Confidentiality versus Privacy

Syracuse University is committed to providing safe and supportive spaces to faculty, staff, and students who have been impacted by discrimination, harassment, and/or sexual and relationship violence.  The University simultaneously strives to maintain a safe learning and living environment for all students in a manner that is consistent with state and federal laws.  It is important for the SU community to be well informed in regards to the confidential resources available to them.

Confidential Resources

Confidentiality may be offered by an individual who is not required by law to report known incidents of sexual assault or other crimes to University officials.

Confidential resources are individuals who are neither required nor permitted to provide any information regarding an incident of discrimination, harassment, and/or sexual misconduct to any outside party without the consent of the individual involved in the incident.  More specifically, these individuals will not provide any information about a reported incident to the SU Office of Equal Opportunity, Inclusion, and Resolution Services or any law enforcement agency without a survivor’s permission.

Examples of Confidential Resources:

Private Resources

Privacy may be offered by an individual when such individual is unable to offer confidentiality under the law but shall still not disclose information learned from a reporting individual or bystander to a crime or incident more than necessary to comply with laws.

Employees of Syracuse University other than those mentioned above are considered “responsible employees” and are required to report all of the details regarding an incident of sexual or relationship violence (including the identities of both the survivor and alleged perpetrator) to the EOIRS Office.

Examples of “responsible employees”:

  • Office of Residence Life staff,
  • Academic Deans,
  • Office of Health Promotion staff,
  • Faculty members
  • Athletic Department staff
  • Title IX Coordinator
  • Department of Public Safety
  • Office of Student Assistance

The Title IX Coordinator, EOIRS staff, investigators, and adjudicators receive mandatory training on the handling of complaints, the University’s Title IX policy and the confidentiality requirements.