REDWOODS COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
Administrative Procedure
AP 3430
PROHIBITION OF HARASSMENT
(Updated with League legally required language. Topics from previous AP3430 split into separate BPs and APs – 3410, Nondiscrimination; 3420, Equal Employment Opportunity; and
3435, Discrimination and Harassment Investigations.)
The District is committed to providing an academic and work environment free of unlawful harassment. This procedure defines sexual harassment and other forms of harassment on campus, and sets forth a procedure for the investigation and resolution of complaints of harassment by or against any staff or faculty member or student within the District.
This procedure and the related policy protects students and employees in connection with all the academic, educational, extracurricular, athletic, and other programs of the District, whether those programs take place in the District’s facilities, a District bus, or at a class or training program sponsored by the District at another location.
Definitions
General Harassment : Harassment based on race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation of any person, military and veteran status, or the perception that a person has one or more of these characteristics is illegal and violates District policy. Harassment shall be found where, in aggregate, the incidents are sufficiently pervasive, persistent, or severe that a reasonable person with the same characteristics as the victim of the harassing conduct would be adversely affected to a degree that interferes with his or her ability to participate in or to realize the intended benefits of an institutional activity, employment, or resource.
Gender-based harassment does not necessarily involve conduct that is sexual. Any hostile or offensive conduct based on gender can constitute prohibited harassment if it meets the definition above. For example, repeated derisive comments about a person’s competency to do the job, when based on that person’s gender, could constitute gender-based harassment. Harassment comes in many forms, including but not limited to the following conduct that could, depending on the circumstances, meet the definition above, or could contribute to a set of circumstances that meets the definition:
Verbal: Inappropriate or offensive remarks, slurs, jokes or innuendoes based on a person’s race gender, sexual orientation, or other protected status. This may include, but is not limited to, inappropriate comments regarding an individual's body, physical appearance, attire, sexual prowess, marital status or sexual orientation; unwelcome flirting or propositions; demands for sexual favors; verbal abuse, threats or intimidation; or sexist, patronizing or ridiculing statements that convey derogatory attitudes based on gender, race nationality, sexual orientation or other protected status.

Physical: Inappropriate or offensive touching, assault, or physical interference with free movement. This may include, but is not limited to, kissing, patting, lingering or intimate touches, grabbing, pinching, leering, staring, unnecessarily brushing against or blocking another person, whistling or sexual gestures. It also includes any physical assault or intimidation directed at an individual due to that person’s gender, race, national origin, sexual orientation or other protected status. Physical sexual harassment includes acts of sexual violence, such as rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, and sexual coercion. Sexual violence refers to physical sexual acts perpetrated against a person’s will or where a person is incapable of giving consent due to the victim’s use of drugs or alcohol. An individual also may be unable to give consent due to an intellectual or other disability.
Visual or Written: The display or circulation of visual or written material that degrades an individual or group based on gender, race, nationality, sexual orientation, or other protected status. This may include, but is not limited to, posters, cartoons, drawings, graffiti, reading materials, computer graphics, or electronic media transmissions.
Environmental: A hostile academic or work environment may exist where it is permeated by sexual innuendo; insults or abusive comments directed at an individual or group based on gender, race, nationality, sexual orientation or other protected status; or gratuitous comments regarding gender, race, sexual orientation, or other protected status that are not relevant to the subject matter of the class or activities on the job. A hostile environment can arise from an unwarranted focus on sexual topics or sexually suggestive statements in the classroom or work environment. It can also be created by an unwarranted focus on, or stereotyping of, particular racial or ethnic groups, sexual orientations, genders or other protected statuses. An environment may also be hostile toward anyone who merely witnesses unlawful harassment in his/her immediate surroundings, although the conduct is directed at others. The determination of whether an environment is hostile is based on the totality of the circumstances, including such factors as the frequency of the conduct, the severity of the conduct, whether the conduct is humiliating or physically threatening, and whether the conduct unreasonably interferes with an individual's learning or work.
Sexual Harassment: In addition to the above, sexual harassment consists of unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature made by someone from, or in, the work or educational setting when:
 submission to the conduct is explicitly or implicitly made a term or condition of an individual's employment, academic status, or progress;
 submission to, or rejection of, the conduct by the individual is used as a basis of employment or academic decisions affecting the individual;
 the conduct has the purpose or effect of having a negative impact upon the individual's work or academic performance, or of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work or educational environment (as more fully described below); or
 submission to, or rejection of, the conduct by the individual is used as the basis for any decision affecting the individual regarding benefits and services, honors, programs, or activities available at or through the community college.

