Sexual Assault: Pomona College Processes & Resources

Pomona College is committed to preventing and intervening in all forms of gender discrimination and sexual harassment, which include intimate partner violence and stalking. We strongly urge students who have experienced gender discrimination to take action by using the College's support services and/or pursuing student conduct or criminal action.

Support and Resources

Title IX Coordinator

Pomona College has designated a full-time Title IX Coordinator, Sue McCarthy (909-621-8017), to oversee Title IX compliance; tracking and monitoring incidents of discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct; ensure prompt and equitable resolution of complaints; coordinating training, education, and prevention efforts; and provide information on options for responding to and resolving complaints.

Confidential Support

Acts of sexual violence or harassment may be shared with confidential resources. These college officials, by law, must maintain complete confidentiality and may not disclose the details of an incident.

Claremont Colleges EmPOWER Center

The EmPOWER Center formally opened in late 2015 and is the Violence Prevention and Advocacy Center of The Claremont Colleges. The Center works collaboratively to support 7C-wide educational programs and provide holistic, confidential support to students impacted by sexual violence, dating/domestic violence, or stalking. The EmPOWER Center is located at 1030 Dartmouth Ave, Claremont, CA.

Free, confidential counseling services are offered through the Center by collaborating with Project Sister Family Services. Dr. Nancy Arzate, a Project Sister certified counselor, is available at the EmPOWER Center for counseling sessions with students Tuesdays and Thursdays when school is in session. Kellie Cabrera, also a Project Sister certified counselor, is available on Mondays when school is in session. Dr. Arzate and Ms. Cabrera have both received specialized, extensive training to support survivors of sexual violence, dating/domestic violence, or stalking. To schedule with either counselor, call Dr. Arzate at (909) 623-1619 during normal business hours.

If you are interested in collaborating with the EmPOWER Center or have questions, please contact Rima Shah, Director, EmPOWER Center at RShahEmPOWER@claremont.edu

Peer Student Support

Student Advocates provide support to survivors of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and intimate partner violence in whatever way they may need, including: advising, providing resources, and aiding in reporting. Advocates also seek to eliminate sexual assault and harassment on our campuses by educating the campus community about why sexual assault happens and what we can do to change it.

Student Advocates
(909) 503-7972

Reporting

You can contact any of these Pomona College officials to make a report of a sexual assault. The Title IX Coordinator, Deputy Title IX  Coordinators, and the Student Advocates for Survivors of Sexual Assault are available to answer questions about the reporting process. They can assist you in exploring your options for responding to the conduct, and provide you with information about support resources. If the incident involves someone from another Claremont College, they can also assist and advise you with reporting the incident to that college and/or make a report with the police, if you choose to do so. 

Title IX Coordinator and Clery Officer

Sue McCarthy
(909) 621-8017

Deputy Title IX Coordinators

• Ellie Ash-Bala, associate dean of campus life and director of the Smith Campus Center
  (909) 621-8611
• Tony Boston, associate dean of the college and professor of physical education 
  (909) 621-8497
• Angel Mason, senior associate director of athletics
  (909) 607-8902
• Brenda Rushforth, assistant vice president, human resources/CHRO
  (909) 607-1686

On-Call Dean/Campus Safety

Reports can also be made to an On-Call Dean or to Campus Safety, 24 hours a day, by calling (909) 607-2000.

Callisto

Pomona College partners with Callisto, an online option for reporting sexual assault. An independent, external entity, Callisto allows individuals to confidentially complete an incident report online, receive a clear explanation of their reporting options, and either directly submit the report to the chosen College official or save it as a time-stamped record. Individuals can also choose to have their report automatically submitted to the College if someone else reports the same alleged perpetrator.

To start the reporting process, go to www.pomona.edu/callisto.

Claremont Police Department

Any and all sexual assaults can be reported to the Claremont Police Department (CPD) for criminal proceedings. Reporting to CPD does not preclude you from also reporting to campus officials as these are two separate processes that can take place simultaneously.

(909) 399-5411

A Note on Confidentiality

To speak with someone confidentially, refer to our Confidential Support section above. When college officials such as RAs, on-call deans, faculty members and others receive a report of a sexual assault, they are required to forward that report to the Title IX Coordinator, who will initiate the investigative process.

Sexual Misconduct, Harassment and Discrimination Complaint Process*

Report

• Initial intake; Title IX Coordinator reviews report and makes a determination whether or not the report will proceed with an investigation.
  • No investigation.
    • Information reviewed for interim measures/accommodations.
  • Initiate investigation. External Investigator(s) selected.
    • Information reviewed for interim measures/accommodations.

