On May 6, 2020, the U.S. Department of Education released new regulations governing campus sexual assault under Title IX, the federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in K-12 and higher education. These regulations went into effect August 14, 2020.

The new regulations require campuses who receive federal funding to identify Designated Officials. Separate and distinct from Responsible Employees, a Title IX Designated Official is personnel authorized by NC State to receive notice of Title IX Sexual Harassment and Retaliation and to institute corrective measures. Designated Officials include the Title IX coordinator and all deputy Title IX coordinators, equal opportunity officers, deans, the associate vice chancellor for human resources, the director Office of Student Conduct, the vice chancellor of Division of Academic and Student Affairs, and the director of athletics.

Responsible Employees are individuals at NC State who have an obligation to report disclosures and incidents of sex discrimination or any other misconduct to the Title IX coordinator or other appropriate school designee. While the identification of Responsible Employees is no longer an explicit requirement under Title IX, NC State maintains this role to ensure that those who report experiencing sexual harassment are informed of campus and community resources as well as their rights for university and/or legal processes. Reporting requirements ensure that NC State is able to to address incidences of sex discrimination, prevent its recurrence and remedy its effects. 

Responsible Employees include department heads, directors of undergraduate and/or graduate programs, all faculty and staff advisors, University Police, all employees of the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED), and more. A comprehensive list of Responsible Employees is available on the OIED website. NC State’s REG 04.25.06 – Equal Opportunity, Title IX and Non-Discrimination Training for Employees, first issued in 2007, requires annual training for Responsible Employees. 

Designated Officials and Responsible Employees are asked to complete a training each year on how to appropriately respond to disclosures of sexual harassment and sexual violence and how to report such incidences to the Title IX coordinator. 

In December 2020, Designated Officials and Responsible Employees were invited to participate in an online training regarding reporting, trauma-informed response to disclosures and campus and community resources. The asynchronous training is accessible through REPORTER and is assigned to the employee based on their role and responsibilities at NC State.   

The Equal Opportunity and Equity unit (EOE) of OIED also hosts trainings for departments and divisions regarding how to report incidents of sex discrimination and harassment, including the reporting requirements of Designated Officials and Responsible Employees. To request a training, please contact EOE at  equalopportunity@ncsu.edu. 

• For more information regarding Title IX, Designated Officials, Responsible Employees or about reporting incidences of sexual harassment, please visit the Title IX website. 

April P. Baer, Ed.D., is an equal opportunity officer in the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity.