Southern Arkansas University’s policy states that sexual harassment violates the dignity and worth of all members of the institutional community. Sexual harassment is unacceptable conduct and will not be tolerated.
Sexual harassment of employees and students at Southern Arkansas University is defined as any unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, when:
- Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment.
- Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting that individual.
- Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or educational experience; or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or educational environment.
If you believe you have been a victim of sexual harassment at SAU, help is available. Students may call the Office of Student Life at 235-4041. Faculty and staff may call the Office of Human Resources, 235-4008.
Procedure for Reporting Sexual Harassment (Optional)
Any individual may contact a senior administrator to discuss conduct that may constitute sexual harassment. The administrator may discuss the concerns with the individual alleged to have committed the harassment. After discussions, the person initiating the complaint has two options:
- Continue with the informal grievance procedure, or
- Consider the matter resolved and no written records will be maintained of the discussions.
Please note: This part of the procedure is completely optional.
Informal Grievance Procedure
If the complaint pertains to a faculty or staff member, the person should file the complaint in the Office of Human Resources to the vice president for administration and general counsel.
If the complaint pertains to a student, the person should file the complaint in the Office of Student Life.
Upon receipt of the complaint, the vice president for administration and finance will select a male and a female from a pool of six trained mediators to attempt a satisfactory resolution of the complaint. This informal mediation should not exceed 30 days. Documentation of the mediation will include the date, names of complainant and party named in the complaint, names of the mediators, complaint and the resolution.
If the issue is not resolved, the person may continue with the University’s formal grievance procedure found in the University Handbook
