Discrimination & Harassment Policy

Relevant Excerpt

Harassment may be intentional targeting an individual or it may be unintentional. This policy prohibits all forms of harassment including “quid pro quo” and “discriminatory hostile environment” harassment as defined below.

Sexual harassment may be of a homosexual or heterosexual nature. Harassment is conduct (physical, verbal, graphic, written, or electronic) that is (1) unwelcome; (2) discriminatory on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, or veteran status; (3) directed at an individual; and (4) so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that a reasonable person with the same characteristics of the victim would be adversely affected to a degree that interferes with his or her ability to participate in or to realize the intended benefits of an institutional activity, opportunity, or resource.

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Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal and physical conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment when such conduct is (1) unwelcome; (2) discriminatory on the basis of sex; (3) directed at an individual; and (4) so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that a reasonable person with the same characteristics of the victim would be adversely affected to a degree that interferes with his or her ability to participate in or to realize the intended benefits of an institutional activity, opportunity, or resource.

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Examples of sexual harassment include, but are not limited to the following, when they are part of a pattern of conduct that meets the standard set forth above: ...

Verbal – Derrogatory comments, slurs, or other offensive words or comments made on the basis of gender whether made in general or whether directed to an individual or to a group of people regardless of whether the behavior was intended to harass. Telling jokes of a sexual nature; making sexually oriented comments on a person’s appearance, sexual rumors, code words, and stories.

Visual – Posted material, e­mails or material placed in or on University equipment or on one’s own personal property or body (including clothing and tattoos) in the workplace, which is offensive on the basis of gender.