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What is Title IX?
Title IX is a federal civil rights law that is part of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.; 34 C.F.R. Part 106).
The law prohibits sex-based discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual assault, in education programs that receive federal financial assistance.
Discrimination on the basis of sex (i.e. sex discrimination) may include sexual harassment, gender-based harassment, and other sexual misconduct (including, but not limited to, sexual assault, sexual violence, and sexual abuse).
BP 3433 Prohibition of Sexual Harassment under Title IX
AP 3433 PROHIBITION OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT UNDER TITLE IX
AP 3434 RESPONDING TO SEX HARASSMENT UNDER TITLE IX
What it means
Any employee, student, applicant for employment, or applicant for admission who believes that they have been harassed or retaliated against in violation of this policy should immediately report such incidents by following the procedures described in AP 3434. The College requires supervisors to report all incidents of harassment and retaliation that come to their attention.
Notice of Title IX Policy and Procedure
AP 3433 Prohibition of Sexual Harassment under Title IX
AP 3434 Responding to Sexual Harassment under Title IX
Southwestern is committed to providing an academic and work environment free of unlawful sex harassment under Title IX. We comply with Title IX. This is a federal civil rights law: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”
Southwestern Oregon Community College (“The College”) encourages members of the College community to report sexual harassment. This procedure and the related policy protects students, employees, applicants for employment, and applicants for admission. This procedure only applies to conduct defined as sexual harassment under Title IX and applicable federal regulations and that meet Title IX jurisdictional requirements. The College will respond to sexual harassment and sexual misconduct that falls outside that definition and outside the jurisdiction of the Title IX federal regulations using State law and applicable College policies and procedures. In implementing these procedures discussed below, The College will also provide supportive measures, training, and resources in compliance with State law, unless they are preempted by the Title IX regulations.
Southwestern protects and supports the 1972 Educational Amendments of Title IX. We work to:
- Prevent hostile environments on the basis of sex.
- Prohibit sexual harassment and sexual violence.
- Foster support for reporting incidents of sexual harassment, without fear of retaliation.
- Investigate and notify the college community of serious or ongoing threats.
- Prevent a recurrence.
Southwestern Oregon Community College has updated its Title IX policy and procedures to comply with the regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Education in February of 2025. The regulations govern how the College must adjudicate sexual harassment as defined by Title IX. The regulations are effective February 1, 2025, and apply to students and employees.
If you are a student and need accommodations to successfully engage in reporting a Title IX issue, please contact the Accessible Education Office in Stensland Hall - Room 108, 541-888-1578. The Accessible Education Office website is: Accessible Education
If you are an employee or volunteer and need accommodations to successfully engage in reporting a Title IX issue, please contact Human Resources at 541-888-7259.
Southwestern Oregon Community College supports workers and students who have health conditions related to pregnancy and childbirth, including expressing milk. Employees should contact Human Resources at hr@socc.edu. Students should contact Accessible Education for information regarding academic accommodations (may include special services, excused absences, leaves of absence, etc.) and:
- how to request accommodations
- the process used to determine appropriate academic adjustments/special services
- appeal process
- an explanation of the process involving a fundamental alteration of a program or activity
Lactation Room on campus is located in Empire Hall - Second Floor. The door is kept locked for privacy concerns. Please see any staff member to unlock the door.
Definition of Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment under Title IX means conduct on the basis of sex that one or more of the following:
- A Southwestern employee conditioning the availability of educational aid, benefit or service on another person’s participation in unwelcome sexual conduct (also called “quid pro quo harassment”);
- Unwelcome conduct that a reasonable person would determine to be so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to a UCC education program or activity;
- Sexual assault, which is defined as an offense classified as a forcible or nonforcible sex offense under the uniform crime reporting system of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and includes:
- Rape
- Sodomy
- Sexual Assault with an Object
- Fondling
- Incest
- Statutory Rape
- Dating violence, which means violence against a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim. The existence of a relationship will 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, which means violence committed by:
- A current or former spouse or intimate partner of the victim;
- A person with whom the victim shares a child in common;
- A person who is cohabitating with, or has cohabitated with, the victim as a spouse or intimate partner;
- A person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim under the domestic or
family violence laws of Oregon; or
- Any other person against an adult or youth victim protected from that person’s
acts under the domestic or family violence laws of Oregon.
- Stalking, which means engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific
person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for his/her/their safety or the
safety of others or suffer substantial emotional distress.
When should I file a report of sexual harassment? You should file a report of sexual harassment if you are a Southwestern student, staff, or faculty member, or are a student or employee applicant and believe:
- You are being subjected to sexual harassment
- You have witnessed sexual harassment
- You have knowledge of sexual harassment
A report of sexual harassment may be made at any time, including during non-business hours, by submitting the Maxient Report or sending an email to the Title IX Coordinator listed below.
Who else can I tell?
Report the situation to an Official With Authority (OWA). OWA’s at Southwestern include:
- Executive Director of Residence and Enrollment Management
- Director of Student Life and Recreation Activities
- Dean of Athletics, Health/PE, and Recreation Center
- Director of Human Resources
- Director of Advising and Career Services
- Resident Directors
- Director of Emergency Management and Campus Safety
- Dean of Instruction - Transfer, Arts, & Community Education
- Dean of Instruction - Career Technical Education
- Dean of Nursing and Allied Health
- Dean of Curry Campus Instruction and Workforce Development
- Executive Director of Oregon Coast Culinary Institute
- Assistant Director of International Recruitment Admissions
- Opportunity Programs Manager
- Curry Campus, Lead Academic Advisor
- Director of Accessible Education/Counselor
- Executive Director of Business Services
- Director of Financial Aid
- Registrar
The grievance procedures can be found online at AP 3434 Responding to Sexual Harassment under Title IX
Amnesty for Student Alcohol and Drug Violations
Sometimes students may be reluctant to report instances of sexual misconduct because they fear being charged with College alcohol or drug policy violations. The College strongly encourages students to report all instances of sexual misconduct and will take into consideration the importance of reporting such conduct in addressing possible violations of the College’s alcohol and drug policies and Student Code of Conduct. Normally, the College will not respond punitively to alcohol or other drug violations associated with prohibited conduct reported under this Policy.
Amnesty does not apply in situations where alcohol or other drugs are used as a tool to facilitate a violation of SWOCC’s Prohibition of Sexual Harassment Under Title IX and/or instances of illegal alcohol or other drug distribution.
What Happens After I Submit a Report?
When a report of sexual harassment is made under Southwestern's policy, the Title IX Coordinator (or designee) will:
- confidentially contact the complainant to offer supportive measures, consider the complainant’s wishes with respect to supportive measures, and inform them of the availability of supportive measures with or without filing a formal complaint;
- explain the process for how to file a formal complaint;
- inform the complainant that any report made in good faith will not result in discipline; and
- respect the complainant’s wishes with respect to whether to investigate unless the Title IX Coordinator determines it is necessary to pursue the complaint in light of a health or safety concern for the community.
What Are Supportive Measures?
Southwestern will make available supportive measures with or without the filing of a formal complaint. These supports will be available to both parties. These supports are non-disciplinary and non-punitive individualized services designed to offer support without being unreasonably burdensome. They are meant to restore access to education, protect student and employee safety, and/or deter future acts of sexual harassment.
Supportive measures are temporary and flexible, based on the needs of the individual and may include counseling, extensions of deadlines or course-related adjustments, restrictions on contact between parties (must be applied equally to both parties), leaves of absence, and increased security and monitoring of certain areas of the campus.
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