Title IX complaint resolution process. Learn more about available options and interim action here.
If you have a protective order against a person, notify the Collin College Police Department at 972.578.5555 as soon as possible.
Privacy and Confidentiality
To the greatest extent possible, Collin College will respect the privacy of the complainant,
respondent, and witnesses. Limited disclosures may be necessary in order to conduct
a thorough investigation and comply with applicable law. Collin College will complete
publicly available recordkeeping, including Clery Act reporting and disclosures, without inclusion of personally identifying information
about the complainant. Additionally, Collin College must maintain as confidential
any accommodations or supportive measures provided to the complainant or respondent,
to the extent that maintaining such confidentiality will not impair Collin College’s
ability to provide the accommodations or supportive measures.
Collin College recognizes incidents of crime can be difficult to discuss, and victims and witnesses may want confidentiality in addition to support. Victims and witnesses of crime who do not want to pursue action within the Collin College system or the criminal justice system may still want to consider making a voluntary confidential report. The Collin College Police Department can file a report on the details of the incident without revealing the victim’s or witness’s identity.
The purpose of a voluntary confidential report is to comply with the victim’s or witness’s wish to keep the matter confidential while taking steps to ensure the future safety of the victim and others. With such information, Collin College can keep an accurate record of the number of incidents involving students, employees, and visitors; determine where there is a pattern of crime with regard to a particular location, method, or assailant; and alert the campus community to potential danger. Reports filed in this manner are counted and disclosed in Collin College’s annual crime statistics. Additionally, victims and witnesses have the right not to report a crime if they so choose.
To submit a voluntary confidential report, victims and witnesses can contact the Collin College Police Department Communications Center 24 hours a day by:
- dialing extension 5555 from any Collin College system phone;
- dialing 972.578.5555 from any phone outside the Collin College system;
- pressing the “Emergency” button located on any Collin College system phone;
- picking up any of the Blue Light phones located in the parking garages and parking lots at the Frisco Campus (Preston Ridge), McKinney Campus (Central Park), Plano Campus (Spring Creek), Technical Campus, and Wylie Campus; or
- utilizing the Collin Mobile App “Call Campus Police” function under the “Emergency” menu.
The victim or witness must inform the dispatcher they would like to remain confidential
at the start of the report. The victim or witness should provide as much detail as
possible, and the dispatcher will take the report without including the victim’s or
witness’s name or identifying information.
If the victim or witness would prefer to submit a voluntary confidential report in
person, they may do so at any of the following Collin College Police Department office
locations:
- Collin Higher Education Center (CHEC) Room 134,
- Courtyard Center (CYC) Room 125,
- Frisco Campus (Preston Ridge) Room LH-179,
- McKinney Campus (Central Park) Room C-119,
- Plano Campus (Spring Creek) Suite K-119,
- Technical Campus Room C-010, or
- Wylie Campus Room B-139.
Anonymous Reports
Collin College's complaint resolution procedures apply equally to all Collin College students and employees who are participating in or attempting to participate in Collin College’s education program or activity. Additionally, these complaint resolution procedures only apply to prohibited conduct that impacted a person in the United States.
The Title IX Informal Resolution Process Flowchart, available here, provides an overview of Collin College’s Title IX informal resolution process. For more information and specific procedures, see the current Title IX Complaint Resolution Process Handbook for Collin College Students and Employees available here.
The Title IX Formal Resolution Process Flowchart, available here, provides an overview of Collin College’s Title IX formal resolution process. For more information and specific procedures, see the current Title IX Complaint Resolution Process Handbook for Collin College Students and Employees available here.
- basic procedural rules for conducting an investigation;
- relevant evidence and how it should be used during an investigation;
- proper techniques for questioning witnesses;
- avoiding actual and perceived conflicts of interest;
- conducting trauma-informed investigations;
- updates to and new local, state, and federal regulations; and
- how to provide appropriate advocacy and interim measures while maintaining confidentiality.
Collin College provides support (e.g., answering questions; appropriate assistance, resources, and referrals; etc.) to both the complainant and respondent throughout the process. Additionally, Collin College assists each complainant and respondent with understanding their rights and responsibilities related to the informal, resolution process, formal investigation and resolution process, evidence-gathering, findings of responsibility, appeals, and resolution.
- the results of any disciplinary proceeding that arises from an allegation of dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking;
- Collin College’s procedures for the victim and the respondent to appeal the results of the disciplinary proceeding;
- any change to the results (e.g., through the appeal process); and
- when such results become final.
In accordance with federal laws, upon written request Collin College will disclose to the alleged victim of a crime of violence, as defined in Title 18, § 16, United States Code, or non-forcible sex offense (i.e., incest or statutory rape) the report on the results of any disciplinary proceeding conducted by Collin College against a student or employee who is the alleged perpetrator of such crime or offense. Therefore, information about the outcome regarding a respondent will be disclosed in writing to the victim in cases involving dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. If the alleged victim is deceased as a result of such crime or offense, Collin College will treat the victim’s next of kin as the alleged victim, in accordance with the law.
Amnesty Policy for Collin College Students
In accordance with the Texas Higher Education Code Section 51.284, Collin College will give amnesty to (i.e., not take disciplinary action against)
a student who reports, in good faith, that the student was the victim of or a witness
to an incident of prohibited conduct as defined by this policy. This amnesty policy
applies regardless of the location at which the incident occurred or the outcome of
Collin College’s disciplinary process regarding the incident, if any. This amnesty
policy does not apply to a student who reports their own commission or assistance
in the commission of prohibited conduct as defined by this policy.
Collin College provides primary prevention and awareness programs on dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and other relevant topics to all incoming students, faculty, and staff. These programs include, but are not limited to, information on Collin College’s and the State of Texas’ definitions of dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and consent to sexual activity; personal safety; safe and positive options for bystander intervention; the importance of preserving evidence; risk reduction strategies; and reporting options. Click here for a list of all of Collin College’s primary prevention and awareness programs.
Ongoing Prevention and Awareness Programs
Ongoing prevention and awareness programs (e.g., presentations, seminars, trainings, videos) on dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and other relevant topics are also offered to all new and returning students, faculty, and staff members throughout each academic year. All of these programs include, but are not limited to, information on Collin College’s and the State of Texas’ definitions of dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and consent to sexual activity; personal safety; safe and positive options for bystander intervention; the importance of preserving evidence; risk reduction strategies; and reporting options. Click here for a list of all of Collin College’s ongoing prevention and awareness programs.
Federal Regulations
The federal government has enacted various statutes to ensure students' rights are upheld and colleges are in compliance with federal laws. These statutes include:
- Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act (SaVE Act)
- Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act)
- Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX), as amended May 19, 2020
- Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA)
Collin College Policies
Collin College has enacted various policies to ensure students' rights are upheld
and the college is in compliance with the federal laws listed above. These policies
include: