I. POLICY:
Drexel University hereby affirms its desire to maintain a work environment for all faculty and staff and an academic environment for all faculty and students that is free from all forms of illegal harassment. Harassment is completely incompatible with the values and goals of Drexel University and will not be tolerated.
Harassment based upon race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, age, disability or veteran status is a form of discrimination in violation of federal and state law. In accord with City of Philadelphia ordinance, the University prohibits harassment on the basis of sexual orientation. All forms of illegal harassment are violations of Drexel policy and will not be tolerated.
This policy also reflects the University’s commitment to educate and counsel all members of the University community about the nature of sexual harassment, its impact on individuals and the University as a whole, and the steps necessary to prevent it.
Retaliation against any person complaining of unlawful harassment is in violation of federal and state law and Drexel University policy, and will not be tolerated.
Drexel University will respond promptly to all complaints of harassment and retaliation. Violation of this policy can result in serious disciplinary action up to and including expulsion for students (please see the Student Handbook) or discharge for staff and faculty as outlined in the Corrective Action Policy and the Provost’s Academic Policies or termination of contracts for independent contractors and providers of good and services.
Management and supervisory personnel are responsible for taking reasonable and necessary action to prevent all forms of harassment. All members of the University community – faculty, staff, and students – are required to report promptly any and all conduct which might be in violation of this policy.
The University will: respond to all complaints of harassment pursuant to the published Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Resolution Procedures; take action to provide remedies when harassment is discovered; impose appropriate sanctions upon individuals who have been found to be in violation of the University’s policy; and protect the privacy of those involved in harassment complaints, to the extent possible. The above actions will apply to the extent permitted by law.
II. ELIGIBILITY:
This policy applies to faculty, staff, students, volunteers, patients, and all other persons on the premises subject to University control, including medical residents and contractors and to those engaged to further the interest of the University.
III. DEFINITIONS:
A. Harassment is unwelcome conduct, based upon race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, age, disability, or sexual orientation that is either a condition of working or learning (quid pro quo) or creates a hostile environment.
1. Quid Pro Quo Harassment consists of unwelcome conduct when:
a) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment, employment decisions, academic advancement or receipt of a needed or legitimately requested University service, or
b) submission to, or rejection of, such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for decisions affecting such individual in matters of employment, employment decisions, academic advancement or receipt of a needed or legitimately requested University service.
2. Hostile Environment Harassment is unwelcome harassing behavior toward another employee or student that is sufficiently severe or pervasive as to alter the conditions of the victim’s employment or academic pursuits and to create a work or educational environment that a reasonable person would find abusive. Isolated instances, such as a sexual overture, comment or joke, ordinarily will not constitute illegal harassment and/or a violation of the University’s standards of conduct. In determining whether an action constitutes illegal harassment, the totality of circumstances will be carefully reviewed and due consideration will be given to the protection of individual rights.
To a reasonable person, Hostile Environment Harassment consists of unwelcome conduct when:
a) such conduct has the effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work or academic performance, or
b) such conduct has the effect of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working or learning environment
B. Retaliation is conduct causing any interference, coercion, restraint or reprisal against a person complaining of harassment or participating in the resolution of a complaint of harassment.
IV. EDUCATION:
Education is important to the establishment of a campus environment that is free from sexual harassment. Education will offer the members of the University community:
a) the assurance they are aware of their rights and responsibilities in the University community;
b) the definition of unacceptable behavior; and
c) information about the available mechanisms to address complaints of violations of this policy.
Preventing Sexual Harassment training is mandatory for all faculty and staff and must be completed on an annual basis. Newly hired individuals are required to complete this training within the Introductory Period.
Failure to complete this training will result in either the loss of a faculty or staff member’s merit increase, a decrease in salary, or other financial sanctions. Continued non-compliance can lead to other disciplinary actions up to and including termination. It will also negate the University’s responsibility to indemnify or defend the faculty or staff member from any claims arising out of or relating to the charge of illegal harassment.
V. VIOLATIONS OF POLICY:
Any individual with a concern, grievance or complaint of illegal harassment or retaliation under this policy should utilize the procedures specified in HR Policy 4 – Discrimination or Harassment Complaint Resolution Procedure.
Any violation of this policy may carry sanctions that can be found under the Corrective Action Policy for staff employees, the Academic Policies for Faculty or the Student Handbook.
Questions about this policy should be directed to the Senior Vice President for Human Resources or the Senior Associate Vice President, Office of Equality and Disability.
VI. FALSE ACCUSATIONS:
Anyone who knowingly makes a false accusation of discrimination/ harassment will be subject to appropriate sanctions, which may include but are not limited to written warning, demotion, transfer, suspension, dismissal, expulsion, or termination. |
