Advocacy Services

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What should I know about reporting? 

Students have the right to:

• report and receive help from the university.
• receive confidential support on campus.
• report and receive help from campus and local law enforcement.
• receive help from community services.
• have evidence collected to use at a later time.

Emergencies should be reported immediately to VCU Police by calling (804) 828-1234 or 911.

Who are VCU Police?

VCU is home to one of the largest university police departments in the country, with over 90 sworn officers to help protect students. VCU Police also has specially trained victim/witness officers on each shift trained to believe and support survivors of sexual assault, domestic or dating violence and stalking. VCU works closely with advocates to design and deliver programs that encourage community accountability through bystander intervention and survivor empowerment.

What is Title IX?

The Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX, 20 U.S.C.Sec.1681, et seq.) state, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” Sexual misconduct, including sexual assault, sexual harassment, domestic and dating violence and stalking are forms of gender discrimination prohibited by Title IX. Title IX applies to students of any gender, including female, male, gender non-conforming, and/or transgender students. In compliance with Title IX, VCU is dedicated to creating a community that encourages the reporting of all incidents of sexual misconduct and the prompt and fair resolution of sexual misconduct complaints. To learn more check Know Your IX.

What is the role of the Title IX Coordinator

The Title IX Coordinator’s responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

• Communicating with all members of the VCU community regarding Title IX and VAWA, and providing information about how individuals may address their rights
• Reviewing applicable VCU policies to ensure institutional compliance with Title IX,  VAWA and the Clery Ac
• Monitoring VCU’s administration of its own applicable policies, including record keeping, timeframes and other procedural requirements
• Implementing campus training regarding Title IX, VAWA, required reporting and Prohibited Conduct defined in this policy
• Responding to any complaint or report regarding Prohibited Conduct by overseeing the investigation and resolution of such alleged misconduct, directing the provision of any remedial measures and monitoring the administration of any related appeal

People to know within VCU Title IX:

To make a report of sexual misconduct, including sexual assault and
sexual harassment, please contact:

Laura Walsh Rugless

Director of Equity and Access Services & Title IX Coordinator

Office: (804) 828-6404 

TDD: (804)828-1420

Fax: (804) 828-7201

lrugless@vcu.edu
1001 Grove Avenue 
Richmond, Va 23284

For student-only reports, please contact:

Tammi Slovinsky, MPA
Deputy Title IX Coordinator 
Office: (804) 827-1963 
Fax: (804) 828-2180
tslovinsky@vcu.edu
901 Floyd Avenue 
Richmond, Va 23284

 

fill out the following online form

Faculty/Staff Involvement
Reporting Sexual Misconduct with Employee-Employee and Employee-Student involvement
Equity and Access Services at (804) 828-1347 or http://equity.vcu.edu/

Further information about Title IX and sexual discrimination in education is available from:
Office of Civil Rights
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC, 20202-1100
(800) 421-3481
OCR@ed.gov

Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) 

On March 7, 2013, President Barack Obama signed a bill that strengthened and reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Included in the VAWA legislation were amendments to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act which afford additional rights to campus victims of sexual harassment, including sexual assault, dating or domestic violence, gender-based harassment and bullying, and stalking.

A (student or employee) victim or survivor of sexual harassment, including sexual assault, dating or domestic violence, gender-based harassment or bullying, and stalking shall be afforded the following rights:

• Victim’s or survivor’s option to decline to notify authorities.
• Accuser and accused are entitled to the same opportunities to have others present at any disciplinary proceeding or related meeting, including an advisor of their choice.
• Both parties shall be notified simultaneously of the outcome of any disciplinary hearing, procedures to appeal, any change of results before final results, and final results.
• Written notification to victims or survivors about victims’ or survivors’ rights, options, and assistance the school is required to provide, including the institution’s obligation to arrange appropriate accommodations for academic, counseling, health services, legal advocacy and assistance filing criminal reports, housing and transportation, financial aid assistance, immigration and visa assistance, help with employment concerns, and various other on-campus and off-campus needs.
• Information regarding how the institution will protect the confidentiality of victims or survivors, including how publicly available record keeping will be accomplished without the inclusion of identifying information about the victim or survivor, to the extent permitted by law.
• Written notification to students and employees about existing resources and services on campus and within the local community, including counseling, medical and mental health services, immigration and visa assistance, employment, financial aid assistance, and legal services.