Title IX

In addition to sex discrimination, Title IX also prohibits sexual misconduct (which includes sexual
harassment, gender harassment, and sexual violence). Additional information regarding what
behaviors may constitute sexual harassment and other forms of sexual misconduct is available in WCCCD’s Title IX Policy located on its website and in its student, faculty, and employee handbooks.

Title IX protects the rights of men and women and requires that they receive fair and equal treatment in all educational and employment areas.

Title IX also protects individuals who report sex discrimination and sexual misconduct from retaliation by individuals or institutions. Reporting incidents of discrimination is integral to the effective enforcement of Title IX law. Therefore, the protection of complainants, as well as the accused, is important. Retaliation against any individual who reports or makes a complaint about a Title IX violation will not be tolerated at WCCCD. The College will impose appropriate corrective action against any individual found to have engaged in acts or threats of retaliation.

Certain employees of the College are required to report instances of alleged violations of Title IX. Without exception, if an employee is not sure if a situation warrants reporting, he/she must seek guidance from the Title IX Coordinator. It is essential that institutions receiving federal financial assistance operate in a nondiscriminatory manner. To ensure the College’s compliance with the law, adherence to Title IX regulations is everyone’s responsibility. The penalty for failure to comply with Title IX, in the most extreme circumstances, can include the termination of all or part of an institution’s federal funding including grants and student loans. It can also result in the termination of a College employee or the dismissal of a student.

Any member of the CWD community who believes he/she has been the victim of sex discrimination or sexual misconduct or who has witnessed such conduct should report such misconduct or file an informal or formal complaint with the College’s Title IX Coordinator.

Students who believe they have been or are victims of sex discrimination or sexual harassment, including sexual assault or sexual violence on or off campus, whether by College employees, contracted services employees, other students, or non-community members, are encouraged to request immediate personal support and assistance from any member of the Office of Student Services or the Title IX Coordinator.

Student complaints against other students concerning sexual assault, sexual violence or other sexual misconduct may be made on an informal or formal basis with the College’s Title IX Coordinator or WCCCD’s Police Authority. All complaints filed with or received by the Police Authority will be forwarded to the Title IX Coordinator, who will direct that an appropriate investigation be conducted.

Employees who believe they are being harassed or discriminated against on account of their gender should promptly make a report to the Title IX Coordinator, to his/her supervisor, to the District Vice Chancellor of Human Resources and Administration, a campus President, or the Vice Chancellor of Student Services. All reports made to the employee’s supervisor, campus President, Vice Chancellor of Student Services or the WCCCD Police Authority must, in turn, be immediately forwarded to the District Vice Chancellor of Human Resources and Administration.

1. WCCCD will utilize its best efforts to protect all College community members from sex discrimination, gender-based harassment, sexual harassment, sexual assault, and sexual violence.
   
   
2. WCCCD will take affirmative and corrective action whenever it becomes aware of possible sex discrimination, sexual assault, sexual violence, or other sexual misconduct within the College community, whether or not a complaint has been made.
   
   
3. In order to meet its Title IX obligations and to the extent possible, every effort will be made to keep the details of complaints confidential if requested to do so by a victim of sexual misconduct and to follow the College’s procedures for conducting an investigation and recommendations. However, the College’s ability to strictly observe confidentiality may be compromised where the safety of members of the community is judged to be at risk.
   
   
4. The safety and security of all members of the college community are priorities.
   
   
5. The internal investigation of a complaint will be conducted, and a decision rendered, no matter the timeline or outcome of case adjudication by external authorities. Expanded information concerning sex discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual violence, and WCCCD’s Title IX Policy and Procedures Governing the Reports and Investigation of Title IX Complaints can be found in WCCCD’s student, faculty, and employee handbooks, as well as on the College’s website.

The United States Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is in charge of enforcing Title IX. Information regarding OCR can be found at www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html