NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICIES

SEEDAC College fosters a positive environment in which all employees and students enjoy a work and academic environment free from illegal discrimination or harassment. Our policy is to admit qualified students and administer all educational, athletic, financial, and employment activities without discrimination based on race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or any other status protected by applicable central, state, or local law unless allowed by law and deemed necessary to the administration of the college’s educational programs or operations.

The policies, benefits and guidelines for SEEAC College employees are available in the Human Resources office or via our campus Intranet upon hire. The college expressly reserves the right to change, amend, or terminate any policy, practice or benefit at any time, with or without notice, and to make decisions that may be different from the policies expressed in previous versions of our guide. It is intended that employees be advised of any changes to our policies; changes may occur, however, before any written revisions are circulated.

NON-HARASSMENT POLICIES

SEEDAC College expressly prohibits any form of intimidation or harassment based on race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or any other status protected by applicable central, state, or local law. Discriminatory harassment based on gender or that rises to the level of stalking is governed by the Student Sexual Misconduct Policy in the Student Handbook and the Employee Sexual Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy.

Other types of harassment involving employees are addressed in the Disciplinary Action Policy in the Employee Guide. In addition, for further information on the college’s expectations regarding students, see the SEEDAC College Code of Responsibility and Code of Disciplinary Procedures (PDF).

The college prohibits such harassment by all employees, students, and other individuals associated with SEEDAC College, and the college does not condone such conduct by business partners, vendors, guests, or other third parties with whom the college has business or educational dealings.

Harassment is conduct that has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an employee’s or student’s work or educational opportunity; creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or educational environment; or otherwise negatively affects an employee’s or student’s work or educational opportunities.

Harassment denies an individual dignity and respect and may take on different forms. It includes, but is not limited to:

• Unwelcome verbal, written, or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual because of that individual’s race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, or disability (or that of an individual’s relatives, friends, or associates);
• Unwelcome threats, derogatory comments, jokes, innuendoes, insults, slurs, epithets, negative stereotyping, and other similar conduct that relate to race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, or disability; or
• The placement, dissemination or circulation in the workplace or on campus of any unwelcome written or graphic material (in hard copy or electronic form) that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group because of race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, or disability.

Quid pro quo harassment involves abuse of one’s power, authority, or position such that, Submission to or tolerance of such conduct is made either an explicit or implicit term or condition of an individual’s employment or education; or

• Submission to or tolerance or rejection of such conduct is used as a basis for employment or academic, decisions affecting an individual’s welfare;
• The conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s work or academic performance; or
• The conduct creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or educational environment.

If an individual has welcomed harassing conduct by active participation in or encouragement of such activity, he or she should specifically inform the alleged harasser if such conduct is no longer welcome in order for any subsequent conduct to be deemed unwelcome. However, failure to give such notice in no way prevents the college from taking appropriate corrective and/or disciplinary action against the alleged harasser for his or her behavior.

Although illustrative, the above summary of prohibited behavior is not meant to be all inclusive. Rather, any form of inappropriate discriminatory, intimidating, or harassing behavior by employees, students, or other individuals associated with SEEDAC College may subject an individual to corrective, disciplinary, and/or other appropriate action, up to and including dismissal, as applicable.

In addition, for further information on the college’s expectations regarding students, see the SEEDAC College Student Sexual Misconduct Policy and the SEEDAC College Code of Responsibility and Code of Disciplinary Procedures.

COMMITMENT TO ACADEMIC FREEDOM

Teaching, performing research, and learning are subject to the protections of “academic freedom” as described in the college’s policy on academic freedom. Actions or words used in the context of the academic curriculum and teaching environments that serve legitimate and reasonable educational purposes will not be evaluated as harassment or other unlawful discrimination because of the principles underlying academic freedom. However, academic freedom is not a legitimate defense in the case of bona fide discrimination or harassment.