[Faculty Handbook Category #3]
We are committed to providing a work environment where you and all other employees are treated with dignity, decency, and respect. In keeping with this policy, we will not tolerate harassment based on an employee’s race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), pregnancy, citizenship, national origin, age, disability, military service, veteran status, genetic information, union membership, creed, marital status, familial status, status with regards to public assistance, membership in a local human rights commission, or any other legally protected status. We also prohibit any retaliation against an individual who reports harassment or who participates in an investigation into an allegation of harassment. This policy extends to workplace harassment involving non-employees, such as harassment committed by or against outside vendors, suppliers, consultants, or students. Conduct prohibited by this policy is unacceptable in the workplace and in any work-related setting outside of the workplace, such as during business trips, business meetings and social events, or where there is an impact in the workplace.
What is Harassment?
Harassment is hostile or offensive physical conduct, verbal comments, or written comments including, but not limited to, electronic communications, such as online posts or text messaging if that conduct:
- Has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment;
- Unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance or opportunities; or
- Otherwise affects the terms and conditions of employment.
Definition of Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, sexually motivated physical contact, comments (oral / verbal or written), or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:
- Submission to the conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly as a term or condition of an individual’s employment; or
- Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting that individual; or
- The conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance; or
- The conduct has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.
Sexual harassment may involve individuals of the same or different gender.
Examples of Harassment
Examples of harassment include, but are not limited to:
- Making unwanted sexual advances.
- Offering employment benefits in exchange for sexual favors.
- Making or threatening reprisals after a negative response to sexual advances.
- Leering or making sexual gestures.
- Displaying or circulating sexually suggestive objects, pictures, cartoons, e-mails or posters.
- Displaying or circulating offensive objects, pictures, cartoons, e-mails or posters based on a legally-protected characteristic such as race, religion or sexual orientation.
- Making or using derogatory comments, epithets, slurs, or jokes.
- Sending electronic communications, such as online posts or text messaging, that are offensive or derogatory in nature about an individual because of their membership in a protected class.
- Making graphic verbal comments about an individual’s body, using sexually degrading words to describe an individual, or sending suggestive or obscene letters, notes, or invitations.
- Engaging in unwelcome physical conduct, including touching, assaulting, impeding or blocking movements, or engaging in threatening or intimidating behavior.
Reporting Procedure
You are responsible for, and have an obligation to, report harassing or inappropriate behavior. Faculty who learn of or observe harassing or inappropriate behavior, or receive a complaint about this kind of behavior, should immediately report the behavior or complaint to the Director of Equal Opportunity / Title IX Coordinator.
Investigations
We will promptly investigate any report of harassment in the workplace, and will take appropriate action to end harassment, address its effects and prevent its recurrence. Although complaints will be handled as discreetly as possible, we cannot guarantee absolute confidentiality.
Retaliation
We do not tolerate retaliation against any faculty, staff or student who reports an incident of alleged harassment or inappropriate behavior, or provides information during an investigation, and we will take measures to protect all such individuals from retaliation. wp.stolaf.edu/title-ix/policy/
updated 1/1/2026