An updated in August, with the update allows for an in-house decision on whether to report prior incidents of child abuse that adult students disclose to MSU faculty or staff, usually verbally or through academic assignments. Previously, all incidents were discussed with MSU Police.

Decisions on whether to report to Child Protective Services are based on whether a child is currently in danger, such as a younger sibling or if the offender is a teacher.

Faculty and staff are required to report incidents they learn of to the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education and Dean of Undergraduate Studies Doug Estry. From there, Estry confers with child abuse experts on campus to determine if further action is needed.

Two incidents have been reported to Estry this year, but neither were reported to Child Protective Services, said Kristine Zayko, deputy general counsel in MSU’s Office of the General Counsel.

If a report is made to Child Protective Services, the survivor are notified and given the option to file the report themselves, be a witness in the investigation, or to be uninvolved.

“All campus experts are in agreement that an adult survivor should be able to make that decision,” Zayko said.

She said the most important thing is making sure students feel comfortable and can deal with what happened. Students who come forward are directed to on- and off-campus resources, such as the MSU Counseling Center.

Counseling center data suggests that about 25 percent of its clients have suffered from trauma, which includes child abuse, said Scott Becker, acting director. Numbers are not separated out for specific types of trauma.

“Treatment for various forms of trauma, including a history of child abuse, is quite effective,” he said.

If students reveal previous abuse to the Counseling Center, it remains confidential.