Reporting Options

 

Student Complaint Process

The University's student complaint process encourages students to report concerns related to faculty/staff members, facility maintenance and/or access, institutional programs and/or processes, etc. using the Student Complaint Form (which can also be found in the Penguin Portal). Submissions route to faculty/staff members responsible for managing the area of concern, who will initiate an investigation into the complaint and attempt resolution. Students who submit a complaint using the Student Complaint Form should expect to hear from the faculty/staff member assigned to their complaint within 10 business days of their submission. For questions regarding the student complaint process, please contact Dr. Nicole Kent-Strollo, Dean of Students and Ombudsperson, at nkentstrollo@ysu.edu or 330-941-4721. 

 

Penguin of Concern REFERRAL form

The Penguin of Concern Referral Form allows members of the university and/or general community to share concerns about students' current personal challenges or other extenuating circumstances. The form can be submitted with the referrer's identification information attached or anonymously. Generally, once a referral is made, staff from the Office of the Dean of Students will connect with the student of concern to schedule a follow-up meeting. During this meeting, the student will learn about campus and community resources specifically tailored to their needs/situation, as well as additional options for support. In many cases, students continue to meet with the staff member for regular check-ins after this initial meeting. Please note that if you are a student seeking an appointment with a staff member in the Office of the Dean of Students, you may submit a Penguin of Concern Referral Form for yourself. Doing so provides your assigned staff member with important background information necessary to address your individual needs. Please direct any questions regarding the Penguin of Concern Referral Form to dos@ysu.edu or 330-941-4721.

 

INCIDENT REPORTING FORM

The Incident Reporting Form is used by faculty, staff, students, and/or student employees to report alleged violations of The Student Code of Conduct by YSU students. Once submitted, reports are reviewed by the Office of Community Standards & Student Conduct to determine appropriate follow-up. If additional information is required, or if you are a concerned to be harmed party or witness to the incident, a staff member will contact you to learn more about the situation from your perspective and review next steps in the student conduct process. Please note that when submitting an Incident Reporting Form, you must authenticate as a YSU student. Questions related to incident reporting may be referred to the Office of Community Standards & Student Conduct at 330-941-4704, 330-941-7285, or communitystandards@ysu.edu.

 

TITLE IX REPORTING FORMS

If you were subjected to or witnessed an incident of sexual harassment/misconduct, please consider submitting one of the following Title IX reporting forms:

  •   File a Standard Title IX Report: This report routes to the campus' Title IX Coordinator, who will contact you to discuss possible next steps. No action will be taken regarding the report until you have discussed your options with the Title IX Coordinator, which include filing a formal report, seeking supportive measures, and opting for an informal resolution to the case.
  •   File an Anonymous Title IX Report: This report routes to the Title IX Coordinator in the same way as the standard report. The ability for the University to act on an anonymous report is more limited, but it allows impacted parties to get the information on-record in the event that they would like to pursue the case more formally at a later time. Additionally, reporting, in general, provides important information to the Title IX Office as they assess safety on campus.

For questions regarding Title IX-related incidents or reporting, please contact Madison Jerome, Deputy Title IX Coordinator and Investigator, at mgjerome@ysu.edu, titleix@ysu.edu, or 330-941-2160.

 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY DISCRIMINATION/HARASSMENT COMPLAINT FORM

University policy prohibits harassment based on sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, disability, or veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. The Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Policy Development is responsible for overseeing the University’s compliance with non-discrimination requirements and initiating investigations into complaints of discrimination and/or harassment. Reports of discrimination and/or harassment related to a protected identity (other than Title IX complaints, which can be submitted using the Standard and Anonymous Title IX Reporting Forms) can be submitted using the Discrimination/Harassment Complaint Form. Please note that using this form requires you to print your submission and deliver it to 312 Tod Hall directly. If you would like to discuss an incident of potential discrimination/harassment prior to completing this form, contact Dana Lantz, Director for Equal Opportunity and Policy Development, & Title IX, at dclantz@ysu.edu or 330-941-4629.

 

Resch Academic Success Center ACCESSIBILITY Services Grievance Procedure

The Resch Academic Success Center and Accessibility Services Office provide assistance to students with varying degrees and types of disabilities in order to maximize educational opportunity and academic potential. Youngstown State University affirms this principle of equal access in its equal opportunity policies and supports students in their right to file a grievance when a student believes they have been denied equal access either in the form of eligibility, appropriate and reasonable accommodations, and/or auxiliary aids, or believe they have experienced discriminatory harassment, as defined in the University’s non-discrimination policies, Ohio Revised Code 4112, Sections 501 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and/or the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended in 2008. Required steps in the grievance process are outlined on the University's Digital Accessibility site.

 

Accessibility Complaint Form

The Accessibility Complaint Form is used to report accessibility issues with computer labs, PCs and/or workstations, YSU websites, access to buildings or rooms, or any other disability/accessibility-related issues. Submissions must state the particular issue of concern and, if possible, a suggested resolution. The Accessibility Committee will review the complaint and may follow up to request additional information. The committee may seek additional expertise, when appropriate, to resolve the issue to the fullest extent possible.

Campus Resources

 

OFFICE OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY and POLICY DEVELOPMENT

YSU is committed to a campus environment that values all individuals and groups and to non-discrimination and equality of opportunity in education. University policy prohibits harassment based on sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, disability, or veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. The Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Policy Development is responsible for overseeing the University’s compliance with non-discrimination requirements.

 

TITLE IX OFFICE

The Title IX Office oversees compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The office provides training and educational programs in the areas of consent, sexual assault, and interpersonal violence. It investigates complaints of discrimination and harassment based on sex or gender involving students, faculty, and/or staff. This includes complaints of sex or gender bias, sexual harassment, stalking, intimate partner violence, domestic violence, sexual exploitation, or other sexual misconduct. The Title IX Coordinator assists complainants (harmed parties) in understanding their reporting options, and resources, and implements supportive measures, as needed.