No Real Winners Preventing Harassment in Educational Institutions

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No Real WinnersPreventing Harassment in
Educational Institutions

• Presented by the
• Office Human Resources

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Stetson University strives

• To maintain for its community an environment of
  safety, trust, and mutual respect.  As part of
  its ongoing efforts to maintain a safe learning,
  living, working and social environment, Stetson
  prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination,
  harassment or any mistreatment of students,
  faculty or staff.

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Workshop Objectives

• To increase knowledge about harassment in order
  to prevent it
• To provide guidelines for addressing harassment
• To illustrate principles applicable to sexual
  harassment and other forms of unlawful harassment

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Basic Definition of Unlawful Harassment

• Verbal or physical conduct based on a legally
  protected category
• Unwelcome conduct
• Conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a
  hostile environment, from the perspective of a
  reasonable person

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Examples of Protected Groups

• Race
• Sex
• Religion
• Color
• National Origin
• Disability
• Age
• Sexual Orientation

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Examples of Behavior thatCould be Harassment

• Telling or emailing sexual, racial, or ethnic
  jokes
• Slurs based on race, religion, or national origin
• Seeking sexual favors in return for an academic
  or employment benefit
• Inappropriate touching or gestures
• Unwanted romantic or sexual attention
• Accessing pornography on the Internet
• Insensitive comments about age or disability

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Characteristics and Dynamics of Harassment

• Usually involves a power differential
• Definitely unwanted, unwelcome behavior
• Usually repeated behavior
• Most harassment goes unreported
• The victim does not have to be the person
  harassed, but can be anyone affected by the
  offensive conduct.
• Anti-discrimination laws also prohibit harassment
  against individuals in retaliation in any manner
  against a complainant for reporting harassment,
  participating in an investigation, or opposing
  discriminatory practices

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Review Harassment

• Defined as verbal or physical harassment based on
  a legally protected category.
• Examples of Protected Groups
• Race, Color, Religion, Gender, National or Ethnic
  Origin, Age, Disability or Sexual Orientation
• Unlawful harassment constitutes when
• Such conduct has the purpose or effect of
  unreasonably interfering with an individuals
  work performance or creating an intimidating
  hostile or offensive environment

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Potential Participants in a Harassment Situation

• Professor professor
• Professor student
• Supervisor employee
• Administrator staff member

• Staff member student
• Student student
• Faculty staff
• Visitor campus employee

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Stetson Harassment Policy

• Any member of the university community who
  believes that they or someone they know has been
  sexually or unlawfully harassed is strongly
  encouraged to report the episode(s).
• Reports can be made either orally or writing to a
  supervisor, department head, vice president or
  dean.
• Complaints are ensured to be resolved internally
  within the University community in a fair manner.

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Consensual Relationships Policy

• Stetson University prohibits consensual
  relationships between
• a faculty or staff member and any student
  enrolled at the University
• a supervisor and subordinate employee
• an administrator and a faculty member in a unit
  under that administrators direction and,
• an administrator and a staff member in a unit
  under that administrators direction.
• The individual with a supervisory or other
  decision-making role is presumed to bear the
  primary responsibility for any negative
  consequences resulting from his/her relationship.
• A member of the University community who violates
  the Consensual Relations Policy will be subject
  to disciplinary action by the institution, which
  includes the possibility of dismissal.

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Here are some practical suggestions for
employees 

• Treat others in the workplace with dignity and
  respect.
• Recognize that not everyone will share your
  opinion of a funny e-mail or a joke.
• If you are a touchy-feely type, realize that
  some people do not liked to be touched, even if
  it is a pat on the shoulder to give reassurance
  or congratulations.
• When in doubt as to whether to tell a joke, send
  an e-mail or tease an employee, stop and dont do
  it.
• Dont talk about sex (or even body parts!) at
  work.
• Read the no-harassment policy in your company
  employee handbook.
• If you have a complaint of harassment, report it
  to the Human Resources Director, your
  supervisor, or manager immediately.
• If your problem is with your boss, go to H.R. or
  the manager over your boss.
• If youve made a complaint of harassment and you
  believe the company is retaliating against you
  because of it, report your concern immediately.
• Remember that work is work. Act professionally!

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Any Questions?
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Video

• This is a documentary style DVD with real people
  and their experiences with sexual harassment in
  academic settings.
• Key Points
• Harassment is a complex issue
• Harassment is against the law
• Education, communication, and judgment are
  essential to addressing the complexity of the
  issue
• There are no real winners