Sexual Harrassment/Gender Discrimination Policy
Jefferson Community College is committed to providing an environment that respects and encourages the development and growth of all students, staff and faculty. Any form of discriminatory behavior prevents a member of the campus community from achieving his/her full potential and is a violation of College policy. Sexually harassing behavior includes unwelcome verbal or physical conduct, which is sexually offensive. Sexually offensive conduct may include sexual flirtations or touching, verbal abuse of a suggestive nature, graphic or suggestive comments about an individual’s dress or body, use of sexually degrading words to describe an individual and the display in the work place of sexually suggestive objects or pictures. According to current federal, state and SUNY guidelines, sexual harassment is a form of unlawful discrimination.
Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:
- Submission to such is made explicitly or implicitly a term or condition
of an individual’s employment or of a student’s evaluation;
- Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used
as the basis for employment decisions or student evaluations affecting
such individual; or
- Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering
with an individual’s (employee or student) performance or creating
an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.
Furthermore, with regard to gender discrimination, College personnel shall not on the basis of a person’s gender:
- Treat one person differently from another in determining whether
such a person satisfies any requirement or condition for the provision
of such aid, benefit or service;
- Provide different aid, benefits, or services or provide aid, benefits,
or services in a different manner;
- Subject any person to separate or different rules or behavior, sanctions,
or other treatment;
- Otherwise limit any person in the enjoyment of any right, privilege, advantage, or opportunity.
All members of the College Community are required to report concerns expressed to them by an alleged victim of sexual harassment / gender discrimination, whether direct or third party, to the Affirmative Action / Diversity Officer. When a report or an informal complaint is accompanied by the complaint’s request that the issue remain confidential, the staff member should report the matter to the Affirmative Action / Diversity Officer but is not required to provide the name of the complainant.
If an employee or student feels that he/she has been a victim of sexual harassment / gender discrimination, the incident(s) should be addressed informally with the alleged harasser to the Affirmative Action Officer or designee. These discussions will be handled in a professional and confidential manner. If appropriate, an attempt will be made to resolve the problem through informal procedures.
If a complaint is filed with the Affirmative Action Officer and an informal inquiry indicates that a charge is unlikely to be resolved informally, or an attempt at informal resolution is unsuccessful, then the College President may institute more formal procedures. Threats or other forms of intimidation and retaliation against a complainant or any other party reporting or acting pursuant to this policy are violations of the policy, and constitute grounds for disciplinary action.
Because of the nature of the problem, complaints of sexual harassment and other forms of gender discrimination cannot always be substantiated. Lack of corroborating evidence should not discourage complainants from seeking relief through the procedures outlined above. However, charges found to have been intentionally dishonest or made maliciously without regard for truth will subject complainants to disciplinary action.