Sexual Harassment
To articulate the University's prohibition of sexual harassment.
All University of Kansas staff, faculty and students.
Sexual harassment is a violation of professional ethics as well as a violation of federal and state law. Specifically, sexual harassment is a form of illegal discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and the Kansas Acts Against Discrimination. University policy prohibits sexual harassment.
Procedures and additional information are available on the Sexual Harassment (including Sexual Violence) page of the Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access website.
For KU Lawrence Campuses:
Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access
153A Carruth-O’Leary Hall
1246 W. Campus Road
Lawrence, KS 66045
785-864-6414
ioa@ku.edu
For Medical Center Campuses:
Director
KUMC Equal Opportunity Office
Mailing: 3901 Rainbow Blvd, MS 7004
Kansas City, KS 66160
Physical: 4330 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Suite 330
Fairway, KS 66205
913-588-8011 direct line
711 TTY
nholick@kumc.edu
Sexual Harassment: “Sexual Harassment” means behavior, including physical contact, advances, and comments in person, through an intermediary, and/or via phone, text message, email, social media, or other electronic medium, that is unwelcome; based on sex or gender stereotypes; and is so severe, pervasive and objectively offensive that it has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with a person’s academic performance, employment or equal opportunity to participate in or benefit from University programs or activities or by creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working or educational environment. Sexual Harassment may include but is not limited to:
- unwelcome efforts to develop a romantic or sexual relationship;
- unwelcome commentary about an individual’s body or sexual activities;
- threatening to engage in the commission of an unwelcome sexual act with another person;
- stalking or cyberstalking;
- engaging in indecent exposure; voyeurism, or other invasion of personal privacy;
- unwelcome physical touching or closeness;
- unwelcome jokes or teasing of a sexual nature or based upon gender or sex stereotypes; and
- sexual violence, as defined below.
Title IX and University Policy prohibit gender-based harassment, which may include acts of verbal, nonverbal, or physical aggression, intimidation, or hostility based on sex or sex-stereotyping, even if those acts do not involve conduct of a sexual nature.
Sexual Violence: “Sexual violence” means any physical act which is sexual in nature that is committed by force or without the full and informed consent of all persons involved. Sexual violence may include but is not limited to rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, and sexual exploitation. Sexual violence can occur between strangers or acquaintances, including people involved in an intimate or sexual relationship. Sexual violence can be committed by men or by women, and it can occur between people of the same or different sex.
08/31/2016: Updated DLR to 10/03/2015 per HR/Abby King to begin policy review process.
07/08/2015: Updated contact information for KUMC Director, EOO.
03/06/2015: Added link to Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence Procedures under Related Procedures.
11/03/2014: Policy formatting cleanup (e.g., bolding, spacing).
10/23/2014: Added links to 3 related brochures to Related Documents section.
09/16/2014: Corrected two non-working links to the IOA web page on Sexual Harassment in Policy Statement and Related Other sections.
05/2014: Added keywords.
06/2012: Changed contact to IOA;
05/01/2012: Added University of Kansas Combined Notice of Nondiscrimination.
02/18/2012: Added definitions of “sexual harassment” and “sexual violence” and added link to KU Sexual Harassment web page.
06/2010: Revised
11/2007: Revised
12/2002: Revised
08/1993: Revised.
01/01/1982: Policy effective.