This definition encompasses two kinds of sexual harassment:
"Quid pro quo" sexual harassment occurs when a person in a position of authority makes educational or employment benefits conditional upon an individual's willingness to engage in or tolerate unwanted sexual conduct.
"Hostile environment" sexual harassment occurs when unwelcome conduct based on a person’s gender is sufficiently severe or pervasive so as to alter the conditions of an individual's learning or work environment, unreasonably interfere with an individual's academic or work performance, or create an intimidating, hostile, or abusive learning or work environment. The victim must subjectively perceive the environment as hostile, and the harassment must be such that a reasonable person of the same gender would perceive the environment as hostile. A single or isolated incident of sexual harassment may be sufficient to create a hostile environment if it is severe, i.e. a sexual assault.
Sexually harassing conduct can occur between people of the same or different genders. The standard for determining whether conduct constitutes sexual harassment is whether a reasonable person of the same gender as the victim would perceive the conduct as harassment based on sex.
Consensual Relationships: Romantic or sexual relationships between supervisors and employees, or between administrators, faculty, or staff members and students are discouraged.
There is an inherent imbalance of power and potential for exploitation in such relationships. A conflict of interest may arise if the administrator, faculty or staff member must evaluate the student’s or employee’s work or make decisions affecting the employee or student. The relationship may create an appearance of impropriety and lead to charges of favoritism by other students or employees. A consensual sexual relationship may change, with the result that sexual conduct that was once welcome becomes unwelcome and harassing. In the event that such relationships do occur, the District has the authority to transfer any involved employee to eliminate or attenuate the supervisory authority of one over the other, or of a teacher over a student. Such action by the District is a proactive and preventive measure to avoid possible charges of harassment and does not constitute discipline against any affected employee.
Academic Freedom: No provision of this Administrative Procedure shall be interpreted to prohibit conduct that is legitimately related to the course content, teaching methods, scholarship, or public commentary of an individual faculty member or the educational, political, artistic, or literary expression of students in classrooms and public forums. Freedom of speech and academic freedom are, however, not limitless and this procedure will not protect speech or expressive conduct that violates federal or California anti-discrimination laws.
References:
Education Code Sections 212.5; 44100; 66281.5;
Title IX, Education Amendments of 1972; Title 5 Sections 59320 et seq.;
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S. Code Annotated Section 2000e
Approved:
Former Administrative Regulation #809.02, “Sexual Harassment,” Approved by the Board: 2/85; Revised on
3/15/87/ 5/6/91/ 2/4/03

Former Board of Trustees Policy #343/440, “Consensual Relationships,” Approved by the Board of Trustees:
March 7, 1994
COLLEGE OF THE REDWOODS Board of Trustees Policy No. 809
Administrative Regulation No. 809.02
SEXUAL HARASSMENT
It is the policy of the College of the Redwoods to provide a workplace and educational environment free from sexual harassment and other prohibited discrimination. While on the campus, college employees and students are expected to adhere to a standard of conduct that is respectful and courteous to fellow employees and students and to the public.
Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination and is a violation of both State and Federal Laws
(Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX, California Education Code, and Title 5). A violation of these laws could result in an unpleasant educational or work environment, reduced employee or student productivity or morale, embarrassment, adverse publicity, disciplinary action against a student, or staff member, and civil or criminal liability and legal action.
1. Definition
Sexual harassment is defined in California Education Code 212.5 as "unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, visual or physical conduct of a sexual nature, made by someone from or in the work or educational setting. . ." Sexual harassment occurs when:
(a) Submission to the conduct is explicitly or implicitly made a term or condition of an individual's employment, academic status, or progress.
(b) Submission to, or rejection of, the conduct by the individual is used as the basis of employment or academic decisions affecting the individual.
(c) The conduct has the purpose or effect of having a negative impact upon the individual's work or academic performance, or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or educational environment.
(d) Submission to, or rejection of, the conduct by the individual is used as the basis for any decision affecting the individual regarding benefits and services, honors, programs, or activities available at or through the educational institution.
2. Examples
Harassment and other discrimination on the basis of sex can be written, verbal, physical, or visual. The following behavior can be considered sexual harassment.

