Definitions of Prohibited Conduct
- An employee of the University conditioning the provision of an aid, benefit, or service of the University
on an individual’s participation in unwelcome sexual conduct; - Unwelcome conduct determined by a reasonable person to be so severe, pervasive, and objectively
offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to the University’s education program or activity;
or - Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, and/or Stalking.
For the definition of Sexual Harassment, “reasonable person” means a reasonable person under similar
circumstances as and with similar identities to the complainant.
To determine whether words and/or conduct constitute Sexual Harassment, the University will consider the
totality of the circumstances, including without limitation: the context in which the conduct and/or words
occurred; and the frequency, nature, and severity of the words and/or conduct.
In no event shall the term “Sexual Harassment” be construed to prohibit speech protected by the First
Amendment to the United States Constitution (e.g., mere insulting or offensive speech).
or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.
gratification, without the consent of the victim, including instances where the victim is incapable of giving
consent because of his/her age or because of his/her temporary or permanent mental incapacity.
marriage is prohibited by law.
- who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the
victim; and - where the existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on a consideration
of the following factors:- The length of the relationship.
- The type of relationship.
- The frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship.
In cases involving allegations of mutual acts or threats of acts of violence, the designated investigator(s) will, when appropriate, identify the primary aggressor in the situation based on the totality of the information gathered, including without limitation: the history of violence between the parties; the relative severity of the injuries inflicted on each person; information gathered from the persons involved in the situation and witnesses to the situation; and whether the acts or threats were done in self-defense. The primary aggressor will be considered the Respondent for purposes of evaluating Domestic Violence.
reasonable person to—
- fear for his or her safety or the safety of others; or
- suffer substantial emotional distress.
“Course of conduct” means two or more acts, including, but not limited to, acts in which a person directly,
indirectly, or through third parties, by any action, method, device, or means, follows, monitors, observes,
surveils, threatens, or communicates with or about another person, or interferes with another person’s
property. “Substantial emotional distress” means significant mental suffering or anguish that may, but does
not necessarily, require medical or other professional treatment or counseling. For the definition of
Stalking, “reasonable person” means a reasonable person under similar circumstances and with similar
identities to the complainant.
agreement. An active agreement is words and/or conduct that communicate a person’s willingness to
participate in an act. A person cannot actively agree to an act if: (1) the person is Incapacitated, if either the
person claiming to have obtained the other person’s active agreement knows that the other person is
Incapacitated or a Reasonable Person would know that the other person is Incapacitated; or (2) the person
is Forced to act or participate in an activity.
Examples of Sexual Exploitation include, without limitation:
- Surreptitiously observing, photographing, audiotaping, videotaping, or recording an image of a
person who is engaging in sexual act(s), or a person’s breasts, buttocks, groin, or genitals, when the
person being observed/photographed/audiotaped/videotaped/recorded is in a place in which the
person has a reasonable expectation of privacy;
Allowing or enabling a person to surreptitiously observe, photograph, audiotape, videotape, or
record an image of another person who is engaging in sexual act(s), or another person’s breasts,
buttocks, groin, or genitals, when the person being
observed/photographed/audiotaped/videotaped/recorded is in a place in which the person has a
reasonable expectation of privacy; - Showing, posting, or sharing video, audio, or an image that depicts a person who is engaging in
sexual act(s), or a person’s breasts, buttocks, groin, or genitals, when the person being
observed/photographed/audiotaped/videotaped/recorded is in a place in which the person has a
reasonable expectation of privacy, if all persons who are depicted have not agreed to having the
video/audio/image shown, posted, or shared; - Prostituting another person or engaging in sex trafficking;
- Knowingly exposing another person to a sexually transmitted infection or disease without
informing the other person that one has a sexually transmitted infection or disease; - Forcing a person to participate in sexual act(s)with a person other than oneself;
- Forcing a person to expose the person’s breasts, buttocks, groin, or genitals;
- Forcing a person to take an action against that person’s will by threatening to show, post, or share
video, audio, or an image that depicts the person’s nudity or depicts the person engaging in sexual
act(s); - Forcing a person to take an action of a sexual nature against that person’s will by threatening to
disclose information that would harm a person’s reputation; - Forcing a person to take an action against that person’s will by threatening to disclose information
of a sexual or intimate nature that would harm a person’s reputation; or - Causing or requesting an incapacitated person to expose the person’s breasts, buttocks, groin, or
genitals or to participate in sexual act(s) with a person other than oneself.
of interfering with any right or privilege secured by this Policy, or because the individual has made a report
or complaint, testified, assisted, or participated or refused to participate in any manner in an investigation,
proceeding, or hearing.
