Sexual Harassment Defined
Sexual harassment is unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or visual, verbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature that is sufficiently severe or pervasive from the objective standpoint of a reasonable person to interfere with performance and/or create an offensive or hostile environment, or when submission to such conduct is made a term or condition of employment or the educational relationship, or used as a basis for employment or education decisions affecting the individual. Sexual harassment also includes sexual violence, which, in addition to violating this zero tolerance policy, is a crime.
Sexual harassment, including sexual violence, encompasses a wide range of conduct. Examples of specifically prohibited conduct include, but are not limited to:
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Promising, directly or indirectly, a reward, if a student or employee complies with a sexually oriented request;
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Threatening, directly or indirectly, retaliation if a student or employee refuses to comply with a sexually oriented request;
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Denying, directly or indirectly, a student an education‐related opportunity, if the student refuses to comply with a sexually oriented request;
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Engaging in sexually suggestive conversation or sexual contact or touching with a student or employee;
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Displaying pornographic or sexually oriented materials;
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Telling sexual or “dirty” jokes;
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Engaging in indecent exposure;
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Making unwanted sexual or romantic advances toward a student or employee;
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Spreading sexual rumors or rating other students or employees as to sexual activity or performance; or
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Physical conduct such as assault, touching, or blocking normal movement.
When involving students, the conduct can occur in any school program or activity and can take place on campus, in classrooms, school facilities, dorms, or at off‐campus locations.