General
Comments, jokes, illustrations, text materials, handouts with sexual bias or overtones; derogatory or demeaning remarks, slurs, epithets; off-color comments, body language, leering, gestures, facial expressions, eye messages; comments about size, figure, clothing, when the comments carry sexual implications; assault, touching, impeding or blocking movements, leaning over, hand on shoulder/ back/hip, encircling; invasion of space (standing or approaching too close); display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures, cartoons, posters, calendars; suggestive or obscene letters, notes, and invitations are all examples of sexual harassment.
ALL JOKES, ILLUSTRATIONS, COMMENTS, BODY LANGUAGE, ETC. SHOULD
DISPLAY COURTESY AND RESPECT FOR ALL PERSONS.
Employment: Threats of reprisal; implying or actually withholding support for appointments, promotion or transfer; punitive actions; change of assignments; or suggesting that a poor performance report will be prepared if requests for sexual favors are not met. Promises of promotion, salary increases, etc.
Academic: Promises or threats regarding grades, course admission, recommendations; enhancement or limitation of student benefits or services (i.e. scholarships, financial aid, work study job).
Section 230 of California Education Code makes it unlawful to exclude a person or persons from participation in, to deny the benefits of, or to subject a person to harassment or other sex discrimination in any academic, extracurricular, research, occupational training, or other program or activity.
3. District Procedures
The District will take all steps necessary to prevent sexual harassment from occurring, such as affirmatively raising the subject, expressing strong disapproval, developing appropriate sanctions, informing employees and students of their right to raise the issue of harassment, and developing methods to increase student and staff knowledge and understanding about sexual harassment and to sensitize all concerned. Sexual harassment by students or employees will not be tolerated; and if it occurs, will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.
4. Student/Employee Responsibility
If a student, employee, or applicant believes that he/she is being or has been harassed, that person should immediately inform the harasser that his/her behavior is unwelcome, offensive, in poor taste, unprofessional, or highly inappropriate. If the employee/student feels uncomfortable or has difficulty expressing disapproval, or the harassment does not stop, assistance should be sought from a supervisor, an instructor, the Human Resources Director/EEO, or other college administrator. Information about informal and formal student or employee grievance procedures for complaints of unlawful discrimination (including sexual harassment) may be obtained from the Human Resources Office.

Approved: February 1985
Revised: 3/15/87, 5/6/91, 2/4/03
COLLEGE OF THE REDWOODS Board of Trustees Policy No. 343/440
CONSENSUAL RELATIONSHIPS
Professional and ethical conduct are expected of all academic employees. When disparities in power are present between two individuals, such as an instructor and a student, the extent to which mutuality of consent to a personal relationship is voluntary may be questioned. Because amorous relationships may undermine the real or perceived integrity of the supervision and evaluation provided and the trust inherent in the College's relationship with the student,
1.
amorous relationships between a faculty member, administrator or other employee, and a student enrolled in his or her class, or otherwise subject to his or her evaluation or supervision, shall constitute unapproved conduct which may be determined to be unprofessional conduct. Class enrollment of spouses or other persons in pre-existing amorous relationships with the faculty member may be authorized by the Division Dean, provided it is understood that the Dean shall have the right to review the student's work and grade upon request and in the case of other employees, by the President, under the provisions of Board policy 332/424, "Employment of Relatives."
2.
Faculty are directed by this policy to avoid participating in amorous relationships with students enrolled in their classes or subject to their evaluation or supervision.
3.
Faculty are advised to consider potential conflicts resulting from amorous relationships with students enrolled in and working within the same academic discipline.
Members of the college community who believe themselves to be affected adversely by violation of this policy may initiate a complaint in the following manner:
Faculty
1.
The complaint shall be initiated with the Vice President of Academic Affairs or Campus
Dean.
2.
The Administrator receiving the complaint shall request an investigation by the
Academic Senate Professional Relations Committee, which will interview the persons involved.
3.
If the Academic Senate Executive Committee finds the need for further review, this committee will interview the persons involved and respectively submit its findings and resolutions to the President, who shall report the matter to the Board for information or final action.
Administrator or Other

1.
The complaint shall be initiated with the Director of Human Resources, who shall investigate and interview the persons involved.
2.
The findings and recommendations shall be forwarded to the President, who shall report the matter to the Board for information or final action.
Adopted by Board of Trustees: March 7, 1994