Anti-Harassment in Education

     Danville Area Community College is committed to providing its students with an educational environment that is free of discrimination. Accordingly, the College will not tolerate harassment of Danville Area Community college students by anyone, including its president, or any administrator, any (full, part-time, and/or visiting) faculty or staff member, including any graduate assistant, any other College student, or any third party.

     Harassment consists of unwelcome conduct, whether verbal, physical, or visual, that is based upon a person's protected status, such as sex, color, race, religion, creed, ancestry, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, or legally protected statuses. The College will not tolerate harassing conduct that affects tangible benefits of education, that interferes unreasonably with an individual's educational performance, or that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment. Such harassment may include, for example, jokes about another person's protected status, kidding, teasing or practical jokes directed at a person based on his or her protected status.

     Sexual harassment deserves special mention. Sexual harassment is conduct based on sex, whether directed toward a person of the opposite or same sex, and may include explicit sexual propositions, sexual innuendo, suggestive comments, sexually oriented "kidding" or "teasing", "practical jokes", jokes about obscene printed or visual material, and physical contact such as patting, pinching, or brushing against another person's body. Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other physical, verbal, or visual conduct based on sex constitute sexual harassment when:

1. The student's submission to such conduct is either explicitly or implicitly made a term or condition of receiving an education;
2. The student's submission to or rejection of such conduct is used to influence the student's educational development or participation in any College activity or program, including but not limited to: whether the student will be admitted to the College; the educational performance required or expected of the student; the attendance or assignment requirements applicable to the student; the courses, fields of study or programs (including honors and graduate programs) to which the student will be admitted; what placement or course proficiency requirements are applicable to the student; the quality of instruction the student will receive; what tuition or fees are required of the student; what scholarship opportunities are available to the student; what extracurricular teams the student will be a member of or in what competitions the student will participate; any grade the student will receive in any examination, course or program of instruction; the progress of the student toward successful completion of a course or program or graduation; what degree, if any, the student will receive; or
3. The conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's educational performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment.

     All College students and employees are responsible to help assure that we avoid harassment regardless of whether the harassment has yet reached a severe or pervasive level that is considered a violation of the law. If any student of the College feels that he/she has experiences or witnessed harassment, he/she is required to notify the College's Affirmative Action Officer, Rebecca S. Schlecht, Director of Human Resources, 217.443-8756, the College's Vice President, Instruction and Student Services, David L. Kietzmann, 217.443-8771, or the President, Dr. Alice Marie Jacobs, 217.443.8748. The College forbids retaliation against anyone for reporting harassment, assisting in reporting harassment or cooperating in a harassment investigation. If any student feels that he/she has been retaliated against, he/she is to notify the College's Affirmative Action Officer, Rebecca S. Schlecht, Director of Human Resources, 217.443.8756, or the Vice President, Instruction and Student Services, David L. Kietzmann, 217-443-8771.

    The College's policy is to investigate all harassment complaints made under this policy impartially, thoroughly, and promptly. To the fullest extent possible, the College will keep harassment complaints, records related to harassment complaints, and the terms of the complaint's resolution confidential. If an investigation confirms that a violation of the policy has occurred, Danville Area Community College will take appropriate corrective action to stop the harassment and to ensure that the harassment does not reoccur. Such corrective action may include training of the harasser, monitoring the harasser, and/or academic or job-related discipline of the harasser proportional to the offense, up to and including expulsion or discharge.

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    Under the Illinois Human Rights Act, 775 ILCS 5/1-101 et seq., the Illinois Human Rights Act ("Act") prohibits unwelcome advances or conduct of a sexual nature, and requests for sexual favors of students by an executive, faculty member, administrative staff member, or teaching assistant in an institution of higher education when such behavior interferes with the student's performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment. Institutions of higher education include public or private universities, colleges, community colleges, junior colleges, business schools, and vocational schools. The Act prohibits retaliation against a student for opposing sexual harassment in higher education or for participating in an investigation (internal or external) of sexual harassment in higher education or for filing a charge. "Sexual harassment in higher education" is defined in Section 5A-101(E) of the Act.

    Following are examples of sexual harassment in higher education: 1) a professor who continually makes jokes of a sexual nature in the classroom; 2) a registration advisor who tells a student the student might be able to get a class if the student dates the advisor; 3) an admissions advisor who tells a prospective student that the advisor will put in a "good word" for the prospective student if the student dates the advisor; and 4) a financial assistance advisor who tells a student that "if you have sex with me, I can look out for scholarships for you".

     Any student who believes he or she is being subjected to sexual harassment, including sexual advances, should contact R. Schlecht at 443-8756 or Dr. Jacobs at 443-8848.

     The student may also contact the Illinois Department of Human Rights for further information or to file a charge at 312-814-6200 or 217-785-5100. Charges must be filed within 180 days of alleged sexual harassment. The charge and complaint process is described in more detail at http://www.state.il.us/dhr/Forms/CIS-SXH.htm and http://www.state.il.us/dhr/charges/charge_1.htm.

    Freedom of a student to protest by lawful means must and shall be protected by all the authority available to the College. However, when actions of individuals interfere with the legitimate rights of others and are directed at the disruption of the normal processes of college life, appropriate disciplinary action shall be taken.

    If interference with the normal function and proper conduct of the College occurs, the College may take appropriate disciplinary action including suspension and/or expulsion, and notification of civil authorities when Local, State or Federal laws are broken.

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    Cyber Bullying is a form of harassment and a violation of the Student Code of Conduct. It will not be tolerated. Any student found responsible and in violation will be subject to immediate disciplinary action and permanent suspension from Danville Area Community College. Any case of cyber bullying that is determined to be of a criminal or legal nature will be referred to local authorities.

    Cyber bullying occurring through use of the district internet system or use of personal digital devices, such as cell phones, digital cameras, personal computers, and PDAs, while on campus is unacceptable.

    Cyber bullying activities occurring off-campus can cause significant emotional harm to students. When students are emotionally harmed they may present a danger to themselves and to others.

    Cyber bullying is occurring both within the school and college environment and off campus. Sometimes students are using the college or district internet system - during classes, after college activities, or at home. Students may also use personal digital devices while at college, such as cell phones, digital cameras, PDAs, and personal computers to engage in cyber bullying. In increasing numbers, students are bringing personal digital devices to college with the expectation that these devices will be used in the classroom for instructional activities. Misuse of the college internet system and personal digital devices on campus is clearly a concern that will be addressed once brought to the attention of college officials.

     There are many emerging reports of fights and other altercations, as well as reports of students who are so significantly emotionally harmed that they are avoiding school, forced to change schools, or simply failing. Also, there are increasing reports of youth suicide associated with cyber bullying. It is this combination of online harm and on-campus interactions that presents significant concerns and risks for the safety of the students.  

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    Section 55. The Public Community College Act is amended by adding Section 3-29.3 as follows:

    (110 ILCS 805/3-29.3 new) The Illinois General Assembly amends the Critical Health Problems and Comprehensive Health Education Act, various Acts relating to the governance of public universities in Illinois, and the Public Community College Act. Provides that a comprehensive health education program shall include sexual assault awareness in secondary schools. Requires each public university and community college to provide some form of sexual assault awareness education to all incoming students, whether through a seminar, online training , or some other way of informing students. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.

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