Intimidation, threats, coercion, or discrimination, including charges against an individual for code of
conduct violations that do not involve sex discrimination or sexual harassment, but arise out of the same
facts or circumstances as a report or complaint of sex discrimination, or a report or formal complaint of
sexual harassment, for the purpose of interfering with any right or privilege secured by this Policy
constitutes retaliation.
- The exercise of rights protected under the First Amendment does not constitute retaliation.
- Charging an individual with a code of conduct violation for making a materially false statement in bad
faith in the course of a grievance proceeding under this part does not constitute retaliation. Retaliation is a
violation of this Policy regardless of whether the underlying allegation of a violation of this Policy is
ultimately found to have merit. Determination regarding responsibility, alone, is not sufficient to conclude
that any party made a materially false statement in bad faith.
Related Definitions
conduct that communicate a person’s willingness to participate in a sexual act.
Examples of sexual act(s) include, without limitation: vaginal intercourse; anal intercourse; oral sex; any
other intrusion, however slight, of a person’s finger or any object into any other person’s genitals or anus;
the intentional touching of a person’s intimate parts (genital area, groin, inner thigh, buttock or breast), the
intentional touching of the clothing covering the immediate area of a person’s intimate parts, or the
intentional touching of any other person with a person’s own intimate parts, if that intentional touching
can be reasonably construed as being for the purpose of sexual gratification.
Consent can be revoked at any time.
Valid Consent cannot be given if:
- A person is Incapacitated and a Reasonable Person in the same situation as the Respondent would
have known that the person is Incapacitated; - A person is Forced; or
- The sexual penetration of a person by the Respondent would constitute mitigated statutory rape,
statutory rape, or aggravated statutory rape under state law, based on the ages of the Respondent
and the other person.
substantially impair(s) a person’s ability to voluntarily choose whether to take an action or participate in an
activity.
Examples of Force include, without limitation:
- Physical force (e.g., hitting, punching, slapping, kicking, restraining, choking, kidnapping, using a
weapon, blocking access to an exit); - Words and/or conduct that would cause a reasonable person to fear:
- Physical force or other harm to the person’s health, safety, or property, or a third person’s
health, safety, or property; - Loss or impairment of an academic benefit, employment benefit, or money;
- Disclosure of sensitive personal information or information that would harm a person’s
reputation; - Disclosure of video, audio, or an image that depicts the person’s nudity or depicts the
person engaging in a sexual act(s); or - Other immediate or future physical, emotional, reputational, financial, or other harm to the
person or a third person.
- Physical force or other harm to the person’s health, safety, or property, or a third person’s
person is asleep, unconscious, under the influence of an anesthetizing or intoxicating substance such that
the person does not have control over their body, is otherwise unaware that sexual activity is occurring, or
their mental, physical, or developmental abilities renders them incapable of making a rational informed
judgment. Incapacitation is not the same as legal intoxication.
A person violates this Policy when they engage in sexual activity with another person who is Incapacitated
under circumstances in which a reasonable person would have known the other person to be
Incapacitated. For evaluating Incapacitation, a “reasonable person” means a sober, objectively reasonable
person in the same situation, with ordinary sensitivities, and with similar identities as the Respondent.
Incapacitation can be voluntary or involuntary. Signs of Incapacitation may include, without limitation:
sleep; total or intermittent unconsciousness; lack of control over physical movements (e.g., inability to
dress/undress without assistance; inability to walk without assistance); lack of awareness of circumstances
or surroundings; emotional volatility; combativeness; vomiting; incontinence; unresponsiveness; and
inability to communicate coherently. Incapacitation is an individualized determination based on the totality
of the circumstances.