Policy Statement:

1. It is the policy of Valencia Community College that all employees and students should be able to learn and work in an educational environment free from any discriminatory harassment, including sexual harassment, and retaliation. Harassment in any form, based on race, color, national origin, age, religion, disability, marital status, gender, sexual orientation and any other factor protected under applicable federal state, and local civil rights laws, rules and regulations ("the Protected Categories"), including sexual harassment, is prohibited, as are all forms of sexual intimidation and exploitation. All faculty, students, and staff should be aware that the College will not tolerate any conduct that constitutes harassment. Complaints of harassment will be promptly and thoroughly investigated and appropriate action, including disciplinary measures, will be taken when warranted. Any employee, student, student organization, or person privileged to study in, work in or for, or visit the Valencia Community College community who violates this policy will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including permanent exclusion from the College.
   

2. Faculty, students, staff, and other parties on College premises are responsible for maintaining an appropriate environment for study and work. This includes conducting themselves in a professional manner, actively discouraging harassment, and taking appropriate corrective action to prevent and eliminate harassment.
   

3. Faculty, students, and staff have the right at any time to raise the issue of harassment without fear of retaliation. Any faculty, student, or staff who feels that he/she has been harassed should review the procedures implementing the policy on Investigating and Resolving Discrimination, Harassment and Sexual Harassment Complaints and immediately bring the matter to the attention of his/her supervisor or any of the Vice Presidents, Provosts, Deans, or the Director, Office of Employee Relations, Diversity, and Compliance. They will handle matters brought to their attention with sensitivity and discretion.
   

4. Any member of the Valencia community who believes he/she has been a witness to or a target of harassment is urged to report promptly the facts of the incident(s) to any of the above individuals. Delay in reporting may impede the College's ability to take appropriate action. No member of the Valencia community will be retaliated against for making a good faith report of alleged harassment to, or for participating in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing conducted by, the college or a state or federal agency.
   

5. Harassment is the creation of a hostile or intimidating environment in which verbal or physical conduct, because of its severity and/or persistence, is likely to interfere significantly with an individual's work or education. Discriminatory harassment includes conduct (oral, written, graphic, or physical) directed against any person or group of persons because of any of the Protected Categories and that has the purpose or reasonably foreseeable effect of creating an offensive, demeaning, intimidating, or hostile environment for that person or group of persons. Such conduct includes, but is not limited to, objectionable epithets, demeaning depictions or treatment, and threatened or actual abuse or harm.
   

6. In addition, sexual harassment is prohibited. Sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:
   1. submission to unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment or a student's status in a course, program, or activity.
   2. submission to or rejection of unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature by an employee or student is used as the basis for employment or academic decisions affecting that employee or student.
   3. unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an employee's work performance or a student's academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive employment or educational environment.

7. All College Vice Presidents, Provosts, Deans, and other managerial staff should take appropriate steps to disseminate this policy statement and inform employees and students of procedures for lodging complaints. All members of the student body, faculty, and staff are expected to assist in implementing this policy.
8. The scholarly, educational, or artistic content of any written, oral, or other presentation or inquiry shall not be limited by this Policy. It is the intent of this paragraph that academic freedom be allowed to all members of the academic community. Accordingly, this provision shall be liberally construed but shall not be used as a pretext for violation of this Policy.

Related Documents and Policies:

History:

Formerly 6Hx28:07-01 Equal Opportunity Employment; 6Hx28:04-18 Civil Rights Discrimination Grievances; Hx28:04-39 AIDS; Hx28:04-44 Sexual Harassment; 6Hx28:05-14 Substitute Admission and Graduation Requirements for Disabled Students; Amended 12-10-02; Amended 12-21-04; Title Only Updated 12-14-05; Formerly 6Hx28:02-02