Student Policy and Procedures

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[Parkland College student rights and responsibilities]

[Parkland College student conduct code]

HARASSMENT/DISCRIMINATION — STUDENTS

Parkland College values and respects each and every student. We are committed to fostering a diverse educational environment that cultivates the best in each student. This harassment/discrimination policy represents a vital part of maintaining a respectful and productive educational environment.

Parkland faculty and staff are responsible for maintaining an environment where neither the fair evaluation of student's academic performances nor the quality of students' educations are diminished by hostility, discrimination, or harassment from faculty, staff, or fellow students.

In general, harassment or discrimination based on race, color, sex or sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran or marital status, or retaliation for complaining about harassment or discrimination is a violation of federal and state law. Harassment is prohibited in all areas of the college, including off-campus sites.

Harassing/discriminating behavior

Harassment or discrimination is any conduct that:

• degrades or shows hostility toward an individual because of race, color, sex or sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran or marital status, or retaliation for complaining about harassment or discrimination;
• creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment through written, graphic, or verbal communications including comments, jokes, slurs, or negative stereotyping, or interferes with an individual's performance.

Additionally, sexual harassment is specifically prohibited and defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature in which:

• submission is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of a student's education or employment;
• submission to, or rejection of, such conduct by a student is used as a basis for academic decisions affecting the student;
• the sexual conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with a student's academic performance or has the effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, offensive, or demeaning educational environment.

Examples of sexual harassment include, but are not limited to:

• demeaning and/or derogatory harassment toward one's gender;
• demeaning behavior, staring, pinching, touching and other physical contact, or blocking the movements of another person;
• unwelcome sexual comments, innuendoes, jokes, abusive personal remarks, etc.;
• sexually explicit displays or distribution of pictures, materials, or objects in the work area;
• offering or implying a reward or threat concerning academic assignments, grades, discipline, or other terms or conditions of the academic situation in exchange for sexual favors;
• unwelcome amorous advances or propositions, physical conduct, obscene gestures;
• obscene, pornographic, discriminatory or sexually explicit phone calls, e-mails, or other communications;
• unwelcome requests for sexual favors or repeated unwelcome social contact;
• sexual assault or other unwelcome sexual contact.

Retaliation prohibited

Students who complain of harassment or discrimination, provide information related to such complaints, or oppose harassing and/or discriminating behavior, shall be protected against retaliation. Retaliation is considered to be as serious as prohibited harassment, and immediate and appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion, shall be instituted. During the complaint investigation, all parties shall be reminded that retaliation is prohibited.

Examples of retaliation can include negative actions such as, but not limited to:

• poor performance evaluations;
• change in class assignments or other negative decisions;
• laughing at, ignoring, or failing to take seriously reports/complaint of harassment;
• continuing/escalating harassing behavior after the student objects.

Addressing harassment/discrimination

If you feel you are being harassed, discriminated against, or retaliated against, you are encouraged to notify the vice president for student services, the Office of Human Resources, or a trusted faculty or staff member at the college. If you wish to explore your concerns and options related to harassment, you are encouraged to contact a counselor in the Counseling and Advising Center at the college.

Timely reporting

An objective of this policy is preventing or intervening when unwelcome conduct occurs before it creates an uncomfortable or disruptive academic environment. Therefore, students who believe that they have been victims of conduct prohibited by this policy are encouraged to report it immediately.

Investigation procedures

In determining alleged harassment/discrimination, the circumstances, the nature of the harassment/discrimination, and the context in which it allegedly occurred will be investigated by the vice president for student services, the director of human resources, or a designee named by the president if there is the potential for a conflict of interest (e.g., the incidents involve either of those offices). The ability of the vice president for student services, the director of human resources, or designee to properly investigate and/or respond to allegations of harassment/discrimination will be limited if the alleged victim is unwilling to provide adequate information, and/or request confidentiality, and/or the time elapsed has compromised the evidence. The complainant as well as the alleged perpetrator may request updates as to the general progress of the investigation.

Hearings

HearingsStudent-to-student complaints will be referred to the vice president for student services for disposition. If the charges cannot be disposed of by mutual consent (mediation) or if either party does not adhere to agreed upon sanction(s) or the charges result from a violation of major offense in which suspension or expulsion would be recommended, the vice president for student services will refer the case to a special subcommittee of the student discipline hearing committee. Members of that special subcommittee will be trained to deal with such matters. The composition of the committee will consist of two faculty/staff members, two students, and a nonvoting chair except in the case of a tie vote. At least one member of the voting committee must be of the same gender as the complainant. The vice president for student services will not serve as a member of the committee or as the chair. The hearing will take place in a timely manner.

The response to student complaints against an employee of the college alleging harassment/discrimination will adhere to the procedures as outlined in Parkland College Employee Policy 3.05 “Harassment/Discrimination — Employees.”

Employee complaints against a student alleging harassment/discrimination will be disposed of by the director of human resources or designee and the vice president for student services. If the charges cannot be disposed of by mediation or agreed-upon sanctions, the case will be remanded to a special subcommittee of the student discipline hearing committee, as outlined above. The hearing will take place in a timely manner.

Hearing outcome

• If the charges of harassment/discrimination are found to have merit, sanctions will be imposed. These sanctions may include one or several of the following: a written warning, probation, suspension, expulsion, academic accommodations, separation of harasser and harassed, counseling, and/or training. If the offender is an employee of the college, the vice president for administrative services will be responsible for sanctioning which could include warning, training, or termination.
• If the charges of harassment/discrimination are found to have no merit, no sanctions will be imposed.
• Either party may appeal the outcome of the hearing. The appeal process will follow the prescribed procedures as outlined in the Student Conduct Code under Appeals if both parties are students.

Rights of the alleged victim/alleged perpetrator

• Advocates for both the alleged victim and alleged perpetrator will be allowed during the investigation and/or hearing.
• The alleged victim may withdraw the charges at any time during the process, however the college may continue with the process if deemed appropriate.

Confidentiality

The confidentiality of all parties who are interviewed or who present information throughout the proceedings shall be maintained to the extent possible. Information about the allegation of harassment/discrimination shall be shared only on a “need to know” basis.

Programs

• The college will make every effort to provide a copy of the harassment/discrimination policy to all students.
• The college will provide educational awareness programs to address the area of harassment/discrimination.

 

Parkland College • 2400 West Bradley Ave. • Champaign, IL 61821 • 217.351.2200 • 800.346.8089

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