Policies of the Board of Trustees of SIU: Policy on Sexual Harassment

Southern Illinois University at Carbondale

  • Speech Code Rating
    Yellow
  • Speech Code Category
    Harassment Policies
  • Last updated
Download PDF

Relevant Excerpt

Sexual Harassment in higher education means any unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or any conduct of a sexual nature, when: ... Such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with a student's academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive academic environment (this is a type of hostile environment sexual harassment).

Hostile environment sexual harassment occurs when unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature is so severe, persistent, or pervasive that it affects an employee's work performance, limits a student's ability to participate in or benefit from a University program or activity, or creates an intimidating, threatening or abusive working or academic environment. Sexual harassment generally includes something beyond the mere expression or display of views, words, symbols, images, or thoughts that some person finds offensive.

...

Examples of behavior that may be considered sexual harassment include, but are not limited to:

...

d. Severe or persistent unwelcome verbal, physical or other expressive conduct that is offensive or humiliating in a sexual way. Such conduct may include comments of a sexual nature and/or sexually explicit statements, questions, jokes, anecdotes, gestures, or facial expressions that would offend or humiliate a reasonable person in the circumstances of the individual experiencing this conduct. Conduct need not be in person but can be any form of communication including but not limited to written, telephonic, or electronic communication such as electronic mail and/or comments sent via the internet.

...

f. Any unwanted, inappropriate behavior that is targeted to a person or person(s) because of their gender or sexual orientation, for example repeatedly telling women (or men) that they are not capable of doing a certain kind of work.

Share