Reporting Options and Resources

Complainants are encouraged, but not required, to make a formal report to law enforcement. Making a formal report to law enforcement will not impact the university's responsibility to investigate complaints.

DeLand Police Department
Emergency: 911
Non-Emergency: 386-626-7400
Victim Advocate Unit: 386-626-7418

Gulfport Police Department
Emergency: 911
Non-Emergency: 727-893-1030

Tampa Police Department
Emergency: 911
Non-Emergency: 813-276-3200 

Report a Gender-Based Misconduct, Sexual Assault, and Intimate Partner Violence situation now!

A. Public Safety

When a complainant reports an act of sexual misconduct or sexual violence to the Public Safety Department, the complainant may elect to file a separate report with local law enforcement; Public Safety can assist the complainant with notifying the appropriate law enforcement agency. Filing a complaint alleging a violation of university policy is separate from, and independent of, any criminal complaint that may be filed through a law enforcement agency. When a report is filed with the Public Safety Department, Public Safety personnel will notify a Stetson University professional staff member who will respond and provide resources and support for the complainant. Appropriate measures to protect the complainant and/or the university community shall be considered and implemented by the university, regardless of whether the complainant elects to file a report with local law enforcement.

An administrative investigation undertaken by the university based on an alleged policy violation will proceed independently from any law enforcement investigation. The university's investigation and resolution process may be delayed temporarily to accommodate or coordinate efforts with law enforcement, as appropriate, but the university investigation shall otherwise proceed independently of any related law enforcement investigation. 

Stetson University Public Safety
405 N. Amelia Ave
DeLand, FL 32723
386-822-7300

Public Safety at the College of Law
1219 61st. Street S.
Gulfport, FL 33707
727-343-1262

B. Responsible Employees

"Responsible Employees" are university faculty and staff members who are required as part of their role to report incidents disclosed to them. University policy requires Responsible Employees to report all information they obtain to the Title IX Coordinator; Responsible Employees are not able to maintain confidentiality. The report must include all information known by the Responsible Employee, including, but not limited to, the complainant's name, the respondent's name, the date, time, location and nature of the incident. Responsible Employee should make clear to the complainant, as early in the conversation as possible, that the Responsible Employee is not a confidential resource.  If the complainant desires to speak to a confidential resource, the Responsible Employee shall provide the complainant contact information for confidential resources.

C. Reporting Forms

One option to report incidents or concerns of discrimination on the basis of sex or gender, including sexual harassment, sexual violence, and intimate partner violence, is to utilize an online report form.  For incidents involving students, individuals may use the Gender-Based Misconduct, Sexual Assault and Intimate Partner Violence form. For incidents involving employees, individuals may use Stetson University's anonymous reporting line EthicsPoint.  These forms do not have to be used to make a complaint, report an incident, or receive assistance.   Anonymous reports, however, may limit the university's ability to fully investigate. 

D. Title IX Coordinators

Reports may be made by directly contacting the Title IX Coordinator or a Deputy Title IX Coordinator who will assist in identifying and explaining university policies, procedures, and supportive resources and resolution options available to the complainant.

1. Title IX Coordinator - University-Wide

The Title IX Coordinator coordinates the university's compliance with Title IX requirements including an appropriate, effective, and equitable response to Title IX issues such as discrimination on the basis of sex or gender, including sexual harassment, sexual violence and intimate partner violence. 

Lyda Costello Kiser
Executive Director and Title IX Coordinator
Carlton Union Building 215
421 N. Woodland Blvd.
DeLand, FL 32723
386-822-7960 

2. Deputy Title IX Coordinators for Students

The following Deputy Title IX Coordinators assist with the coordination and response to reports involving student-respondents that implicate the Gender-Based Misconduct Policy and/or the Student Code of Community Standards for the DeLand Campus and the Code of Student Professionalism and Conduct for the College of Law.

Barbs Hawkins
Carlton Union Building 207
421 N. Woodland Blvd
DeLand, FL 32723
386-822-7205

Latoya Edwards
1401 61st Street S.
Gulfport, FL 33707
727-562-7850

3. Deputy Title IX Coordinators for Faculty, Staff and Third-party Reports 

The following Deputy Title IX Coordinators assist with the coordination and response to reports involving Faculty, Staff and Third-party reports that implicate the Gender-Based Misconduct Policy and/or Personnel Policy or other university policies.  

Graciela Dufour
Allen House
421 N. Woodland Blvd.
DeLand, FL 32723
386-822-7472

Vi Bumgarner
Tower Building – F Wing
1401 61st. Street S.
Gulfport, FL 33707
727-562-7984 

4. Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Gender Equity in Athletics 

The Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Gender Equity in Athletics assists with the coordination and response to reports involving Stetson University Student-athletes, Athletics' Coaches, Staff and/or Volunteers that implicate the Gender-Based Misconduct Policy and/or NCAA, Divisional, Departmental, or other related policies and is responsible for Title IX compliance in matters involving athletics programs, including coordination of compliance training, education, communication and gender equity requirements in Stetson University Division I athletic programs.

Toni Oliverio
Edmunds Center
421 N. Woodland Blvd.
DeLand, FL 32723
386-822-8141 

There are options for individuals to confidentially report/discuss incidents of discrimination on the basis of sex or gender, which includes all forms of sexual harassment, sexual violence, and intimate partner violence. 

Pastoral counselors, professional counselors, and medical staff are able to provide confidentiality (within reasonable limits as described below) and will not relay to the Title IX Office any information disclosed to them.  Confidential resources include state-licensed counselors/interns such as those employed by the Stetson University Student Counseling Services, state-licensed practitioners at Stetson University Health Services, and chaplains within the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life.

Exceptions to maintaining confidentiality are generally set by law; for example, confidential resources may need to report certain incidents. The grounds for breaking confidentiality include suspected abuse/neglect of a child or a vulnerable adult; concern/threat of imminent harm to one's self or others; or based on a subpoena issued by criminal or civil courts.

At the DeLand campus, individuals may contact the following confidential resources: 

Stetson University Student Counseling Services
386-822-8900*

*After-hours crisis support is available at any time or location by calling 386-822-8740 to be connected to the Volusia County Crisis Response Team.
If you are having thoughts of harming yourself or others, select option 1. For all other mental health needs, select option 7.

Religious and Spiritual Life
386-822-7523

Stetson University Health Services
386-822-8150

Stetson University will make every effort reasonably possible to preserve an individual's privacy and protect the confidentiality of information. If a complainant does not wish to pursue a formal complaint and/or requests that their complaint remain confidential, the complainant will be informed that the university's ability to respond may be limited, and that the university may elect to initiate institutional action, response and/or grievance based on the information provided by the complainant/report. The following factors will be considered when assessing the complainant's request for confidentiality: the severity of the alleged sexual harassment or sexual violence; whether there have been other complaints of gender-based or sexual misconduct against the same respondent; and the respondent's right to receive information about the allegations if the information is maintained by the university as an “education record” under FERPA.  Respondents are afforded certain rights within the grievance process; honoring such rights may require disclosure of the complainant's identity.

 Title IX Coordinator will be responsible for evaluating requests for confidentiality based on the criteria above. The complainant will be informed by the Title IX Coordinator if the university cannot ensure confidentiality, and the respondent shall be made aware when an institutional decision to pursue an alleged policy violation against the wishes of the complainant is made. Granting a request for confidentiality will not prevent Stetson University from conducting an appropriate inquiry and taking other reasonably necessary measures to protect the complainant and/or the campus community.