Harassment, including sexual harassment, is prohibited by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Office for Civil Rights, and state regulations (R.S.23:301,312,332), and therefore, it is the policy of the Louisiana Community and Technical Colleges Board of Supervisors and SOWELA Technical Community College that unlawful harassment of employees and students is prohibited.
Harassment is physical, verbal, and visual conduct that creates an intimidating, offensive, or hostile environment, which interferes with work or academic performance. This includes harassment because of race, sex, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, disability or medical condition, age, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law, ordinance or regulation.
Sexual harassment is defined by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission as: Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:
SOWELA applies this definition to the areas of academic advancement, academic standing, or academic performance.
The workplace or academic harassment infringes on employees' or students' rights to a comfortable work or academic environment, and it is a form of misconduct that undermines the integrity of the employment or academic relationship. No employee or student, male or female, should be subjected to unsolicited and unwelcome overtures or conduct, either verbally, visually, physically, or electronically transmitted. Although this list is not all-inclusive, examples of conduct that is prohibited include the following:
This policy applies to all members of the LCTC Board of Supervisors, employees, students, supervisors, managers, faculty, vendors, and all other individuals doing business with SOWELA. It is the policy of SOWELA that no member of the SOWELA community may harass another. This includes harassment of an employee by another employee, of a student by an employee, of an employee by a student, of a student by another student. Additionally, under appropriate circumstances, SOWELA may take action to protect its employees and students from harassment, on SOWELA property, or at events sponsored by SOWELA, by individuals who are not students or employees of SOWELA.
A complaint of harassment should be presented as promptly as possible after the alleged harassment occurs. Employees who believe they are the subject of harassment or who have knowledge of harassing behavior must report such conduct to their direct supervisors, and the institution's human resource department. SOWELA has developed a system of recording all formal written complaints to be submitted and kept on file in the office of Human Resources.
Students who have problems, questions, and grievances can discuss these with a SOWELA counselor. Some college officials or faculty members can assist in counseling for sexual harassment problems. Throughout the counseling process, information divulged is held in the strictest confidence, and no information is released unless the complainant agrees to inform a third party who can facilitate a solution. Any students inquiring about a complaint or concern can seek the advice of a SOWELA faculty or staff member, and the faculty or staff member can accompany the student to discussions with the designated officer, advisor, or counselor. A formal charge is not made by merely discussing the complaint, and no repercussions or reprimands are issued for initiating a complaint.
However, the college is also obliged to protect the rights of a person(s) against whom a complaint is lodged. Efforts are made to resolve issues in a reasonable amount of time.
Students who believe they are the subject of harassment or who have knowledge of harassing behavior must report such conduct to the Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs or Designee. They also may submit a complaint to the Chancellor. No student or employee is required to report or make a complaint of harassment to the person who is allegedly engaging in the problematic conduct. In the event that an individual feels uncomfortable making a complaint at the institutional level, such complaints may be made at the system level with the LCTC Director of Human Resources, Louisiana Community and Technical Colleges, 265 South Foster Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70806. The phone number is (225) 219-8700.
Employee complaints of harassment should be reported to:
Director of Human Resources Human Resources Office
Charleston Building, Suite 1104
Student complaints of harassment should be reported to:
Director of Student Services
Magnolia Building - Student Success Center
Complaints of harassment will be investigated promptly and in as an impartial and confidential a manner as possible. A member of human resources will conduct investigations, unless otherwise deemed necessary, in order to ensure an impartial and confidential investigation. SOWELA will not tolerate any type of discipline or retaliation, direct or indirect, against any employee, student or other person who, in good faith, files a complaint of or responds to questions in regard to having witnessed prohibited harassment.
False charges are treated as serious offenses and may result in disciplinary and/or civil action.
Any employee, student or member of management who is found, after appropriate investigation, to have engaged in harassing conduct is subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment and/or student standing per the College's current policies which govern students.
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