Non-Discrimination/Sexual Harassment

POLICY:

Lake Superior State University and its Board of Trustees subscribe to the principles of equal opportunity and non-discrimination and comply with all applicable Federal and State laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination, including harassment. Therefore, it is the policy of Lake Superior State University that no person shall be discriminated against, excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of or otherwise be subjected to discrimination, including harassment, in employment, in education, or in any program or activity for which the University is responsible, on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, age, sex, height, weight, sexual preference, marital status, disability, or veteran status. The University is committed to the protection of the rights of all individuals in the University community, to equal and fair treatment of all individuals, and to elimination of barriers that would prevent individuals from reaching their highest potential of human excellence.

It is the responsibility of all employees, students and members of the University community to uphold these commitments in the daily activities of University life.

Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination based on sex, and as such falls under the University's commitment to non-discrimination. Violations of this policy will receive prompt disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, as warranted by the facts of the individual case.

Sexual Harassment Means:

"Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct or communication of a sexual nature when:

(1) submission to such conduct or communication is made a term or condition either explicitly or implicitly to obtain employment, public accommodations or public service, education, or housing; (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct or communication by an individual is used as a factor in decisions affecting such individual's employment, public accommodations, public services, education or housing; (3) such conduct or communication has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual's employment, public accommodations, public services, education or housing, or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive employment, public accommodations, public services, educational, or housing environment". The University has established grievance procedures for handling situations which are in violation of this University policy and commitment to individual rights and equal opportunity. These procedures are published in the University Catalog and in the Procedures Manual. All complaints will be investigated and resolved based on the facts of the individual case.

Individuals have the right under the law to seek remedies from the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Office for Civil Rights, Department of Education or by Court action. Individuals may file complaints of illegal discrimination on the basis of sex (Title IX) or disability (Section 504 or ADA) with the Office for Civil Rights, Department of Education, at the same time a grievance is filed under the University's procedure, during or after the use of the grievance process, or without using the grievance process at all. A Title IX, Section 504, or ADA complaint must be filed in writing with the Office for Civil Rights no later than 180 days after the occurrence of the possible discrimination. If any person believes that Lake Superior State University, or any part of the University organization, has inadequately applied the principles and/or regulations as stated in the various laws barring discrimination in employment or education, he or she may bring forward a complaint, which shall be referred to hereinafter as a grievance, to the University grievance officer designated by the Board of Trustees:

All Harassment or Discrimination Claims or ADA Accommodation Requests/Discrimination Complaints from Applicants for admission or employment, Students, Employees, or Public:

Mrs. Beverly E. White
Director of Human Resources
Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Office
Administration Building
(Grievance Procedure outlined in Section 4.5.2)