Sexual Harassment - The University of Iowa

SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY REVIEW
Proposed Revisions Available for Comment
Spring 2010

The University is currently reviewing its sexual harassment policy and practices. We are being assisted in this review by Schuster & Clifford, LLP, the law firm that was engaged by the Board of Regents to advise the University during the preparation of the new policy on Sexual Misconduct Involving Students.

Based on input from the consultants and from members of the broader campus community, proposed revisions to the policy were developed by a project team consisting of representatives from Human Resources, Student Services, Equal Opportunity and Diversity, the Office of the General Counsel, the Office of the Provost, and the Office of the President.

We would welcome your input on these proposed revisions. Here are links to a marked-up copy of the proposed revisions and a clean copy of the proposed revisions for your review. Please send you comments by email to shpolicyreview@uiowa.edu.

What is Sexual Harassment?

Sexual harassment occurs when somebody says or does something sexually related that you don’t want them to say or do, regardless of who it is. For example:

Talking about their sexual experiences.
Asking you to talk about yours.
Telling sexual jokes, innuendoes, and stories, or comments (about your clothes or body, or someone else’s).
Touching you, threatening you, and/or pressuring or forcing you to have sex - including in exchange for a job, raise, to retain a job, get a better grade, or special treatment or to escape physical violence.

Get Help Now

If you believe that you or another person may be a victim of sexual harassment, the following resources will help you... [read more]
Emergency: In case of emergency (e.g., sexual assault) or other types of harassment, contact the 24-hour Rape Crisis Line at 335-6000 or dial 911.

Sexual Harassers

Sexual harassers can include (but aren’t limited to) professors, teaching assistants, research assistants, supervisors, co-workers, classmates, other students, acquaintances, friends, partners, dates, and strangers.

A sexual harasser may be anyone who automatically has power over you because of their position of employment, or other people who do not have an official position but try to take power and control over you by threats, coercion, force or other deliberate actions of a sexual nature.

What makes someone a sexual harasser isn’t based on what they do for a living, their status as a high profile person, or where they hang out. What makes someone a sexual harasser is behavior, (including words and actions) that uses sex to be disrespectful, hurtful, embarrassing, humiliating, intimidating or frightening to you or another person.

2006 Sexual Harassment Report

The Council on the Status of Women (CSW) surveyed more than 11,000 students, faculty, staff, and community members on the subject of sexual harassment and released a report called "Sexual Harassment and Unwelcomed Behavior at the University of Iowa" in January 2006. Former UI President David Skorton responded to the report... [read more]