GBC Sexual Harassment/Sexual Violence Policy

By the Board of Regents Policy, Title 4, Chapter 8, Section 14, the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of discrimination on the basis of a person’s age (40 or older), disability, whether actual or perceived by others (including service-connected disabilities), gender (including pregnancy related conditions), military status or military obligations, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race (including hair texture and protected hairstyles such as natural hairstyles, afros, Bantu knots, curls, braids, locks and twists), color, or religion (protected classes).

Where discrimination is found to have occurred, the NSHE and Great basin College will act to stop the discrimination, to prevent its recurrence, to remedy its effects, and to discipline those responsible in accordance with the NSHE Code or, in the case of classified employees, and police officers, the Nevada Administrative Code. Sexual Harassment is Illegal under Federal and State Law. Sexual harassment including sexual violence is a form of discrimination; it is illegal.

Great Basin College will not tolerate sexual harassment of students, faculty, and staff. Victims of sexual harassment can feel hurt, frustrated, and helpless. As a member institution of the NSHE, GBC adheres to the policies and disciplinary sanctions set forth by the Board of Regents. The President has designated the Title IX Coordinator and the Human Resources officer as the officials responsible for receiving complaints of sexual harassment. Any administrator, employee, or supervisor who is aware of an alleged incident of sexual harassment will take immediate action to bring the matter to the attention of the Title IX Coordinator or Human Resources.

Information regarding training that is required of employees, offered to students and certifications held by the Title IX Coordinator and Title IX/Civil Rights Investigator are all provided on the Title IX training page.

By definition, sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, sexually motivated physical contact or other verbal or physical conduct or communication of a sexual nature when:

• Submission to that conduct or communication is made a term or condition, either explicitly or implicitly, of obtaining employment or education.
• Submission to or rejection of that conduct or communication by an individual is used as a factor in decisions affecting that individual’s employment or education.
• That conduct or communication has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s employment or education, or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive employment or educational environment.

Sexual Harassment is Illegal Under Federal and State Law

Sexual harassment including sexual violence is a form of discrimination; it is illegal.

No employee or student, either in the workplace or in the academic environment, should be subject to unwelcome verbal or physical conduct that is sexual in nature. Sexual harassment does not refer to occasional compliments of a socially acceptable nature. It refers to behavior of a sexual nature that is not welcome, that is personally offensive, and that interferes with performance.

It is expected that students, faculty and staff will treat one another with respect.

Refer to webpage https://www.gbcnv.edu/security/studentconduct.html for further information.

Sexual Violence is a Form of Sexual Harassment

Sexual violence is a severe form of sexual harassment and refers to physical sexual acts or attempted sexual acts perpetrated against a person’s will or where a person is incapable of giving consent, including but not limited to rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, sexual coercion or similar acts in violation of state or federal law.

Determining what constitutes sexual harassment under this policy is dependent upon the specific facts and the context in which the conduct occurs. Some conduct may be inappropriate, unprofessional, and/or subject to disciplinary action, but would not fall under the definition of sexual harassment. The specific action taken, if any, in a particular instance depends on the nature and gravity of the conduct reported and may include disciplinary processes as stated above. Please refer to Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Policy and Procedures, Title 4, Chapter 8, Section 14.

Campus SaVE (Sexual Violence Elimination) Act Definitions

• Sexual assault: means an offense that meets the definition of rape, fondling, incest, or statutory rape as used in the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Report.
• Dating Violence: means violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim, and where the existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on a consideration of the following factors: the length of the relationship, the type of relationship, and the frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship.
• Domestic Violence: means felony or misdemeanor crimes of violence committed by a current or former spouse or intimate partner of the victim, by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabitating with or has cohabitated with the victim as a spouse or intimate partner, by a person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction receiving grant monies, or by any other person against an adult or youth victim who is protected from that person’s acts under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction.
• Stalking: means engaging in a course of conduct on the basis of sex directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for the person’s safety or the safety of others, or suffer substantial emotional distress.
• Coercion: means the intent to compel a person to do or abstain from doing an act that the person has the right to do or abstain from doing through words, conduct or pressure by:
  • the use of violence or threats of violence against a person or the person’s family or property;
  • depriving or hindering a person in the use of any tool, implement or clothing;
  • attempting to intimidate a person by threats or force;
  • compelling another individual to initiate or continue sexual activity against an individual’s will; or
  • threatening to “out” someone based on sexual orientation, gender, identity, or gender expression and threatening to harm oneself if the other party does not engage in the sexual activity.
• Consent: means an affirmative, clear, unambiguous, knowing, informed, and voluntary agreement between all participants to engage in sexual activity.

For More Information Contact

University of Nevada Northern Command Police Service, Elko Office
775-934-4923
campus.security@gbcnv.edu

Director of Accessibility Services/Title IX Coordinator
775-327-2336
arysta.sweat@gbcnv.edu

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Why Great Basin College

Great Basin College, "The Gold Standard in the Silver State", offers associate and baccalaureate level education in academic, career and technical fields. Welcoming over 4,000 students annually from all corners of the country, both online and at our various campuses and centers, GBC's presence extends across two time zones and spans more than 86,000 square miles throughout Nevada. A leader in rural higher education, GBC takes pride in developing students who are well-prepared to meet the demands of industry and who contribute to the success and prosperity of the local economy.