As many of you are aware, two officials at Penn State University were indicted this month on criminal charges regarding reporting violation. The Office of Diversity and Compliance would like to take this opportunity to remind you that the state of Massachusetts has mandatory reporting requirements for the suspected sexual assault of a child. These mandatory requirements apply to departments which provide programs and activities for children under the age of 18 years of age. This also includes third parties which use Worcester State’s facilities. For more information regarding the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families please go to: http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/consumer/family-services/child-abuse-neglect/reporting-abuse.html 

CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information) checks are conducted through our office. This requires that any student or employee that participate in an academic setting, clinical field work, camp, or program which involves potential or unsupervised contact with children under the age of 18 to submit a CORI request. CORI forms and information are available on our department’s website.

Immediate action is essential to protect children and ensure safety. Any individual that may have doubt regarding whether to report or what to report should contact Campus Police at 508-929-8911.

2012-2013 Luncheon Seminar Series:

Fall 2012

Friday, September 28, 2012: Campus Policies and Procedures - This seminar is designed to inform faculty and staff of WSU policies and campus procedures. Learn about your rights as a University employee, CORI process, reasonable accommodations, and much more.

Thursday, November 8, 2012: Communication, Culture, and Conflict Resolution - Participants will recognize different forms of harassment and learn key techniques for handling conflict that may arise, and on harassing behaviors. Guest Speaker: Monica Cannon, Executive Director of Diversity and Inclusion at UMass Memorial Heath Care.

Spring 2013

Thursday, February 7, 2013: Opportunity Gaps and Historical Trauma -  Participants will discuss views regarding cultural opportunity gaps in academic settings and how they may affect WSU students, faculty and staff.

Friday, March 15, 2013: The Impact of Perceptions - Participants will explore their own views regarding stereotypes as they relate to our campus and global diversity. Participants will further examine the impact of our stereotypes on our community.

All seminars will be held in the Foster Room at 12 noon. Please email diversity@worcester.edu to reserve space and so we are able to get a count for food. Thank you!.