Southeast Community College is committed to maintaining learning and working environments that are free from all forms of illegal harassment and discrimination. The College will not tolerate harassment or retaliation in the workplace or educational environment whether committed by faculty, staff, or students, or by visitors to the College while they are on College-owned or controlled property or at events conducted, sponsored or sanctioned by the College. Each member of the College community is responsible for fostering civility, for being familiar with this policy, and for refraining from conduct that violates this policy. Violations include:
- Discrimination. Any act or failure to act that is based upon an individual or group’s actual or perceived status (race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, age, marital status, national origin, veteran status, sexual orientation, disability, or other factors prohibited by law) that is sufficiently severe that it limits or denies the ability to participate in or benefit from the College’s educational program or activities.
- Harassment. Harassment is any intentional behavior directed to another individual or group that is hostile, humiliating, or demeaning. Harassment, when directed at an individual, may include, but is not limited to: unwanted physical contact; use of epithets, inappropriate jokes, comments or innuendos; obscene or harassing telephone calls, emails, letters, notes or other forms of communication; and any conduct that may create a hostile working or academic environment. Harassment based on an individual’s race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, age, marital status, national origin, veteran status, sexual orientation, disability, or other factors is against SCC policy and against the law.
- Sexual Harassment. Sexual harassment is any unwelcome behavior (verbal, written or physical) that is directed at someone because of the person’s sex or gender and that meets one or more of the following conditions:
- Is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that it unreasonably interferes with, denies or limits someone’s ability to participate in or benefit from the College’s programs and/or activities by creating a hostile, humiliating, demeaning or sexually offensive academic, residential, working or social environment; and/or
- Is based on real or reasonable perceived power differentials and submission to or rejection of such conduct is believed to carry consequences for the student’s education or employment.
- Retaliatory Discrimination or Harassment. Any overt or covert act of reprisal, interference, restraint, penalty, discrimination, intimidation or harassment against one or more individuals for exercising their rights (or supporting others for exercising their rights) under this policy.
- Items of Public Display. SCC does not condone the public display of items (e.g., posters, t-shirt designs, paintings, etc.) which are intended and/or deemed racist, sexist, indecent, illegal, inciting, or oppressive in nature.