According to the U.S. Department of Education:
Title IX protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive Federal financial assistance. Title IX states that: No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.
Definitions of Acts Covered
All of the acts covered by Title IX are not only a criminal violation that should be handled by the authorities, but they are also civil rights violations that should be handled by the educational institution.
Sexual Harassment
Defined as unwelcome, sexually based, verbal, written or physical conduct.
Sexual harassment creates a hostile environment, and may be disciplined when it is:
- Sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that it,
- Has the effect of unreasonably interfering with, denying or limiting employment opportunities or the ability to participate in or benefit from the college’s educational programs, and is
- Based on power differentials (quid pro quo), the creation of a hostile environment or retaliation.
Gender-Based Harassment
Acts of verbal, non-verbal, physical aggression, stalking, intimidation, or hostility based on gender or gender-stereotyping constitute gender-based harassment. In order to constitute harassment, the conduct must be such that it has the effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s academic or employment performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive academic environment.
Retaliatory Harassment
Any adverse employment or educational action taken against a person because of the person’s perceived participation in a complaint or investigation of discrimination or sexual misconduct.
Non-Consensual Sexual Contact
Any sexual touching, however slight, with any object, by any individual upon any individual, that is without consent and/or by force.
Non-Consensual Sexual Intercourse
Any sexual touching, however slight, with any object, by any individual upon any individual, that is without consent and/or by force.
Intimate Partner Violence (inclusive of Domestic Violence and Dating Violence)
Violence between those in an intimate relationship with each other. This includes any behaviors that intimidate, economically control, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, or injure someone. Intimate partner violence can be a single act or a pattern of behavior in relationships. Intimate partner relationships are defined as short or long-term relationships between persons intended to provide some emotional/romantic/and or physical intimacy.
Stalking
Course of conduct directed at a specific person that would case a reasonable person to feel fear. Stalking involves continual harassment made against the expressed wishes of another individual, which causes the targeted individual to feel emotional distress, including fear and apprehension. Stalking behaviors may include pursuing or following, non-consensual communication or contact including in-person, telephone, voice messages, electronic messages, text messages, unwanted gifts, trespassing, and surveillance or other types of observation.
Sexual Exploitation
Occurs when an individual take non-consensual or abusive sexual advantage of another for their own advantage or benefit, or to benefit or advantage anyone other than the one being exploited, and that behavior does not otherwise constitute one of the other sexual misconduct offenses.
If you are having a problem with another person that you might be able to solve or change, here are some helpful tips to try to fix the situation:
- Admit that a problem exists.
- Tell the person what you find offensive.
- Document everything you can.
- Tell someone what is happening.
If you have been a victim of any of the areas mentioned, follow these guidelines and get help immediately:
- Get to a safe place.
- It is normal to feel shocked, but don’t feel guilt or shame because it is never the victim's fault.
- Do not change ANYTHING about the scene or yourself. This means you shouldn’t change your clothes, wash, comb your hair, or alter anything about the environment in which the act occurred.
- Get help! Contact the police, go the E.R., call a crisis center, etc.
- File a report
What can a bystander do?
We have staff members that have been trained in Title IX reporting and procedures and are ready to help you:
Report Sexual Misconduct Incident
NOTICE OF
NON-DISCRIMINATION
Morgan Community College prohibits all forms of discrimination and harassment including those that violate federal and state law, or the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education Board Policies 3-120 or 4-120. The College does not discriminate on the basis of sex/gender, race, color, age, creed, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, veteran status, pregnancy status, religion, genetic information, gender identity, or sexual orientation in its employment practices or educational programs and activities. Morgan Community College will take appropriate steps to ensure that the lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in vocational education programs.
For information regarding civil rights compliance or grievance procedures contact:
Deputy Title IX Compliance Officer:
Susan Clough
Vice President for Administration and Finance
920 Barlow Road Fort Morgan, CO 80701
970-542-3127
Susan.Clough@morgancc.edu
You may also contact the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, Region VIII, Federal Office Building, 1244 North Speer Boulevard, Suite 310, Denver, CO 80204, telephone (303) 844-3417.
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