FAQs

Policy 03:22:00 Non-Discrimination Policy for Students and Policy 05:16:00 Non-Discrimination Policy for Employees explains the procedure relative to the orderly resolution of complaints of sexual or racial harassment at Platt College. Fair and prompt consideration shall be given to all complaints of harassment in accordance with the procedures set forth below. These procedures may be utilized by any employee, applicant for employment or student who believes he or she has been subjected to sexual or racial harassment

Sexual violence includes sexual assault, sexual battery and sexual coercion. All such acts are forms of sexual harassment and covered under Title IX.

Generally, sexual assault is any unwanted, non-consensual sexual contact against any individual by another. Sexual assault can occur either forcibly (against a person's will) or when a person cannot give consent (under the age of consent, intoxicated, developmentally disabled, mentally/physically unable to consent, etc.). Sexual assault is a general term which covers a range of crimes, including rape.  Sexual assault is defined by the State of Colorado. 

Behaviors that may contribute to a hostile environment include, but are not limited to:

• verbal, non-verbal, and physical sexual behaviors
• coerced sex
• sexual jokes and innuendoes
• remarks about a person's body
• turning discussions inappropriately to sexual topics
• whistling or cat calls
• looking a person up and down or staring in a sexually suggestive manner
• invading someone's personal space or blocking her/his path
• sexually explicit visuals such as pin-ups
• suggestions of sexual intimacy
• repeated requests for dates
• unwanted letters, electronic mail or other computer communications
• unwanted gifts
• touching, hugging, massaging, and other gestures or sounds that a reasonable person of the same sex as the recipient would find offensive

It is important to be aware that in many instances, the intentions of the accused may be regarded as irrelevant in determining whether her/his behaviors constitute sexual harassment; it is the effect of the behavior on the recipient that may define a hostile environment.

Any current student, applicant for employment or current employee who believes he or she has been subjected to harassment at Platt College or who believes that he/she has observed harassment taking place shall present the complaint to the the Title IX Coordinator, Michael Vigil who is responsible for compliance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VI, or Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. 

For more information, see Policy 03:22:00 Non-Discrimination Policy for Students and Policy 05:16:00 Non-Discrimination Policy for Employees. 

Yes. The definition is the same regardless of who the perpetrator is – if there was no consent, there is sexual assault.