index

Subject:  GENDER EQUITY POLICY
Board Policy Number: 503   Procedure 503.01
Date Adopted:  June 13, 1995
Date Revised:

Peninsula College is committed to an environment free of GENDER DISCRIMINATION.  Peninsula College complies with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which ensure equal opportunity without regard to gender in all areas of admission, education, application for employment, and employment.  Any applicant for admission, enrolled student, applicant for employment, or employee of Peninsula College who believes he/she has been discriminated against on the basis of gender is encouraged to invoke the Peninsula College Gender Equity Procedure.

Peninsula College is also committed to an environment free of SEXUAL HARASSMENT.  Sexual harassment impedes the mission of Peninsula College by hindering work and education and is illegal under Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments, and chapter 49.60 RCW.  The College is committed to vigorous action against sexual harassment in all segments of the college community; thus, behavior found in violation of college policy and the law will be subject to disciplinary action, the range of which may include dismissal or expulsion.

Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct when one or more of the following conditions is present:

(1) submission to the conduct is either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of education or employment;

2) submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for education and employment decisions affecting an individual;

(3) such conduct interferes with an individual's education or work or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.

Peninsula College encourages the open and enthusiastic exchange of ideas, a process critical to intellectual inquiry.  The institution believes that learning occurs best where participants can express themselves freely without fear of retribution for ideas and perspectives that may offend others.  Classroom course material that explores issues of sexuality in context of the subject matter being taught does not constitute sexual harassment.