The Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI) is committed to ensuring the continuity and continuation of all policies under their direction. As such, OEI has implemented steps for a seamless transition to a virtual environment that continues to ensure the fair and equitable treatment of all individuals within the University of Delaware community. 

The Office of the Title IX Coordinator will continue to fully serve the University community during this period of remote learning/ working. The operations of the office will be conducted remotely consistent with the University’s directive and measures which took effect March 16, 2020. People who have experienced any form of sexual or related violence are encouraged to continue to seek the support of the Title IX Office.

These are unprecedented times for higher education and the global community as a whole. OEI recognizes that these circumstances impact individuals differently and uniquely and strives to ensure their equitable access to a positive learning and working environment. OEI has a history of providing virtual access to resources and services and this access has been extended comprehensively to the UD community. As such, you can expect the same rights and resources and personalized service that is central to the work of this office regarding sexual misconduct, non-discrimination, and inclusive excellence more broadly. 

Below you will find a series of frequently asked questions that may be helpful as you navigate OEI’s resources and processes. If you have a question not on this list, please send a message to the corresponding email. 

Sexual Misconduct & Non-Discrimination Policies: titleixcoordinator@udel.edu 

Protection of Minors Policy: protectionofminors@udel.edu

General Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion questions: oei@udel.edu

The most up-to-date information pertaining to COVID-19 at the University of Delaware can be found on the university’s information page

Will the Office of the Title IX Coordinator continue its work during this period of remote operations?

The Office of the Title IX Coordinator will continue to fully serve the University community during this period of remote learning/ working. The operations of the Office will be conducted remotely consistent with the University’s directive and measures which took effect March 16, 2020.

Can I still make reports of sexual or related violence?

Yes. If you or someone you know has experienced any form of sexual or related violence you can report it. Reports can be made online at OEI Homepage or the Know More Homepage. Upon receipt of a report, a representative of the Title IX Office will respond with reporting options and available resources and may also offer to arrange a remote meeting via videoconference or telephone. The University’s Sexual Misconduct Policy permits the University to take jurisdiction over reports of prohibited conduct arising conduct occurring both on and off campus.

How will the case I’m currently involved in be affected?

The intake of cases continues virtually and parties continue to be notified via email by the Title IX Coordinator of next steps. Participation in all cases is remote; we will provide instructions and assistance to support your participation. Cases will proceed as long as all parties have access to the applicable resources in order to equitably participate. We ask that, if participants are unavailable to participate due to illness, quarantine, or isolation, or for any other reason (related or unrelated to the Coronavirus), they contact us immediately at titleixcoordinator@udel.edu.

Will the University continue to provide other support and assistance such as university confidential resources and counseling?

We are working with other University partners which provide resources and support services to maximize availability and continuity while in remote status.  The Division of Student Life has transitioned to a virtual support network in order to continue to provide comprehensive support services for students.  Please contact us at titleixcoordinator@udel.edu if you are having difficulty remotely securing the resources and services you need. We also encourage you to reach out to any support services you are currently connected with, to explore how to use the services remotely.

How can I get support if I have experienced sexual misconduct?

Sexual Offense Support (S.O.S.) will continue to provide 24/7 victim advocacy via the UD Helpline 24/7/365.  Anyone in the UD community may call 302-831-1001 and press 1.  The clinician will take down a first name and phone number and have the advocate on duty call back within 10 minutes.  During this time, to safeguard the health of everyone involved, S.O.S. will not be able to accompany survivors to the hospital for a forensic exam, but will be available to speak to callers before and after a hospital visit.  For more on how a victim advocate can help, see:  https://sites.udel.edu/sos/about-s-o-s/

In addition, professional Victim Advocates from Student Wellness & Health Promotion will continue to hold appointments with students.  To schedule an appointment for an online video chat or phone call, go to:  https://sites.udel.edu/studentwellness/victim-services/

What is Zoom?

The Office of Equity and Inclusion will be conducting all business via Zoom, in accordance with local, state, and national guidelines regarding efforts to combat the spread of the Coronavirus. Zoom is UD’s centrally supported, easy-to-use desktop and mobile video conferencing platform that works with both MacOS and Windows platforms, and has free apps for Apple and Android devices.

Download our UDEL Zoom User Guide (PDF 322k) to get started.

New! Students can download our Zoom Student Guide to learn how to use Zoom effectively.

The following tutorials are from https://zoom.us/:

Watch the recorded Zoom User Training and learn how to use meeting controls, features such as white boards, breakout rooms, text chat, and meeting recording, and more.

