From: Human Resources
Date: January 21, 2025
Subject: Compliance Newsletter


Issue at a Glance

  • Training Requirements for all Employees
    • Title IX, VAWA, Sexual Harassment and Minors on Campus
    • Cybersecurity
  • Anonymous Reporting Hotline
  • Introducing Tanya Keller, Director of Risk Management
  • Working with Minors


Colleagues,

Welcome back to campus! We hope your semester is off to a great start! As we begin the spring semester, please take a moment to review these important compliance-related training requirements for all faculty and staff of the College. We appreciate your attention and cooperation in completing these requirements by the deadlines outlined below.

If you have any questions or require further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact the Human Resources Office.

Thank you in advance for your prompt attention to these important training requirements and compliance guidelines.

Sincerely,

Jen Lucas
Executive Director of Human Resources

Training Requirements

Title IX and the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
Title IX is a federal law that applies to educational institutions receiving federal financial assistance. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs or activities and mandates that institutions have policies addressing sexual harassment or sexual violence. In response to recent legal changes, all full-time and part-time faculty and staff are now required to complete annual training on Title IX, VAWA, and other related harassment and discrimination issues in the workplace.

  • Individuals designated as Campus Security Authorities (CSAs) will receive notification from Campus Safety regarding their specific training requirements. This semester’s CSA training will include the required Title IX training as well.
  • All other faculty and staff who are not CSAs must complete Title IX training prior to March 15. You will soon receive an email from Human Resources with the dates and times of available training sessions. Please be on the lookout for that email.
Cybersecurity Training
All faculty and staff are now required to complete annual cybersecurity training. You will receive an email from Tom Franza on February 10 with instructions to complete this training by February 28. Please note that completing this training by the deadline is essential for maintaining coverage under the College’s Network Security & Privacy Liability Insurance in the event of a cybersecurity breach for which you are responsible.

Interesting Fact: Most cyberattacks (including phishing attempts) in higher education occur in August/September and during Fall and Spring final exam weeks!

Stay Alert for Phishing Scams: You are our first line of defense against cyberattacks. By staying vigilant, you can help protect both yourself and the rest of the campus. Many attacks attempt to impersonate IT or IT-related services. DO NOT BE MISLED! If you are uncertain about an email or link, please do not open it. Instead, contact the IT Helpdesk at (717) 337-7000 or ithelpdesk@gettysburg.edu with any questions.

If you think you have been a victim of a cyberattack, please contact Tom Franza immediately. The sooner he can assist, the less harmful the damage is likely to be.
 

Employees: How to Report a Concern

  • For reports regarding sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, and other sexually inappropriate behavior, please complete a Community Concern Form.
  • In all other situations where you prefer to place an anonymous report in confidence, you are encouraged to use our Campus Conduct Hotline (CCH), hosted by a third-party hotline provider, Syntrio. You will find the methods to make an anonymous report on the HR webpage under, Employee Resources.
Background Checks for Faculty and Staff Working with Minors

In compliance with Pennsylvania Act 153, employees and volunteers who have direct contact and routine interaction with minors are required to obtain three background checks:
  • Pennsylvania Criminal History Check (PATCH)
  • Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Check (DHS)
  • FBI Criminal History Check
If you work with minors and have not yet completed these background checks, please contact Human Resources at hr@gettysburg.edu as soon as possible (example: providing music lessons on campus to high school students, running a summer academic camp that is open to individuals under the age of 18, minors who audit a class, etc.). If you have previously completed your Act 153 background check with the College, the background check is valid for five years.
Additionally, employees who work regularly with minors are required to notify Human Resources in writing within 72 hours if they are arrested for, convicted of, or named as a perpetrator in a founded or indicated report of child abuse. You may find more information on these background check requirements on our website.



Role of Director of Risk Management

We are pleased to announce that Tanya Keller has assumed an expanded role as the College’s Director of Risk Management. In this new capacity, Tanya will work closely with various departments to identify and mitigate potential risks across the College. Her focus will be on strengthening our risk management practices, standardizing processes and procedures across departments, and ensuring consistency and efficiency in our operations.

Managing risk is becoming increasingly important as the number of risks and their impact on institutions is increasing. Good risk management allows an institution to focus on core operations and avoid time spent on managing crises.

Please join us in congratulating Tanya on her expanded role at the College!