Anti-Harassment and Anti-Discrimination Policy

1. Statement of Policy

   A working and learning environment that is free from any form of unlawful discrimination, including harassment on the basis of any legally protected status, is essential and shall be maintained. It is a violation of College policy for anyone, including any College employee, elected official, vendor, volunteer, student, contractor, visitor or third party to discriminate against or harass another individual in the workplace, educational environment, at College-sponsored activities, or elsewhere if there is a connection to the workplace or learning environment, on the basis of any legally protected group status, and the College will not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment. Violation of this Policy shall be considered grounds for corrective action, including disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion from the College or termination of employment.

2. Prohibited Conduct

   The conduct prohibited by this Policy includes unwelcome conduct, whether verbal, physical or visual, that is based upon an individual's protected status, including but not limited to sex, color, race, ancestry, religion, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran's status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, gender-related identity or any other protected group status as defined by law. The College will not tolerate harassing conduct that affects tangible job benefits or educational development, that interferes unreasonably with an individual's work or educational performance, or that creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working or learning environment. Such harassment may include, for example, jokes or epithets about another person's protected status, or teasing or practical jokes directed at a person based upon his or her protected status.

3. Reporting and Investigation

   Every elected official, employee, student, volunteer, contractor and visitor is expected to avoid any behavior or conduct that could reasonably be interpreted as prohibited discrimination or harassment under this Policy.

   Any person who believes he or she has been subjected to sex-based discrimination, sexual harassment, or any other form of sex-based misconduct, who has been informed of conduct constituting sex-based discrimination, sexual harassment or other sex-based misconduct, or who witnesses sex-based discrimination, sexual harassment or other sex-based misconduct, should promptly submit a report to the College’s Title IX Coordinator. For additional information regarding the College’s prohibition on sex-based misconduct and procedures for addressing sex-based misconduct, please see the College’s Sex-Based Misconduct Policy and Procedures, which can be found at the Reporting Sexual Violence page. All reports and complaints alleging sex-based discrimination, sexual harassment, or other sex-based misconduct shall be processed in accordance with the College’s Sex-Based Misconduct Procedures, which can be viewed in: (Procedures Implementing the College’s Policy Prohibiting Sex-Based Misconduct).

   Anyone who believes they have been subjected to discrimination or harassment based on a category or categories other than sex, who has been informed of conduct constituting discrimination or harassment based on a category or categories other than sex, or who witnesses discrimination or harassment based on a category or categories other than sex, should promptly submit a report in accordance with the procedures outlined below. It is critical in establishing a workplace and educational environment free of discrimination and harassment that an individual who experiences or witnesses such conduct has access to a mechanism for reporting such conduct. At the same time, the purposes of this Policy against harassment are not furthered where a report or complaint is found to be frivolous or made in bad faith. A report or complaint that is determined to be frivolous or made in bad faith may result in disciplinary consequences, up to and including discharge or expulsion.

   Reporting Non-Sex Based Discrimination and Harassment

   Students who wish to report non-sex based discrimination or harassment should contact the Vice President of Academic Affairs, the Vice President of Student Affairs, or the Vice President of Administration.

   Individuals are expected to come forward promptly and report any violations before the alleged offending behavior becomes severe or pervasive. Supervisors are required to immediately report any and all incidents of alleged discrimination or harassment reported to or observed by them.

   All employees are required to promptly report discrimination and/or harassment involving students to the Vice President of Administration. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Policy does not require an employee to report such harassment or discrimination to the individual who is creating the harassment or discrimination. No employees, not even the highest-ranking people in the College, are exempt from the reporting requirements of this Policy.

   Investigating Complaints of Non-Sex Based Discrimination and Harassment

   The Vice President of Administration and/or the Vice President of Academic Affairs shall be responsible for the investigation procedures contained herein. If an employee receives a report or complaint of harassment directly from another employee, the report or complaint shall be immediately forwarded to the Vice President of Administration.

   1. Any individual wishing to submit a complaint (i.e., the "complainant") alleging non-sex based discrimination or harassment, whether the victim or a bystander, may submit his/her complaint to the appropriate Vice President or President (Employees, volunteers, elected officials, contractors and/or visitors - Vice President of Administration or President; Students - Vice President of Academic Affairs or Student Affairs). Employees, students and other individual third parties in the workplace may make their complaint verbally or in writing as the individual sees fit. Alternatively, the complaint may be submitted electronically. To the extent possible, individuals should include as many specific facts and as much information as possible (e.g., location, names, dates, times) to facilitate an investigation. All such complaints should be submitted promptly.
   2. The Vice President of Administration and/or the Vice President of Academic Affairs or a designee shall promptly and thoroughly investigate the complaint.
   3. If the College determines that a violation of this Policy has occurred, the College will take corrective action, including discipline, up to and including expulsion or discharge, as is appropriate under the circumstances. In the event of harassment by an individual who does not work for the College, the College will take corrective action as is reasonable and appropriate under the circumstances.

4. Resolution of Complaints

   Complaints of discrimination or harassment that are based on categories other than sex may be resolved either informally or formally. Informal resolution is voluntary. In the event that either party does not wish to participate in an informal resolution or the applicable Vice President determines that an informal resolution is inappropriate, the formal investigation and resolution process will be initiated.

5. Prohibited Retaliation

   Good faith reporting of alleged discrimination or harassment will not reflect adversely upon an individual's employment or educational status. Retaliation is prohibited and persons found to have retaliated or discriminated against an employee, student or other individual for reporting or complaining about discrimination or harassment, or for participating in an investigation of alleged discrimination or harassment, will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion or discharge. Among the acts protected under this section are: making a good faith report or complaint of harassment; assisting or cooperating in an investigation of a complaint by someone else, whether internally or with an external agency; filing a charge of discrimination or harassment; or otherwise providing information in a proceeding, including in a court, administrative or legislative hearing, related to violations of discrimination or harassment laws. Examples of the types of retaliation that are prohibited by this Policy include, but are not limited to: intimidation; discrimination; verbal or physical abuse; adverse actions with respect to pay, work assignments, and other terms of employment; termination of employment; or threats of any such actions. Anyone experiencing or witnessing any conduct he or she believes to be retaliation should immediately report it pursuant to the reporting procedures above.

6. Confidentiality

   The right to confidentiality of the complainant and the accused, and of witnesses who participate in an investigation, will be respected to the extent possible, provided that maintaining such confidentiality does not interfere with the College’s obligations to investigate allegations of misconduct and to take corrective action when such misconduct is found to have has occurred.

7. Other Options for Assistance

   Those who feel they have been subject to harassment, discrimination or retaliation may seek assistance from other resources, including but not limited to the Illinois Department of Human Rights, the Office for Civil Rights or the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission. These agencies may be contacted at the following addresses:

   Illinois Department of Human Rights State of Illinois Center 100 W. Randolph Street, Suite 5-100 Chicago, IL 60601 Telephone (312) 814-6245	Illinois Human Rights Commission State of Illinois 222 S. College Room 101 Springfield, IL 62704 Telephone (217)785-5100
   The Office of the Civil Rights/Chicago U.S. Department of Education Citigroup Center 500 West Madison Street Suite 1475 Chicago, IL 60661 Telephone: (312)730-1560	The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission 1222 Spruce Street Room 8.100 St. Louis, MO 63103 Telephone: (800)669-4000

January 2021