How will I work with OEI via Zoom?

The Office of Equity & Inclusion will conduct all meetings and interviews pertaining to the Sexual Misconduct (Title IX) and Non-Discrimination policies via Zoom. OEI will work with each individual to schedule a time for these meetings and ensure appropriate technical access to Zoom functions. This correspondence will occur via official UD email unless otherwise requested. Once a time has been agreed upon, a Zoom meeting invitation will be initiated and sent from the Director of the Office of Equity and Inclusion (danica@udel.edu), Program Coordinator OEI (ammoore@udel.edu), or Director of Diversity Education (foley@udel.edu). Only meetings received from these addresses should be accepted. If a scheduling conflict arises after a meeting has been scheduled, please email titleixcoordinator@udel.edu or oei@udel.edu  in order to reschedule the meeting. 

How are my rights impacted?

You have all of the same rights in a virtual environment that would have in-person on campus. As such, all necessary accommodations are being made by the Office of Equity and Inclusion to ensure equitable access to resources and staff members.  

For more information, please review the full listing of rights and resources on the kNOwMORE website.

Do I still have access to a support person(s)?

Yes, you still have access to a support person(s). All parties participating in an investigation through the Office of Equity & Inclusion are allowed two support persons for all meetings. These individuals may not speak on behalf of individuals but serve to offer guidance and help guide individuals. Each party is responsible for gathering availability for support person(s) and communicating that information to OEI for scheduling purposes. When a meeting is scheduled, the Title IX Coordinator or designee will inquire from the party as to the identity and email address of the chosen support person(s). These individuals will be invited to each meeting via Zoom, at the request of the party. During the meeting, participants and support person(s) have the option to use the chat function to speak privately. In addition, all members of the UD community have full access to Zoom and can initiate separate meetings should they wish to conference privately with their support person(s).

What is “Zoombombing”? Should I be worried? How can I prevent it?

“Zoom bombing” refers to an uninvited individual disrupting a Zoom meeting. To help prevent this issue, meeting hosts should implement measures to protect themselves and their meetings. The University of Delaware has created a resource page with guidelines for preventing this activity from occurring. It is important that you take these steps proactively for future meetings as well as update current meetings. 

Zoom has created a Best Practices for Securing your Virtual Classroom guide.

What if I am the victim of “Zoombombing”?

Please report all Zoom bombing incidents by emailing askit@udel.edu or submitting this form. If emailing, please include your name, your class name and section number, time of incident (best approximation) and Zoom meeting ID. If the incident occurred during a non-class meeting, please include relevant details as well. 

All Zoom bombing reports will be addressed by the most appropriate office in accordance with all conduct policies at the University of Delaware. Instances of a harassing or discriminatory nature are not tolerated in a virtual learning and working environment, just as they are not tolerated in a face-to-face environment. Specific incidents that may constitute harassment or discrimination under the sexual misconduct or non-discrimination policies will be addressed by the Office of Equity and Inclusion, just as in-person incidents continue to be addressed. 

What is OneHub? How will I use it?

OneHub is a secure, encrypted file sharing and viewing platform that the Office of Equity & Inclusion has contracted with to offer confidential file-sharing and report review. All investigation report materials will be reviewed via OneHub during the University of Delaware’s work-from-home period. Typically, parties have the option to review a draft of the report in person once it has been prepared. This hard copy document may not leave the Office of Equity & Inclusion. All parties are encouraged to take notes as applicable. OneHub will ensure that this portion of the policy remains in effect in a virtual space. Parties will have access to view draft reports but will be unable to copy, print, or save the document(s) for future use. Access to these documents will be for a limited period of time, after which parties will no longer be able to view the document(s). Each individual will need to set up a separate OneHub account in order to access the file(s). Additional information will be provided by the Title IX Coordinator prior to the review period.  

I am a newly admitted student. How do I go about completing the required online sexual misconduct training?

5/29/20 Update: Please note that newly admitted students will receive an invitation to participate in the Everfi Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Education training near the end of summer (late July/August). An exact date has yet to be determined, pending decisions regarding the Fall 2020 academic calendar by the University of Delaware, and possible updates to the training per Department of Education guidelines. 

What if I have other questions not answered here?

As always, please feel free to contact us at titleixcoordinator@udel.edu. Please note that individual office phones are not forwarded during this period of remote work. We will continue to monitor the situation and update these FAQs as needed according to changes in the University’s directive and measures.