Investigate

1. Investigation initiated. External Adjudicator selected.
2. Investigation conducted by trained investigators and investigation report generated, including a recommendation that the case should or should not move forward to a hearing.
3. Title IX Coordinator determines if there is enough evidence to proceed with a hearing.
   • Not enough evidence for a hearing. Results Notification Memorandum.
     • Either party can submit a written response, responding to the Investigation Report and/or request the External Adjudicator to overturn the Title IX Coordinator’s decision to move or not move to a hearing. If appropriate, the matter moves to a hearing and “Hearing/Adjudication” column is initiated.
   • Enough evidence for a hearing. Statement of Alleged Policy Violation.
     • Either party can submit a written response, responding to the Investigation Report and/or request the External Adjudicator to overturn the Title IX Coordinator’s decision to move or not move to a hearing. If appropriate, the matter moves to a hearing and “Hearing/Adjudication” column is initiated.

Hearing/Adjudication

• Statement of Alleged Policy Violation.
  • Respondent accepts responsibility.
    1. Respondent may submit a Mitigation Statement, and Complainant may submit an Impact Statement to the Title IX Coordinator.
    2. Both parties will receive the other party’s statement and may respond.
    3. External Adjudicator determines sanctions.
    4. Either party may appeal sanctions.
  • Respondent does not accept responsibility.
    1. Schedule a hearing date.
    2. Parties may submit a witness list and list of questions for the other party.
    3. Hearing is conducted.
    4. Respondent may submit a Mitigation Statement, and Complainant may submit an Impact Statement to Title IX Coordinator.
    5. External Adjudicator makes determinations. If finding of responsibility, Title IX Coordinator forwards Impact/Mitigation Statements (if any) to External Adjudicator, who decides sanctions.
    6. Either party can appeal determinations/sanctions to the Dean of Students or designee. Either party can submit response to appeal. Result of appeal. No internal college recourse after result of appeal.

*This process pertains to cases where the Respondent is a Pomona College student. For more information about the process where Respondent is a Pomona College staff or faculty member, please see the Sexual Misconduct Policy.

For more detailed information on each step of the process, please consult the Student Handbook at www.pomona.edu/investigationprocess or Sue McCarthy, Title IX Coordinator, or any other resources listed on this page.

Definitions

The following definitions include examples of sexual assault, consent and incapacitation. For a complete list, go to www.pomona.edu/sexualmisconduct.

Sexual Assault is an offense classified as a forcible or non-forcible sex offense under the uniform crime reporting system of the FBI. Generally, a sexual assault has been committed when an individual engages in sexual activity without the explicit consent of the other individual involved.

Dating Violence (as defined by the Violence Against Women Act) is violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim.

Stalking is the willful, threatening or repeated harassment and/or following of another person—physically, verbally or electronically—that would cause a reasonable person to feel alarmed or to suffer emotional distress.

Consent is clear, knowing, voluntary, active permission regarding willingness to engage in sexual activity. It can be given by words or actions, as long as those actions are mutually understandable. In order to give consent, one must be 18 years old and have the capacity to give consent. Consent can be withdrawn at any time and for any reason, irrespective of how much sexual interaction has already taken place.

Capacity/Incapacity is a state where someone cannot make rational, reasonable decisions because they lack the capacity to understand the “who, what, when, where, why or how” of their sexual interaction.

Prevention

It is never your fault if someone takes sexual advantage of you. However, there are things you can do to reduce the risk of experiencing sexual violence. These strategies are provided with no intention to victim-blame and with recognition that only those who commit sexual violence are responsible for such conduct.

• If you feel uncomfortable or unsafe about a person or situation, trust your gut and remove yourself from the situation as soon as possible.
• Understand and respect personal boundaries. Do not pressure a potential partner; "no means no," "yes means yes."
• Don't take advantage of someone's drunken, drugged or otherwise incapacitated state.
• Understand that consent to one form of sexual activity does not constitute consent for any other sexual activity, and consent can be withdrawn at any time for any reason.
• Silence and passivity cannot be interpreted as an indication of consent. Read the other person carefully, paying attention to verbal and non-verbal communication and body language. If it is not clear by the other person's words and/or actions that they are a willing participant in that specific activity, then you need to stop.
• Watch out for your friends and ask that they watch out for you. A real friend will step in and challenge you if they see you are in a potentially dangerous situation; respect them when they do.
• Don't go somewhere with someone you don't know well. If you do leave a party with a new friend, tell the friends you came with where you are going and when you are coming back.