Stevens Institute of Technology prohibits sexual harassment in any form by any member of the Stevens community. Such conduct may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal and expulsion.

For purposes of Institute policy, sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when (1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment or academic status, (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for employment or academic decisions affecting an individual, or (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of interfering with an individual's work performance or academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working, living, or learning environment. However, Stevens' policy prohibits inappropriate and/or offensive conduct that may not be severe enough to satisfy the legal definition of sexual harassment.

Specifically, no person shall, and no person has the authority to, imply or state, either directly or indirectly , to any individual, that an individual's refusal to submit to sexual advances will adversely affect any term or condition of a person's employment or academic status (e.g. continued employment, compensation, grades, professional future). Moreover, no supervisory employee or faculty member shall or has the authority to promise or suggest, either directly or indirectly, that a person's submission to sexual advances will result in improvement in any term or condition of employment or academic standing.

Other sexually harassing behavior, regardless of how conducted or communicated, even if done in the guise of humor, is also prohibited. Such behavior includes, but is not limited to, verbal abuse of a sexual nature (e.g. cat calls, sexual/sexist jokes, comments regarding a person's attire, body or reputation); offensive touching (e.g. brushing, grabbing, pinching); propositions; offensive sexual flirtations: displaying lewd or graphic material; or displaying or discussing materials pertaining to males or females in a demeaning manner.

Retaliation against any individual who makes a complaint of sexual harassment or cooperates in an investigation of such a complaint is strictly prohibited.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity commission has issued guidelines which treat sexual harassment as illegal sex discrimination under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Stevens Institute of Technology agrees with the intent of these guidelines because effective relationships among faculty, staff and students must be based upon mutual respect.

Updated 7/19/2006