Racial Harassment Policy
"Academic freedom can exist only when all are free to pursue ideas in a non–threatening atmosphere of mutual respect. Racial harassment is harmful not only to the persons involved, but also to the entire University community. Racial harassment includes but is not limited to verbal, physical or written abuse directed toward an individual or group, blatant and subtle graffiti, and insensitive use of language including epithets and "humor" on the basis of the race, ethnicity or racial affiliation, and has the purpose or effect of the following:
- creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or educational environment for an individual or group.
- interfering with an individual's or group's work, academic performance, living environment, personal safety, or participation in any University–sponsored activities.
- threatening an individual's or group's employment or academic opportunities.
Any such act shall be a violation of Pittsburg State University's racial harassment policy...."
Sexual Harassment Policy
"Sexual discrimination in the form of sexual harassment, defined as the use of one's authority or power to coerce another into unwanted sexual relations or to punish another for his/her refusal, or the creation by a member of the University community of an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or educational environment through repetitive verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, shall be a violation of Pittsburg State
University's Affirmative Action Policy."
Departmental Procedures for Dealing with Possible Racial and Sexual Harassment
Instructors must be particularly sensitive to comments and behavior in the classroom which might be construed as racially or sexually biased or abusive. Instructors should make every effort to refrain from such comments and behavior themselves, whether deliberate or inadvertent, and should be ready to intervene to stop such comments and behavior if they occur between or among students.
If the department chairperson, or any other person in a position of authority, including classroom instructors, learns of or observes a situation involving possible racial or sexual harassment, that person must, at the earliest possible opportunity, report the instance to his/her immediate supervisor who will, in turn, report it to his/her supervisor and/or to the University Affirmative Action Officer. The department chairperson will assist the Dean of Arts and Sciences and the Affirmative Action Officer in investigating the situation, which will include interviews with all concerned parties. The Affirmative Action Officer will make the final determination of whether or not racial or sexual harassment has occurred and what action is to be taken by the University.
Both parties in the case retain the right of administrative appeal of action taken by the University. Appeals may be made through the affirmative action grievance and/or judicial process for students, through the student judicial processes for student organizations, or through the affirmative action grievance process for faculty and staff. Involved parties may also seek redress through agencies outside the University, including the court system.
