It exists where sexual advances or requests are made under circumstances implying the submission or refusal might affect academic or employment decisions. For example, a supervisor who suggests that a subordinate employee could get a promotion or a professor who suggests that a student could get a higher grade by submitting to sexual advances is making a sexually discriminatory quid pro quo offer and is engaging in sexual harassment. Hostile Environment Sexual Harassment S exual harassment exists where unwelcome sexual conduct is sufficiently severe or pervasive that it creates a hostile or abusive atmosphere. A discriminatorily abusive work or educational environment can and often will detract from employees' or students' performance, discourage them from remaining at the College, or keep them from advancing in their careers. When the workplace or academic environment is permeated with discriminatory intimidation, ridicule, and insult that is sufficiently severe or pervasive to alter the conditions of the victim's employment or education and create an abusive working or educational environment, federal law and College policy are violated.
Sexual harassment can be verbal, visual, physical or communicated in writing or electronically.
Continuous incidents of unwelcome sexual harassment such as sexual comments, gestures, sexual advances or touching constitute sexual harassment when they result in a pattern of behavior that creates a hostile environment which impairs an individual's ability to work, learn, or participate in any College function. A single egregious sexual incident such as coerced sexual intercourse or other physical assault is sufficient to constitute harassment. All College counselors are available to provide information and counseling, on a confidential basis, concerning incidents of sexual harassment. A concern or complaint that a College employee engaged in sexual harassment may be reported to the alleged offender's administrative supervisor. Employees working under a collective bargaining agreement may contact the appropriate union officer in regard to resolving a concern or complaint of violations of the nondiscrimination provision of their contract.