Discriminatory Harassment Policy & Procedures

Policy

Discriminatory harassment of any member of the Iowa Lakes Community College community will not be tolerated, and the College is committed to providing an educational and work environment free of discriminatory harassment.

Discriminatory harassment means any electronic, written, verbal, or physical act or conduct toward a student or employee which is based on the actual or perceived sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, color, creed, national origin, age, religion, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law of that person, and which creates an objectively hostile work or educational environment that meets one or more of the following conditions:

  • Places an individual in reasonable fear of harm to themselves or property;
  • Has a substantially detrimental effect on the person’s physical or mental health;
  • Has the effect of substantially interfering with the person’s school or work performance; or
  • Has the effect of substantially interfering with the student’s ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by the College.

This Policy applies to activities on the property within the jurisdiction of the College; while in College-owned or College-operated vehicles; while attending or engaging in college-sponsored activities; and while away from College grounds if the misconduct directly affects the good order, efficient management, and welfare of the College.

Iowa Lakes Community College employees and students who feel they have been denied equal opportunity or harassed on an actual or perceived characteristic protected by applicable law may seek remedy through an internal complaint process. The College assures that full cooperation will be provided to any individual filing a complaint with no threat of penalty or reprisal to the complainant. If the complaint involves alleged discriminatory or harassing behavior by the EEO/AA Officer, the respective Dean or another College official should be contacted in lieu of the EEO/AA Officer wherever referenced in the following procedures. Confidentiality will be maintained as much as possible in these procedures.

The College also protects against some forms of sexual harassment under its Sexual Harassment (including Sexual Violence) Policy and Procedures, which is applicable to complaints of Title IX sexual harassment.

Informal Inquiry

Individuals are encouraged to make informal inquiry to their immediate supervisor, instructor, advisor. coach or counselor, as soon as possible following the date of occurrence of the event giving rise to the complaint communication. The staff member contacted will report the incident to the EEO/AA Officer for purposes of documentation and advice regarding the necessary steps of the complaint process. Every effort should be made to resolve the conflict at this time. If this is not possible, the individual will be referred to the EEO/AA Officer.

Formal Complaint Procedures

The EEO/AA Officer should be contacted immediately following the event giving rise to an alleged discrimination or discriminatory harassment complaint or at the time the complainant becomes aware of such an event or situation.

DIRECT LINKS TO ONLINE STUDENT COMPLAINT FORMS:

Current Student with an Iowa Lakes Login

Former Students (No Iowa Lakes login)

Executive Director of Human Resources/Title IX Coordinator/EEO Officer: Kathy Muller, 712.362.0433, kmuller@iowalakes.educreate new email

If a resolution has not been reached or is not possible through the informal inquiry process, the following steps may be taken.

Step One

Iowa Lakes Community College requires that aggrieved persons who believe they have been the subject of discriminatory harassment to submit a written complaint to the EEO/AA Officer within thirty (30) calendar days, if possible, of the occurrence of the event or situation. The written complaint should contain the date of the occurrence, location, party or parties involved, names of witnesses, the facts and/or rationale of the complaint, and the category whether it be age, gender, disability, etc. If the complaint is more than thirty (30) days old, the complaint will still be addressed, but the College’s ability to investigate and take remedial action may be more difficult with the passage of time.

Step Two

The EEO/AA Officer will make a complete inquiry into the complaint and provide a written summary to the complainant within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt of the complaint. The summary will include a thorough and documented review of the circumstances under which the alleged discrimination or harassment occurred.

Step Three

The EEO/AA Officer will make recommendations for resolution of the complaint. If a satisfactory resolution can be arrived at, the terms of the resolution will be documented in writing and made part of the complaint file. In the event the complaint is found to be valid and a resolution cannot be satisfactorily resolved:

If the accused individual is a student: The matter will be referred for a potential discipline under the Student Code of Conduct.

If the accused individual is an employee: The matter will be referred to the appropriate administrator/department for disciplinary action or other appropriate action as appropriate under applicable College procedures, handbooks/manuals, or contracts. If a final decision imposes disciplinary action which constitutes termination of college personnel entitled to the hearing/judicial review procedures of Iowa Code chapter 279, such procedures shall be followed as required by law.

All aggrieved persons are encouraged to process complaints of discrimination through the internal procedures established for this purpose. However, the complainant may seek remedy at any time from the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or other appropriate agencies.

More comprehensive information is contained in the Affirmative Action Plan available from the Executive Director of Human Resources or the supervisor.