SEXUAL HARASSMENT/SEXUAL MISCONDUCT POLICY
Samuel Merritt University believes that sexual harassment/misconduct has no place in the academic environment, and the University will not tolerate it. Additionally, under state and federal laws, sexual harassment of employees or students is illegal. Samuel Merritt University community seeks to eliminate sexual harassment/sexual misconduct through education and by encouraging faculty, staff, and students to report concerns or complaints. The University takes the matter of sexual harassment and misconduct very seriously; indeed, the University and individual employees and/or students may be legally liable for acts of harassment. Therefore, any acts of sexual harassment or misconduct by students should be reported immediately to the Executive Director of Human Resources (Title IX Coordinator). After a thorough investigation, anyone found to have violated this policy will be subject to disciplinary action — up to and including dismissal/discharge from the University.
Definition of Sexual Misconduct
Sexual misconduct includes a range of behaviors used to obtain sexual contact against a person's will. Sexual misconduct is defined as sexual contact without consent by someone you know or a stranger and includes: intentional touching without consent, either of the victim or when the victim is forced to touch, directly or through clothing, another person's genitals, breast, groin, thighs or buttocks; rape (sexual intercourse without consent whether by someone you know or stranger; attempted rape; sodomy (oral or anal intercourse) without consent; or sexual penetration with an object without consent. To constitute lack of consent, the acts must be committed either by threat, force, and intimidation or through the use of the victim's mental or physical inability such as when the victim is physically or mentally incapacitated by alcohol or other drugs.
Definition of Sexual Harassment
1. The prohibition applies to all employees/faculty/students, and in particular to supervisors (including direct supervisory and other management staff). A sexual advance violates this policy regardless of whether the advance is expressly related to the affected employee’s/student’s employment/academic status. It is improper to make sexual advances, ask for, demand or seek by subtle pressure sexual favors or activity from an employee/student, or to subject another employee/student to verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature where:
a. The submission to such behavior is a condition of any employment/academic opportunity, benefit, job retention, grade; or
b. The submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as a basis for employment/academic decisions; or
c. Such conduct has the purpose or the effect of unreasonably interfering with the individual’s work/academic performance; or
d. Such conduct creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work/academic environment.
2. It is improper for an employee/student to make sexual advances or to offer or suggest sexual favors or activity in exchange or in consideration for any personnel/academic action.
3. It is improper to retaliate against an employee/student for refusing a sexual advance or for refusing a request, demand or pressure for sexual favors or activity or to retaliate against an employee/student who has reported an incident of possible sexual harassment to the University or to any government agency.
4. It is not possible to identify each and every act which constitutes or may constitute sexual harassment. However, certain conduct is clearly improper and is strictly prohibited. Persons engaging in this conduct, or other similar acts, will be subject to discipline up to and including dismissal from the University. Such acts might include:
a. Any unwanted, intentional touching of an employee/student by another may be sexual harassment and is prohibited. Due to the possibility of misinterpretation of acts by other employees/students, the University discourages all roughhousing or physical contact, except that contact necessary and incidental to an employee’s job/student’s academic status. Further, certain kinds of physical conduct in the work/academic environment are particularly inappropriate and may be grounds for immediate discipline, including dismissal from the University. That conduct includes, but is not limited to:
(i) Kissing or attempting to kiss an employee/student;
(ii) Touching or attempting to touch or pretending to touch the breasts, buttocks or genitals of an employee/student;
(iii) Physically restraining by force or blocking the path of an employee/student when accompanied by other conduct of a sexual nature;
(iv) Any other touching or attempted touching reasonably interpreted to be of a sexual nature.
b. Sexual advances, unwelcome requests, demands, or subtle pressure for sexual favors or activity, lewd comments and sexual innuendoes are also prohibited. This conduct includes, but is not limited to:
(i) Comments to an employee/student or others about the body of an employee/student which are intended to draw attention to the sex of the employee/student or can reasonably be interpreted to draw attention to the sex of the employee/student;
(ii) Comments to the employee/student or others about the sexual conduct, capability, or desirability of an employee/student;
(iii) Cat calls, whistles, or other conduct reasonably interpreted to be of a sexual nature.
c. Sexually suggestive gestures are also prohibited.
d. It is improper to subject employees/students to photographs, cartoons, articles, or other written or pictorial materials of a sexual nature after the employee/student has expressed his or her displeasure with such activity. These materials may be offensive to the public as well and should not be on display in offices or public areas in any event.
e. This policy is not intended to prohibit employees/students from asking other employees/students for social engagements. However, repeated requests where prior social invitations have been refused can be interpreted as sexual harassment. Employees/students should refrain from persistent invitations after an employee/student has indicated that such invitations are unwelcome.
1. The conduct described in this policy is strictly prohibited. If anyone, including non-employees/non-students, engages in such conduct, it is important that the conduct be reported to the Executive Director of Human Resources. It is not possible for the University to enforce this policy if incidents of harassment are not reported. The procedure to follow if the student feels that he/she has been subjected to sexual harassment/sexual misconduct is set forth in this Catalog/Handbook.
