INTRODUCTION

Harassment

Colby Community College will not tolerate discriminatory harassment on the basis of any status protected by College policy or law. All employees, students and constituents are entitled to a working environment and educational environment free of discriminatory harassment. No individual should be harassed or discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability. The College’s harassment policy is not meant to inhibit or prohibit educational content or discussions inside or outside of the classroom that include germane, but controversial or sensitive subject matters protected by academic freedom, or the 1st Amendment. The sections below describe the specific forms of legally prohibited harassment that are also prohibited under College policy. 

Bias-Related Harassment 

Harassment constitutes a form of discrimination that is prohibited by law. Colby Community College will seek to remedy all forms of harassment when reported, whether or not the harassment rises to the level of creating a hostile environment. When harassment rises to the level of creating a hostile environment, the College may, to the extent it has the authority to do so, also impose sanctions on the harasser. The College’s harassment policy explicitly prohibits any form of harassment, defined as unwelcome conduct on the basis of actual or perceived membership in a protected class, by any member or group of the community. 

A hostile environment may be created by: oral, written, graphic, or physical conduct that is sufficiently severe, persistent/pervasive and objectively offensive that it interferes with, limits or denies the ability of an individual to participate in or benefit from educational programs or activities or employment access, benefits or opportunities. Offensive conduct that does not rise to the level of discrimination may not result in the imposition of discipline under College policy, but may be addressed through remedial actions, education, training and/or effective conflict resolution mechanisms. 

For assistance with conflict resolution employees should contact the Human Resources Manager and the area supervisor and students should contact the Director of Residence and Student Life or Dean of Student Affairs. 

Sexual Harassment 

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the State of Kansas regard sexual harassment as a form of sex/gender discrimination and, therefore, as an unlawful discriminatory practice and is prohibited under College policy. Colby Community College has adopted the following definition of sexual harassment: 

Sexual harassment is unwelcome, sexual or gender-based verbal, written, online and/or physical conduct, and is based on power differentials (quid pro quo). Anyone experiencing sexual harassment in any College program is encouraged to report it immediately to the appropriate Title IX Coordinator.

[Revised October 2020]