Sexual Harassment /Sexual Misconduct

September 2015

IIT Office of General CounselEducational Program

forTeaching Assistants

Program Objectives

 Review IIT’s policy on sexual harassment/sexual misconduct

•Review Title IX requirements regarding sexual harassment and sexual misconduct

•Know what to do if harassment/misconduct occurs

Sexual Harassment – Employee Handbook (Policy E. 2.00; 3.00) – Student Handbook (2015-2016, Sec III (I))

IIT is committed to ensuring an environment for all students and employees that is fair, humane, and respectful - - an environment which supports and rewards student and employee performance on the basis of relevant considerations such as ability and effort. Behaviors which inappropriately assert sexuality as relevant to student or employee performance damage this environment.

Sexual Harassment – Employee Handbook (Policy E. 2.00; 3.00) – Student Handbook (2015-2016, Sec III (I))

Therefore, IIT will provide for its students and employees an educational and employment environment free of unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct or communications constituting sexual harassment as defined or otherwise prohibited by state or federal law.

Sexual Harassment of Students• The IIT Sexual Harassment Policy and the Illinois Human Rights Act prohibit

unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors made by a higher education representative to a student.

• Also prohibits any conduct of a sexual nature exhibited by a higher education representative toward a student when such conduct has the purpose of substantially interfering with the student’s educational performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive educational environment.

• IIT policy prohibits sexual harassment by any member of the university.

• IIT policy also prohibits consensual relationships of a dating, intimate, romantic and/or sexual nature between an IIT employee and (i) Any undergraduate student; and (ii) Any graduate student when the employee is in a position, actual or apparent of power or influence over a student. (Employee Handbook – Policy E. 4.00)

Defining Sexual Harassment?

• Sexual harassment is conduct or expression that is:• sexual in nature• unwelcome (person did not request or invite the conduct

and considers it to be undesirable or offensive)• impactful (denies or limits a person’s ability to

participate in or benefit from a school's educational program)

Sexual Misconduct – Employee Handbook (Policy E. 3.00) – Student Handbook (2015-2016, Sec III (I)(7))

The university is committed to providing an education and employment environment that is safe, secure and free of sexual misconduct. Human Resources will conduct educational workshops on this subject and provide prevention and referral resources to employees. Any employee who believes he/she is the victim of sexual assault should report the incident to his/her supervisor, the Title IX Coordinator, Human Resources or Public Safety and seek medical assistance. The report will be investigated promptly, thoroughly and discretely with every effort made to maintain confidentiality to the extent possible.

Sexual Misconduct – Employee Handbook (Policy E. 3.00) – Student Handbook (2015-2016, Sec III (I)(7))

As set forth in the Code of Conduct in the Student Handbook, IIT prohibits acts of sexual misconduct, which includes sexual assaults, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual exploitation and stalking.

Title IX Protections• Title IX of the Education Amendments Acts of 1972 prohibits discrimination

on the basis of sex in education programs, thus sexual harassment (form of sex discrimination) is prohibited by Title IX

• Protects ALL students regardless of national origin, immigration status, or citizenship status including undocumented students

• Protects against sexual misconduct. (Student Handbook 2015-2016, Sec. II (A)(15); Employee Handbook Policy E. 3.00)• Sexual Assault• Dating Violence• Domestic Violence• Sexual Exploitation• Stalking

Title IXDuty to Act

• Once the university learns of an incident of sexual harassment/sexual misconduct, there is a duty upon the university to act.

• Even if the Complainant decides not to move forward with a complaint, the university retains the right to conduct an investigation without his/her consent.

• Must take any such complaint to the Dean of Students, Dean’s Designee or Title IX Coordinator.

Title IX Coordinator― Virginia Foster Email: foster@iit.edu Phone: 312.567.5725

• Oversight of Title IX complaints

• Coordinate educational training

• Monitoring and compliance assurance

• Reporting

Sexual Harassment / Sexual Misconduct

• Conduct can be carried out by:

• Faculty or staff

• Students

• Third parties (visiting speaker, vendors)

Sexual Harassment / Sexual Misconduct

• Conduct can occur:

• University-sponsored program or activity

• University facilities

• Off-campus locations

Sexual Harassment / Sexual Misconduct

• Conduct can be:

• Verbal or nonverbal

• Physical / Violent

• Electronic

Sexual Harassment / Sexual Misconduct• Gender does not matter:

• Men and women can be victims

• Harasser/perpetrator and victim can be of same sex

Who To Contact?

• Students who believe they have been subjected to sexual harassment/sexual misconduct should contact:

• Dean of Students • IIT Public Safety‒ Katherine Stetz ‒ 312.808.6301– kstetz@iit.edu ‒ amarti49@iit.edu– 312.567.3080

• Title IX Coordinator– Virginia Foster– foster@iit.edu– 312.567.5725

Questions?

IIT Community Support Team

• Assist members of the community when they witness behavior that appears troubling, disconcerting or otherwise out of the ordinary

IIT Community Support TeamThe purpose of the IIT Community Support Team is to assist members of the IIT community when they are concerned about, or troubled by, the behavior of a student, faculty member, or staff member.

We can help direct you to the appropriate person, office, or resources that you can inform of the situation and that can take action as appropriate.

In the normal course, communications with the Community Support Team are confidential (we will not share your identity) and can be anonymous (we wouldn't know your identity), although not knowing how to communicate with you may limit our ability to respond and to give you follow up information. However, there may be a situation where we believe it necessary to release confidential information to maintain the safety of the IIT Community.

You can contact any member of the IIT Community Support Team by email, telephone call or written message.

Community Support Team Contacts

Teresa BursoniAssistant Director of Operations, Public SafetyFH 205312.808.63135898tbursoni@iit.edu

Meghan KeanPsychologistStudent Health and Wellness CenterIT 3C9-1312.567.7019mkean@iit.edu

Aggie McGraneDirector, Disability ResourcesTS 1C3-1312.567.5744amcgrane@iit.edu

Mike Gosz Vice President for EnrollmentIIT Tower 19th Floor312.567.3198gosz@iit.edu

Community Support Team ContactsArturo MartinezDirector, Public SafetyFH 205312.808.6315amarti49@iit.edu

Katie Murphy Stetz Vice Provost, Student AffairsMC 212312.567.3080kstetz@iit.edu

Candida Miranda Associate General CounselIT 1900-SW312.567.3134miranda@iit.edu

Antoinette MurrilAssociate Vice PresidentHuman ResourcesIIT Tower 9th Floor312.567.3012amurril@iit.edu

Mike Young ProfessorCollege of PsychologyLS 246B312.567.3503youngm@iit.edu

Community Support Team Contacts

Chris WhiteVice Provost for Academic AffairsIT 7D7-1312.567.3734whitec@iit.edu

Questions?