Complaint Procedure
The University has a compelling obligation to address allegations and suspected instances of discrimination, harassment, and misconduct. The following procedures are designed to allow for prompt and equitable resolution of sexual harassment/sexual misconduct complaints. The Title IX Coordinator (Executive Director of Human Resources) is responsible for investigating all complaints of sexual harassment/sexual misconduct involving students. The University will take steps to prevent reoccurrence of any harassment/misconduct and to correct its discriminatory effects on the complainant and others, if appropriate.
1. In simple situations, the student should let the offending person know immediately and firmly that he/she is rejecting the advance or invitation and/or finds the conduct offensive.
2. The student should report the matter to the Title IX Coordinator (Executive Director of Human Resources), who will make a complete investigation. It is important that the student report everything to the investigator so a thorough investigation can be made, including providing witnesses and/or documentation from individuals who have first-hand knowledge of the situation.
3. The student has the right to file a criminal complaint with the appropriate local police department.
4. To the extent possible, the complaint and investigation will remain confidential. If a complainant insists that his/her name or other identifiable information not be disclosed to the accused student, the University’s ability to respond to the complaint may be limited.
5. Retaliation is prohibited. The University will take steps to prevent retaliation and also strong responsive action if it occurs. If the student feels that a retaliatory action has been taken because he/she has filed a complaint, that action should be reported as well.
6. The Title IX investigator will investigate the matter promptly, thoroughly, and impartially. The University will not delay conducting its own investigation because of a pending criminal complaint as the University has a responsibility to protect the student in its educational setting.
7. During the investigation, both parties will have the opportunity to present witnesses and other evidence. The meeting shall be closed to the public and only the complainant(s), the Investigator(s), the accused student(s), and other individuals approved by the Investigator, shall be present. No attorney, who represents any of the involved parties, shall attend or take part in the meeting.
8. The standard of proof to be used shall be the preponderance of evidence standard.
9. Appropriate sanctions/discipline up to and including dismissal from the University will be imposed if warranted. Any incidents of further harassment or retaliation should be reported immediately to the Title IX Coordinator (Executive Director of Human Resources).
10. Both parties will be informed of the outcome of the complaint in writing.
Both parties can grieve the final decision of the Title IX Investigator by requesting a review in writing to the Title IX Coordinator (Executive Director of Human Resources) by the student within five (5) working days of the decision.
11. This meeting shall be closed to the public and only the grievant(s), the person whose decision is being grieved, and other individuals approved by the Title IX Coordinator (Executive Director of Human Resources), shall be present. No attorney, who represents any of the involved parties, shall attend or take part in the meeting
12. The decision of the Title IX Coordinator (Executive Director of Human Resources) is final.
Samuel Merritt University Title IX Coordinator
Elaine Lemay
Executive Director of Human Resources
Samuel Merritt University
3100 Telegraph Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609
(510) 869-6739
CAMPUS SEX OFFENSES
Students, faculty, and staff are required to report sex offenses to the Assistant Vice President of Enrollment and Student Services and to Security. As required by the Higher Education Amendments of 1992, the University provides an annual report of campus crime statistics, including all sex offenses. See Campus Security Act of 1990 in the Federal and State Regulatory Policies section.
Policy on Sex Offenses and Offenders
The University does not regularly provide educational programs to promote the awareness of rape, acquaintance rape and other forcible and non-forcible sex offences. Such educational programs may be done at the request of students, by security in an ad hoc program, or because of a campus concern.
If you are a victim of sexual assault, your first priority should be to get to a place of safety. You should then obtain necessary medical treatment. The University strongly advocates that a victim of sexual assault report the incident in a timely manner to the Assistant Vice President of Enrollment and Student Services or other person listed above.
The report to a University official does not obligate the victim to prosecute nor will it subject the victim to scrutiny or judgmental opinions from employees and officers; but it ensures the victim can receive services offered by the University. The Assistant Vice President of Enrollment and Student Services and others will assist the student in notifying these authorities if the student requests.
A report to police will ensure the victim receives the necessary medical treatment and tests, at no expense to the victim; provide the opportunity for the collection of evidence which will be helpful in prosecution which cannot be obtained later; and assure the victim has access to free confidential counseling from counselors specifically trained in the area of sexual assault crisis intervention.
The University offers counseling services through the Health and Counseling Center and through a contracted arrangement with Sutter EAP. Counseling and support services outside the University system are available through the San Francisco Women against Rape crisis center.
University disciplinary proceedings, as well as special guidelines for handling cases of sexual misconduct, are detailed in the Catalog and Student Handbook. The handbook provides, in part, that the accused and the victim will each be allowed to choose one person who has had no formal legal training to accompany them throughout the hearing. Both the victim and the accused will be informed of the outcome of the hearing. A student found guilty of violating the University’s sexual misconduct policy could be criminally prosecuted and/or may be suspended or expelled from the University for the first offense. Students have the option to change their academic situations after an alleged sexual assault if such changes are reasonably available.
