Invasion of Privacy: Sara Hébert
SUNY Geneseo’s Title IX director talks about the benefits and resources the office has to offer
Photo Courtesy of Sara Hébert, Office of Title IX
College is often one of the most fun, exciting times of peoples’ lives. However, beneath all of the fun, it is important that students experience safe and inclusive communities. Sara Hébert, SUNY Geneseo’s Title IX Coordinator and Senior Equity Compliance Officer, works to make sure safety and inclusivity are always present in the Geneseo campus and throughout the community.
In a conversation with The Lamron, Sara described feeling “thankful and blessed” to work in her position in Geneseo’s Title IX office. She praised the work ethic she often sees in students to focus on safety; she highlighted her connections with students and the resources that she and the rest of the Title IX office work to provide.
The Title IX office “works primarily dealing with sex discrimination [and] sexual harassment” claims and incidents. They also “provide all of the mandatory training” to both students and Geneseo employees to become involved in “prevention, education, [and] programming,” as Sara explained to The Lamron. Within the office, Sara works to provide educational Title IX workshops and learning opportunities to campus organizations, such as Greek Life organizations and sports teams.
Sara emphasized the importance of—beyond taking these Title IX courses—students being an “active bystander” to help create a safer campus environment. She affirmed that “calling out something if they see it happening” is one of the best ways for students to keep themselves, their friends, and the entire Geneseo community safe.
Prior to working at SUNY Geneseo, Sara told The Lamron that she worked in law enforcement as a probation officer, handling “a specialized case load.” After leaving that field, she earned her first masters degree and ended up at Geneseo. She is now in her fourth year working in SUNY Geneseo’s Title IX office.
Beyond training students and the community to better prevent and handle issues regarding sexual violence, discrimination, sexual assault, and domestic violence, Sara also serves as the primary individual handling incident reports; she is responsible for connecting with the affected parties and implementing any actions or “supportive measures” which may be needed. She confirmed that neither herself nor any member of the Geneseo Title IX office will pass judgement or assumptions onto students who make a report with the office. “At the end of the day,” Sara elaborated, students “feeling safe and…comfortable while they’re here” in the Title IX office is one of her top priorities, while still working to make sure each case is handled in order to “lessen the impact [that a student is feeling] as much as possible.”
Sara wants students to know that the Title IX office is there to support them. When students get in contact with the office, it is treated as a “referral” for support, and the next course of action is “driven by that person” who contacted the office. “The most important thing,” she continued, is that students understand they will still “have a lot of agency” in terms of what information they tell the office, and “what they want to have happen as a result of disclosing” that information. Sara explained that “supportive measures and certain safety measures are available before an investigation has reached its conclusion.” The outcome and process of each Title IX report may look different to best support the person in need. Disciplinary actions, Sara commented, “follow a fair and impartial process and are separate from the investigation process.”
Furthermore, in debunking some common misconceptions that students might hold about the Title IX office, Sara mentioned that “privacy protects students,” and while the office understands “it can be frustrating…A lack of public information does not mean a lack of action.”
In her time connecting with and supporting the SUNY Geneseo community, Sara said she has especially “love[d] working with [Title IX office student] interns.” The office is “really lucky to be able to” connect with students in that way, she explained, adding “it is just so great having them here” in the office. Beyond getting to build these valuable relationships, student interns in the Title IX office work with Sara and other Title IX staff to “help facilitate student trainings,” as well as spread the messages of the Title IX office through creating and social media posts. The student interns have “really been a huge bridge to our office and building those relationships and maintaining those collaborations that we’re striving towards here on campus,” Sara said with appreciation. “They educate me on a daily basis too,” Sara admitted, telling The Lamron that she often learns directly from them to understand what is happening in social groups on campus, using that information to decide “how students will best interact with [the] office and programming or prevention space.”
Sara and the Title IX office interns also work on “specialized programming.” For example, the month of October marks Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which her office and interns acknowledge by working to promote awareness—both on campus and through social media—“towards domestic and dating violence, and stalking.” Earlier this month, geneseotitleixprevent posted reminders for Domestic Violence Awareness Month and resources for domestic violence victims and survivors on Instagram.
Wrapping up the conversation, Sara again emphasized her love for the Geneseo community; she stated that her goal, outside of supporting and educating students, is for “people to feel comfortable approaching” her, “even if it is just to ask a question [or] to say hello.” She further reassured The Lamron, and all Geneseo students, that simply asking questions and being curious does not have to mean taking formal actions. “You can come to us with questions or to explore your options. We listen, explain the process, and connect you with support, including confidential resources such as RESTORE. Walk-ins are welcome,” Sara explained to The Lamron.
Contacting Sara via email at sherbert@geneseo.edu or by calling the Title IX office using her extension number, 5023, are the best ways to reach her.