How to Help: Myself

The Office of the Dean of Students is available to support and serve survivors of sexual assault with respect to their wishes. Discussions with anyone in this office are confidential, except for the anonymous sexual assault report the Dean will immediately file with the Director of Sexual Assault Services. We do not keep reports of sexual assault in the student's permanent record.

If the Dean is the first person to interact with the survivor, the immediate issues of health and safety will be addressed. Has the student a safe place to go? Does the student need medical services or want to have physical evidence collected at the Hospital? The Dean will facilitate these responses, accompanying the student if that is something the student requests. In other instances, the Dean might simply meet with the survivor.

• The Dean will offer several level of academic support, depending on what the student reporting an assault needs and chooses. The Dean can ask faculty members for academic consideration while a student recovers, can help reschedule tests and other academic expectations, and can help a student make decisions about partial and full medical withdrawals.
• The Dean will provide support if a survivor wants interventions regarding changes in living and class arrangements to reduce the chances of continued contact between student and the alleged perpetrator.
• The Dean will refer the survivor to the services of the Director of Sexual Assault Services, William and Mary Counseling and Health Services, and AVALON's services. If requested, the Dean will accompany the student to any of these meetings. If it is timely, the Dean also will encourage the student to go to the Emergency Room, and will offer to accompany the student.
• The Dean will offer information concerning the College's Student Conduct process and the reporting student's option to file charges. The Dean also will provide information about victim's rights in student conduct cases alleging sexual assault. If the student chooses to file disciplinary charges, the Dean will help initiate this process.
• The Dean will remind the student that he or she may file charges in state court no matter what action is taken with the College. The Dean will encourage that the student speak to the Commonwealth's Attorney about the impact of a college hearing on the state proceedings.
• The Dean will encourage the student to file a report with the Campus Police or the City Police (depending on where the assault occurred) and will offer to accompany the student to the police station.