Houghton College Policy on
Sexual Harassment

1.    STATEMENT OF POLICY

1.1 Introduction.  Sexual harassment in any situation is reprehensible.  However, it is particularly damaging when it exploits the educational dependence and trust between students and administration, faculty or other college employees, and it is especially inappropriate and hurtful in a Christian academic community.  When the authority and power inherent in any official college relationship, whether overtly, implicitly, or through misinterpretation, is abused in this way, there is potentially great damage to the aggrieved individuals, to the person or persons complained of, and to the educational climate of the institution.

1.2 Houghton College affirms that its students, faculty, administration, and staff have a right to freedom from sex discrimination in the form of sexual harassment by any member of the academic community. In providing an educational and work climate which is positive and discrimination-free, administrators, faculty, staff, and students should be aware that sexual harassment in the workplace or educational environment is unacceptable conduct and will result in disciplinary action.

1.3 Houghton College considers a position against sexual harassment to be thoroughly consistent with the overall mission of the college and its longstanding commitment to traditional Christian values as presented in the Holy Scriptures. Sexual harassment transgresses holy law and in addition, is a form of illegal discrimination that is abhorrent to the college.  Consequently, it is the obligation of each member of the Houghton College community - administrators, faculty, staff, and students - to adhere to this anti-harassment policy.

1.4 The ultimate goal of a sexual harassment policy is prevention.  Students, faculty, administrators, and staff on all levels must know and understand the college's position on sexual harassment.  The President, student officers, departments, and offices are specifically responsible within their organizations for publicizing, and enforcing this policy.

2.  DEFINITION: SEXUAL HARASSMENT

2.1 Within the context of current college policy, sexual harassment is defined as:

2.1.1 Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when (1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment or participation in a college-sponsored educational program or activity; (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment or academic decisions affecting such individual; or (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's employment or academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or educational environment.

2.2 Although it is impossible to spell out completely all prohibited behavior, the following may be of further help in considering what constitutes sexual harassment for students.

2.2.1 Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature in which a faculty, administration, staff member or student intentionally uses the power inherent in the college/student relationship to threaten, coerce, or intimidate a person to accept such harassment or risk reprisal in terms of a grade, evaluation, or recommendation.

 3. CAMPUS AWARENESS, EDUCATION, AND PREVENTION

3.1 Campus awareness, education, and prevention regarding sexual harassment are covered under section III of the Policy on Sexual Assault.  Please refer to the policy for further information.

4. SCOPE OF POLICY

4.1 Houghton's harassment policy applies to, and will be enforced against, perpetrators who are current students and/or college employees for any incident  during an enrollment or employment period.

5. REPORTING PROCESS

5.1 General Complaints about sexual harassment will be responded to promptly and equitably.  The right to confidentiality of all members of the college community will  be  respected insofar as possible.  If you believe you are a victim of sexual harassment, contact the Sexual Harassment Officer. 

5.2 The Sexual Harassment Officer will listen to your  complaint  and  outline  your  options  for processing your complaint.

5.3 You have several options available to you:  some form of personal confrontation, the “informal” process, or the “formal” process. The Sexual Harassment Officer will assist you in whichever option you choose.

5.4 Informal Process There are generally two options for handling complaints informally.  The first is to express your concern to the person whose actions you find offensive.  The Sexual Harassment Officer can assist you with expressing your concern, either verbally or in written form.   The second option is to use a mediator.  If this is the approach you choose, you and the individual you wish to speak with will select from a list of mediators one acceptable to both parties.  The mediator will meet with you and with the accused (separately or together) for mediation/reconciliation within 10 working days of the complaint. 

5.5. Formal Process An individual who wishes to file a formal complaint of sexual harassment can do so by contacting the Sexual Harassment Officer.  The complaint must be received within 6 months of the date of the latest incident.

5.5.1 Action begins by the complainant signing a complaint report documenting the alleged incident of harassment.  The Sexual Harassment Officer will then appoint a three person investigative team (two members of which must be the same gender as the complainant) from the ranks of the appropriate administrative, faculty, staff, or student teams.  The Sexual Harassment Officer will also select a senior administrator to oversee the investigation.  This individual will initiate the proceedings, monitor the investigation, and take appropriate action as outlined in the investigative team report.

5.5.2 Note: Should the accused be a senior administrative officer, the Sexual Harassment Officer will contact the Chair of the Board of Trustees, or the Chair’s designee, to act as the overseeing officer.  The Chair, or designee will select (following policy guidelines regarding team composition) an investigative team from the membership of the Board and oversee the investigation.  The Chair will act on the team’s findings and recommendations for final disposition (to include the decision to involve or inform administrative officers of the Wesleyan Church).  Any appeals will be made directly to the Executive Committee of the Board.  The decision of the Executive Committee will be final.

5.5.3 The investigative team will meet within 10 working days (excluding college breaks) of the complaint and must report its findings and recommendations as soon as possible and in no case more than 30 days following the written complaint.


5.5.4 The Senior Administrator in charge will prepare and file the Official  Summary  Report.  This and all other documentation (Investigative Team’s report, letters, etc.)  will  be  filed  with the  Sexual  Harassment  Officer  within  seven working  days,  and  housed  in  the  Human Resources Office.  All  documentation  should be  housed  in  a  separate  locked  file  (non-employee/student file)  and  the  complainant and  accused  made  aware  that  this  is not a personnel file.

5.5.5 In cases where the recommended action includes changes  in  employment,  the  senior administrator in charge will notify the college president and the senior administrator where the  accused  works  or  is  a  student  to communicate  the  decision  and  to  take appropriate action.

5.5.6 The final decision made by the senior administrator  may  be  appealed  by  the investigative  team,  the  accused,  or  the complainant to the President of the College.

5.5.7 An individual who is found guilty of a charge of sexual harassment will be subject to action such as: (1) Initial and sustained counseling by a professional counselor. (2) Letter of reprimand (a copy of which must become part of the personnel/student record); (3) Change in employment status, grade, or rank (for administrator/faculty/staff) or suspension (for students) for repeated but less-serious harassments; (4) Non-issuance of contract, abrogation, or termination of contract, or revocation of tenure (for administrator/faculty/staff) or expulsion (for students) for flagrant and/or repeated offense; (5) Civil action for any offense which violates law.

6. PROBLEM RESOLUTION            

6.1 Any student who feels that a sexual harassment report (involving either a faculty member or an employment supervisor) did not receive prompt and equitable response following a formal complaint should contact the Vice President for Student Life.

6.2 Any college employee or spouse with a similar concern should contact the  senior administrator (Dean or Vice President) under whom the harassed individual works.

7. REPRISALS AND FALSE COMPLAINTS

Any student or employee making reprisals against a student  or  employee  for  reporting  or  bringing a complaint of sexual harassment will be in violation of this policy and subject to discipline.  In addition, it is a violation of this policy to make a false report or charge against a student or employee. Such false reports will be subject to disciplinary action.

Policy on Sexual Harassment:  In Accordance With Title IX; Educational Amendments of 1972

For additional information on Houghton College’s sexual harassment policies and procedures,
visit the Student Life Office website:  www.houghton.edu/offices/student_life
then click on Policies.