The Department of Public Safety advises victims of sexual assault to 1) contact police as quickly as possible, 2) preserve evidence, and 3) seek medical care. Additional details are available on the Department of Public Safety website. The NIU Policy Statement on Sexual Assault (located on the NIU Student Affairs website at www.stuaff.niu.edu under About Us, Student Policies) proclaims the university will not tolerate sexual assault of any kind and details the university complaint system. The policy includes students’ options for notifying on-campus and local police and a statement that the institution will comply with a student’s request for assistance in notifying authorities and confidential reporting.
NIU provides support for victims of sexual assault. The university will change the victim’s academic schedule and on-campus living situation if changes are requested, appropriate to the situation, and reasonably available. The policy states the accuser and the accused are entitled to the same opportunities to have others present during a disciplinary proceeding and the accuser and accused shall be informed of the outcome of any institutional disciplinary proceeding alleging a sex offense. Sanctions available to be imposed through university judicial proceedings after a finding of guilt range from a reprimand to expulsion from the university.
Sexual assault educational programs include workshops for incoming students, workshops/presentations in classes, living units and other sites, posters and flyers posted in living units and university buildings, and advertisements in the Northern Star.