Policies, Disclosures & Legal Statements

Policy Concerning Sex-based Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Violence

Policy on Affirmative Action (2024)

Policy on Affirmative Action (2021)

View the full Victim's Rights and Information Advisory

Cape Cod Community College is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive community that is conducive to each community member's academic and personal pursuits. The college's policies in compliance with Title IX, a federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex and gender in educational programs receiving federal funding, reflects our commitment to these goals. Please note our policies and complaint procedures in addressing sex-based harassment, discrimination, and sexual violence can be found within the full Affirmative Action Policy (2024).

Please know this policy in its entirety applies to all members of the Cape Cod Community College community, students, faculty, and staff. Students and employees are encouraged to review the policy.

Discrimination on the basis of sex and gender in employment, education programs, and activities is prohibited in all forms, including but not limited to:

• Admissions
• Coursework (in-person, remote, and/or online)
• School-sponsored extracurricular activities (on-campus and/or off-campus)
• Athletics
• Financial aid and scholarships
• Career Counseling
• Lab and Clinical work
• employment

We want to make it clear to all community members that all forms of sex discrimination have no place anywhere within our college.

Sex-based harassment of a student, an employee or any other person in the College is unlawful, unacceptable, impermissible and intolerable.

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination. It occurs in a variety of situations that share a common element: the inappropriate introduction of sexual activities or comments into the work or learning environment. Often, sexual-based harassment involves relationships of unequal power and contains elements of coercion as when compliance with requests for sexual favors becomes a criterion for granting work, study or grading benefits. However, sexual-based harassment may also involve relationships among equals, as when repeated sexual advances or demeaning verbal behaviors have a harmful effect on a person’s ability to study or work in the academic setting.

For general purposes, sexual-based harassment may be described as unwelcome advances, requests for sexual favors, and other physical conduct and expressive behavior 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 education.
2. Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for academic or employment decisions affecting that individual; or
3. Such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual's academic or professional performance and creating an intimidating, hostile, or demeaning employment or education environment.

Examples of conduct that may, depending on the circumstances, constitute sex-based harassment, include:

• Repeated offensive sexual flirtations, advances, or propositions
• Continued or repeated verbal abuse or innuendo of a sexual nature
• Uninvited physical contact such as touching, hugging, patting, or pinching
• Display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures
• Jokes or remarks of a sexual nature in front of people who find them offensive
• Making obscene gestures or suggestions or insulting sounds
• Indecent exposure
• The demand for sexual favors accompanied by an implied or overt threat concerning an individual’s employment or student status or promises of preferential treatment.

In addition to sex-based harassment being unlawful, it is also unlawful to retaliate against a student, employee or any other person in the College for filing a complaint of sexual harassment or for cooperating in an investigation of sexual harassment.

A student, employee or any other person in the College who is found to have engaged in sex-based harassment is subject to discipline up to and including termination of employment or expulsion. All disciplinary proceedings will be conducted in accordance with applicable collective bargaining agreements and/or personnel policies.

When a student, employee or any other person in the College believes he/she has been the subject of sex-based harassment, the grievance process is a mechanism for redress. A complainant may seek recourse through informal efforts or by filing a formal complaint in writing. In the latter case, a complainant may file a complaint with the College’s Title IX Officer. If, however, the Title IX Officer is the subject of the sexual harassment complaint, the grievant may report his/her complaint to the Affirmative Action Officer. All reasonable efforts will be made to maintain confidentiality during the grievance process.

The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) is responsible for investigating and handling complaints of sexual harassment filed in the Commonwealth. The MCAD is located at One Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02108-1518, and can be reached at (617) 727-3990. At the federal level, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is charged with investigating and handling complaints of sexual harassment filed under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and Title IX of the 1972 Educational Amendments. The EEOC is located at One Congress Street, Floor 10, Boston, MA 02114 and can be reached at (617) 565-3200.

In keeping with these regulations, a concerted effort will be made to protect employees, students, and others from sexual harassment as defined. The final authority and ultimate responsibility for the prevention of sexual harassment will rest with the President of each Community College. The President or his/her designee will take measures to prevent sexual harassment and will act positively to investigate alleged harassment and to affect a remedy when an allegation is determined to be valid, whether or not a formal grievance has been filed. However, the Title IX Officer will have the responsibility for the overall development, administration and monitoring of all programs, policies, procedures and regulations related to sexual harassment.

The College’s policies and procedures on sexual harassment are available at all student service points. In addition to formal procedures, each College shall ensure that appropriate opportunities are available to students and employees to obtain counseling concerning their rights under the law and effective means of informally resolving grievances.

Sexual violence crimes, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking are all punishable under state law and are prohibited in the College's Policy on Affirmative Action. These procedures have been established to help assure the safety of all members of the campus community. Types of sexual violence prohibited by the College include:

• Sexual Assault
• Dating Violence
• Domestic Violence
• Stalking