Washington Administrative Code › Title 132I - Highline College › Chapter 132I-300 - Grievance procedures-Title IX-Handicapped › Section 132I-300-010 - Statement of policy

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
(1) Highline
			 College recognizes its responsibility to investigate, resolve, implement
			 corrective measures, and monitor the educational environment and workplace to
			 stop, remediate, and prevent discrimination on the basis of sex, as required by
			 Title IX of the Educational Amendments Act of 1972, Title VII of the Civil
			 Rights Act of 1964, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, and
			 Washington state's law against discrimination, and their implementing
			 regulations. To this end, High-line College has enacted and adopted the Title
			 IX grievance procedure for receiving and investigating sexual harassment
			 allegations arising during education programs and activities. Any individual
			 found responsible for violating Highline College's Title IX policy is subject
			 to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the Highline College
			 educational programs and activities and/or termination of employment.
(2) Application of this Title IX grievance
			 procedure WAC
			 132I-300-020
			 is restricted to allegations of "sexual harassment," as that term is defined in
			  34 C.F.R. Part 106.30 . Nothing in this procedure limits or otherwise restricts
			 High-line College's ability to investigate and pursue discipline based on
			 alleged violations of other federal, state, and local laws, their implementing
			 regulations, and other college policies prohibiting gender discrimination
			 through processes set forth in Highline College's code of student conduct,
			 employment contracts, employee handbooks, and collective bargaining
			 agreements.
(3) Any employee,
			 student, applicant, or visitor who believes that they have been the subject of
			 sexual harassment should report the incident or incidents to Highline College's
			 Title IX coordinator identified below. If the complaint is against that Title
			 IX coordinator, the complainant should report the matter to the president's
			 office for referral to an alternate designee.
(4) Complaints may be submitted in writing or
			 verbally. For complainants who wish to submit a written complaint, a formal
			 complaint form is available online at incident reporting form.
TITLE IX/EEO Coordinator
Title: Title IX Coordinator
Office: Human Resources, Building 99, Room 200
Phone: 206-592-3812
(5) The responsibilities of the Title IX/EEO
			 coordinator or designee include:
(a) Accepting
			 and processing all Title IX reports, referrals, and formal
			 complaints.
(b) Executing and
			 submitting a formal complaint when appropriate and necessary.
(c) Handling requests for
			 confidentiality.
(d) Determining
			 during the grievance procedure:
(i) Whether a
			 formal complaint should be dismissed either in whole or in part, and if
			 so;
(ii) Providing notice to both
			 parties about why dismissal was necessary or desirable; and
(iii) Referring the complaint to the
			 appropriate disciplinary authority for proceedings outside the jurisdiction of
			 Title IX.
(e)
			 Maintaining accurate records of all complaints, reports, and referrals, and
			 retaining investigation files, complaints, reports, and referrals in compliance
			 with the applicable records retention schedules or federal or state law,
			 whichever is longer.
(f) Assigning
			 and overseeing investigations.
(g)
			 Engaging in an interactive process with both parties to identify and provide
			 supportive measures that ensure during the investigation and disciplinary
			 processes that the parties have equitable access to education programs and
			 activities and are protected from further discrimination or
			 retaliation.
(h) Upon completion of
			 an investigation, issuing or overseeing the issuance of a final investigation
			 report to the parties and the appropriate disciplinary authority in compliance
			 with this grievance procedure.
(i)
			 Recommending nondisciplinary corrective measures to stop, remediate, and/or
			 prevent recurrence of discriminatory conduct to disciplinary authorities and
			 other college administrators.