If you believe you have experienced sexual misconduct there are multiple options for reporting and receiving support.

Campus Resources—Reporting

• Any Northland College student, faculty, staff, or visitor can report possible sexual misconduct here.
• A formal or informal complaint can be made directly to the Title IX coordinator or deputy coordinator(s).
• Incidents can also be reported to any trusted faculty or staff member, including residential advisors, who will respond appropriately to sexual harassment allegations that are brought to their attention. All faculty, staff and residential advisors are mandatory reporters and must report the identifying information and details disclosed to them to the Title IX coordinator.

Upon receipt of the above, a prompt review of the complaint will be initiated.

Reporting to Title IX or any employee of the college enables the Title IX team to respond and offer you support and interim measures such as no contact orders, changes in your housing and course schedules, counseling, and other adjustments as reasonably available. These measures are available whether or not you decide to go forward with a formal complaint. The alleged responsible party does not need to be identified, nor does a complaint need to be filed, to receive interim measures and support. For more, see our Sexual and Gender-Based Misconduct Policy and the Sexual & Gender-Based Misconduct Grievance Process.

• Sue Niemi
  Title IX Coordinator
  715-682-1849
• Anissa Cram
  Financial Aid Advisor
  Deputy Title IX Coordinator
  715-682-1254
  113 Brownell Hall

Campus Resources—Confidential
Contact for complete confidential assistance. Privacy laws prohibit disclosing your conversation without your written permission.

• Jennifer Newago
  Health Services Manager
  715-682-1340
  206 Ponzio Center
• Adri Digirolamo
  Counseling Services Coordinator
  211 Ponzio Center
  715-682-1369

Off-campus Reporting
Off-campus confidential resources include local or national organizations or members of the clergy.

After the College receives your complaint alleging violation of the Sexual and Gender-Based Misconduct Policy, the Title IX coordinator or the Title IX coordinator’s designee(s) will consider whether interim actions or supportive measures are reasonably necessary or appropriate to protect the parties and the broader campus community. Interim actions and supportive measures may be provided regardless of whether or not there is a complaint or resolution process commenced, and whether or not the alleged incident occurred within campus jurisdiction.

The College will make accommodations and provide supportive measures for an individual who believes they have experienced sexual misconduct, or to others involved in the process including those adversely affected by allegations of sexual misconduct, if requested and reasonably available. The College may take such steps even when an individual asks that the College keep a reported violation of this policy confidential and that it not investigate the matter and regardless of whether an individual chooses to report to law enforcement.

Examples of  supportive measures include:

• Referral to counseling, medical, and/or other healthcare services
• Referral to community-based service providers
• Education to the campus community
• Altering campus housing assignments
• Altering work arrangements for employees or student-employees
• Providing campus safety escorts
• Implementing no contact and no communication orders between the parties
• Academic support, extensions of deadlines, or other course/program-related adjustments
• Issuing timely warnings per Clery
• Class schedule modifications, withdrawals, or leaves of absence
• Increased security and monitoring of certain areas of the campus
• Any other actions deemed appropriate by the Title IX coordinator

Additionally, a student or employee may be temporarily suspended pending completion of an investigation, particularly when, in the judgment of the Title IX coordinator(s), the safety or well-being of any member of the campus community may be jeopardized by the on-campus presence of the respondent.

To request an interim action or supportive measure, contact the Title IX coordinator(s). If a respondent, witness, or person accused of misconduct feels that they need supportive measures, also contact the Title IX coordinator(s).

The College will maintain as confidential any interim actions or supportive measures provided to an individual, to the extent possible.

Any concern about a violation of an interim action and/or supportive measure or the need to change the level of protection should be reported to the Title IX coordinator(s).

Memorial Medical Center
715-685-5500
1615 Maple Lane
Ashland, WI

New Day Advocacy Center.
715-682-9565
1-800-924-4132

Center Against Sexual and Domestic Abuse (CASDA)
1-800-649-2921
318 21st Avenue East
Superior, WI

Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Officer
Ashland County Sheriff’s Office
Amy O’Donahue
715-292-6980
220 E 6th Street
Ashland, WI

Victim Witness Advocate for Ashland County
Nancy Thyberg
715-682-7019
Ashland County District Attorney’s Office
201 W Main Street
Room 102
Ashland, WI

RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network)
Free and confidential resource, 24 hours/7 days availability
1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
Live chat option

Northland College is committed to fostering a safe campus environment where sexual misconduct and violence are unacceptable, and where survivors who believe they were harmed by another person are provided support and avenues of redress as appropriate.

To achieve this we believe:

• Learning how to build healthy relationship skills is critical.
• It’s important to have organizational policies and practices that improve safety and the overall campus climate.
• Training student bystanders to intervene or speak up against violence is part of the solution.
• It’s healthy to address social norms and behavior with messages from community experts.

Know the Sexual and Gender-Based Misconduct Policy and the Northland College Sexual & Gender-Based Misconduct Grievance Process

• Consent is a voluntary mutual agreement. It’s informed, sober, honest, clear, and involves the word “yes” from each person involved. That means there’s discussion and clear communication.
• Consent should be freely given: it should never be coerced, be forced, involve pressure, intimidation or threats.
• Consent should be mutually agreed upon: with a clear understanding of what is being asked for and consented to.
• Consent must never be assumed or implied, even if you’re in a relationship. Just because you are in a relationship doesn’t mean that you always have consent to have sex with your partner.
• Consent may be withdrawn at any time, and when it is withdrawn all sexual activity must stop immediately.
• Consent can’t legally be given by a person who is intoxicated or high. If you or your partner are too drunk or high to make decisions and communicate, then there can’t be consent.

The only way to know for sure if someone has given consent is if they tell you. One of the best ways to determine if someone is comfortable with any situation, especially with a sexual one, is to simply ask. Here are some examples of the questions you might ask:

• I really want to hug/kiss…you. Can I?
• What do you want to do with me?
• Have you ever…? Would you like to try it with me?
• Are you comfortable?
• Do you want to go further?
• How do you like to…?
• What are you into?
• What would you like?
• Do you want to stop?
• What’s turning you on right now?
• What about X turns you on?
• Where do you want my hands?

The language we use during intimacy can greatly influence behavior. Tailoring our language to open up space is key to discovering the desires of who we’re with. Try using open-ended phrases.  Be prepared to enjoy unexpected answers!