Policy on Institutional Equity: Harassment

Relevant Excerpt

Harassment: Prohibited harassment is verbal or physical conduct or conduct using technology based on a protected class that has the purpose or effect of:
• Substantially interfering with, limiting or depriving a member of the community from accessing or participating in the academic or employment environment, and/or substantially interfering with an individual’s academic performance or work performance; or
• Creating an academic or working environment that a reasonable person would consider to be intimidating, hostile, or offensive.

In determining whether the conduct is sufficiently severe or pervasive so as to meet the above standards, OE examines the context, nature, scope, frequency, duration, and location of incidents, as well as the relationships of the persons involved. A person's subjective belief that behavior is intimidating, hostile, or offensive does not make that behavior prohibited harassment under this Policy. The behavior must create a hostile environment and/or substantially interfere with access to a University program or activity from an objective perspective.

Examples of harassment include
• offensive jokes related to a protected class;
• the use of slurs and stereotypes related to a protected class;
• name calling related to a protected class;
• intimidation, ridicule, or mockery connected to a protected class;
• displaying or circulating offensive objects and pictures that are based
on a protected class