University Sexual Misconduct Policy

Prevention, Education and Training

Western Michigan University is committed to the prevention of sexual harassment, sexual assault, stalking, dating violence and domestic violence through education and awareness programs. The University is also committed to the protection of minors and the prevention of child abuse. Throughout the year, the University offers educational programs to promote awareness of sexual misconduct. 

How to Respond to a Disclosure of Sexual Misconduct

Resource: Community Response Guide (A fully accessible version is being prepared and will uploaded soon.)

Faculty, Staff and Student Employees

All faculty, staff and student employees have access to online training modules on diversity and preventing and reporting all forms of discrimination, harassment and violence.

Vector Solutions Courses

The following courses are currently available to all faculty, staff, administrators and student employees:

  • Clery Act Overview- This course is designed to educate college faculty and staff about the legal requirements mandated by the Clery Act. Topics covered include the importance of this legislation, campus security authorities' reporting responsibilities, the elements of the Annual Security Report, and timely warning and emergency notifications. This course is required for Staff.
  • RespectEdu: Preventing Harassment and Discrimination- With separate modules for supervisors and non-supervisors, these comprehensive courses demonstrate how various forms of harassment impact individuals and institutions, while clarifying the rights and responsibilities of all employees in creating a safe, respectful workplace.

Courses will save your progress if you need to stop and return later. Human Resources automatically provides access to employees.

To start learning now:

  1. Log into goWMU
  2. In the App section for "Faculty and Staff", select the "Awareness and Prevention Training" App
  3. Once logged into Vector Solutions, select "Extra Training" from the main menu on the left toolbar, then "Campus Prevention Network"
  4. Select the course title

For assistance, contact Human Resources at hr-training@wmich.edu.

Students

All students have access to online training modules on community belonging and preventing and reporting all forms of discrimination, harassment and violence.

Vector Solutions Courses
  • AlcoholEDU for College, This course centers authentic student-driven narratives to explore key topics such as supporting peers in recovery, understanding the short and long-term effects of alcohol and substance use, and the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of abstaining and/or reducing the use of these substances while in college. Required for first year students (including transfer students). Recommended for all students.
  • AlcoholEdu Ongoing Education, Ongoing alcohol and substance abuse prevention training for students. Recommended for all upper-level students.
  • Belonging and Community, Concepts such as inclusion, influence and authority, access, identities, and communication are covered as well as strategies related to ally behavior, self-care, and creating inclusive spaces. Recommended for all students.
  • RespectEdu for College, Provides college students with an overview of creating and maintaining healthy and informed relationships and sexual interactions. Topics include: defining consent, avoiding assumptions, managing rejection, being a good bystander, seeking support and resources, and others. Required for first year students (including transfer students).
  • RespectEdu for Graduate Students, Provides students with a comprehensive overview of how to navigate healthy relationships and interactions while in graduate school. Topics include: health boundaries, interpersonal dynamics between colleagues, students and advisors, health sexual interactions and relationships, consent, rejections bystander intervention and others. Recommended for all graduate students.
  • RespectEdu Ongoing: Healthy Relationships, Ongoing training that emphasizes healthy relationship skills, tactics for bystander intervention among close friends, and survivor empathy. Recommended for all upper-level students.

Courses will save your progress if you need to stop and return later.

To start learning now:

  1. Log into goWMU
  2. In the App section "For Students", select the "Awareness and Prevention Training" App
  3. Once logged into Vector Solutions, select "Extra Training" from the main menu on the left toolbar, then "Campus Prevention Network"
  4. Select the course title
Office of Health Promotion and Education Programs

The Office of Health Promotion and Education coordinates the following education opportunities regarding sexual and gender-based harassment and violence, intimate partner violence and stalking. The focus is on primary prevention, bystander intervention, and reporting and referral support.

  • The Sexual Health Peer Education program offers presentations and awareness events on topics including, but not limited to, relationships, consent and healthy communication.
  • The FIRE, or Fighting Ignorance and Rape Through Education, peer education program offers presentations and awareness events on topics including relationships, consent, violence (including dating and domestic), stalking, sexual assault, sexual harassment, dehumanization and bias incidents.
  • The FIRE Place is a support and resource center offering education, healing arts, resources, referrals and reporting assistance for survivors and friends of survivors of sexual assault, sexual harassment, intimate partner violence and any other form of bias incident.
  • The Western HEROES program offers trainings on bystander intervention skills as they apply to the health and safety of the campus community on topics including, but not limited to, dehumanization, violence (dating, domestic, hazing), sexual harassment, relationships, alcohol and other drugs, and mental health.

For additional information on any of these programs, go to; wmich.edu/healthpromotion.