Sexual Harassment | Dean of Students

Sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal, nonverbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment creates a hostile environment if the harassing conduct is sufficiently serious to deny or limit the student's ability to participate in or benefit from an education program (and activities).

At Michigan Tech there is no place for discrimination or discriminatory harassment. These behaviors by any member of the Michigan Tech community are prohibited and are subject to disciplinary procedures up to and including discharge (Board of Trustees Policy 5.3).

Sexual harassment may be verbal, physical, or visual and may include

derogatory, offensive, threatening or intimidating comments, epithets, slurs, or jokes;
references to gender, physical appearance, attire, sexual prowess, marital status, or pregnancy;
sexual advances, propositions, or demands;
displayed or circulated derogatory or offensive posters, cartoons, drawings, photographs, pin-ups, computer images, or electronic media transmission;
unwelcome or unnecessary and offensive touching, such as assault, battery, kissing, hugging, patting, rubbing, groping, pinching, or brushing up against;
staring, leering, gesturing, whistling, impeding, or blocking movement;
pressure to spend time with a professor/teaching assistant/staff member/other student outside the academic setting, to get intimately involved or asked personal questions of sexual nature that make a student feel uncomfortable; and
asking a student directly for sexual favors in exchange for a better/passing grade, assignment, or a favorable recommendation (quid pro quo).

Students who are sexually harassed can be confused, worried, or angry. They may have questions on how to handle the situation. They may fear retaliation. Many are worried that they are to blame for the situation.

If a student complains of sexual harassment, as a responsible employee, you must report to the Title IX coordinator.

Take the report seriously.
Inform the student that you cannot ensure confidentiality. Once an agent of the University knows about the existence of potential sexual harassment, our institution is officially “on notice.” Faculty and staff are required reporters and should contact Equal Opportunity Compliance and Title IX.
Validate the student’s feelings and experience.
Listen and sympathize, but don’t judge.
Assure the student that the University takes sexual harassment seriously and will not tolerate it.
Respond to the student’s concerns.
Contact Equal Opportunity Compliance and Title IX for assistance at 906-487-3310, Administration Building 306, or titleix@mtu.edu.
Follow up with the student to ensure that they are getting the assistance they need.
Refer the student to Counseling Services, 906-487-2538, as appropriate (confidential source).

Don't

Ignore the student.
Minimize the situation.
Judge whether the behavior is or is not sexual harassment.
Assure the student that you can ensure confidentiality. Once an agent of the University knows about the existence of potential sexual harassment, our institution is officially "on notice." Faculty and staff are required reporters and should contact Equal Opportunity Compliance and Title IX.
Delay referring the student to Institutional Equity. Delays of even a few days can make it more difficult to remedy the situation or send a signal to the student that the University is not taking the complaint or problem seriously.

Online sexual harassment training is available to the entire campus community: Michigan Tech Sexual Harassment Training.