Addressing Sexual Harassment Allegations:

Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights

Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Education confirm that under Title IX, once an educational institution has been put on notice of possible sexual harassment, the institution is compelled to take immediate action to address the situation. Failure to take reasonable steps to address the alleged harassment may result in the school being held liable for non-compliance under Title IX. Given these guidelines, the UNI Office of Compliance and Equity Management wishes to clarify the responsibility of supervisory employees who become aware of sexual harassment allegations. While the guidelines address issues of sexual harassment complaints from students only, we expect that the following protocol also be applied to allegations from employees.

If a student or employee (complainant) informs any full time employee in a supervisory role that he/she is being sexually harassed, the university is considered to have been put “on notice,” and the supervisor is expected to respond accordingly by the following course of action:

1. Make a confidential written record of your conversation with the complainant. Keep a copy for your files.
2. Advise the complainant (student employee) that his/her rights may have been violated. Encourage him/her visit with the Office of Compliance and Equity management, if the alleged harasser is a university employee. Student-to-student allegations should be directed to the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs (http://www.uni.edu/studentaffairs/).
3. Offer to accompany the complainant to this office for the initial visit.
4. If the alleged harasser is an employee:
   1. Ask the complainant if he/she is willing to have you share his/her name with this office. If the complainant is unwilling, please explain that the university may be limited in the ways it responds to the allegations.
   2. Explain to the complainant you are compelled to inform the Office of Compliance and Equity Management when you have received an allegation of sexual harassment. You are not required to provide the name of the alleged victim but you are required to provide the name of the alleged harasser.
   3. Send this office a brief written summary of the allegations as described to you (see #1 above), including any advice you gave the complainant. This step is crucial in assuring that the university can respond in an appropriate manner.
5. If the alleged harasser is a student, contact the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs (http://www.uni.edu/studentaffairs/).