Canisius College

Sexual harassment is defined by Canisius College as follows:

“Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment 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 by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual, or  such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance
or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.”

Remediation of perceived sexual harassment can be pursued at an informal or a formal level.  However, because of the private nature of most sexual harassment incidents and the emotional and moral complexities involved, it is expected that most perceived victims will choose to discuss the situation with a counselor prior to filing a formal complaint.  In conjunction with the counselor, the complainant can determine whether or not to seek remediation through the informal process.

An individual who perceives himself or herself as a victim of sexual harassment should contact one of the designated College Counselors of Issues of Sexual Harassment (CCISH) as promptly as possible. At this time, the counselor will:
 1.    Help the complainant determine if the perception of sexual harassment is valid. 
 2.    Discuss possible methods the complainant could take to eliminate the unwanted conduct.
 3.    Outline other options available to the complainant which will include the
informal and formal procedures.

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION
Canisius College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, or disability in its programs or activities.  The College does not discriminate in admission, treatment, or access to its programs or activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding discrimination policies as related to persons with disabilities:

Director of Disability Support Services –
Ms. Anne-Marie Dobies, Old Main 004,
888-3748 voice/TDD

RACIAL HARASSMENT STATEMENT
Canisius College is committed to working toward a campus that is free from discrimination and that celebrates the diversity of its various community members.  No college, however, is immune to the problems of racism and intolerance.  The Racial Incidents Team is a resource for addressing problems of discrimination based on race or nationality.  If a person has been harassed in this manner, it should be reported immediately to a member of the Racial Incidents Team.  The co-chairs of the RIT are Dr. Patricia Christian (888-2878) and Dr. George Boger (888-2339).  A list of members of the team is available from college offices including Residence Life, Student Affairs, Campus Ministry, the Office of Multicultural Programs, the Office of International Student Affairs, and the Counseling Center.  After hours, emergency assistance is available from the Canisius College Public Safety Department (888-2330). All reports and investigations are handled confidentially and professionally.

STATEMENT ON SEXUAL MISCONDUCT
All forms of sexual misconduct, including any form of unwanted sexual contact and/or exploitation.  “Unwanted” means against a person’s wishes or without consent and includes those instances in which the individual is coerced or unable to give consent because of sleep, unconsciousness, impairment or intoxication.  A “no” or absence of resistence is not required to prevent sexual contact; whereas a verbal or nonverbal “yes” is required to permit sexual contact.

A victim of a sexual assault should:

1. GET TO A SAFE PLACE AND CALL SOMEONE TRUSTED.
2. CALL 711 (on-campus) or 888-2330 (off-campus).  This will alert Public Safety to the alleged offense, who in turn can contact other resources. Victims may also contact the Buffalo Police at 911 or 851-4494.
3. GET MEDICAL ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY.
   It is extremely important that the victim seek medical attention immediately.  In addition to treating injuries, a prompt medical examination will test for pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.  A medical examination can secure valuable evidence that can be used later should the victim wish to have the assailant prosecuted.  If requested, someone will accompany the victim to the hospital. 
   
   The victim shouldn’t drink, bathe, douche, brush teeth, change clothing or comb hair.  It’s only natural to want to do these things, but doing so may destroy evidence. In the course of the medical examination, the hospital staff will collect this evidence. If changing clothes is necessary, clothing worn during the assault should be placed in a paper bag.
4. SEEK COUNSELING.
   Regardless of whether the assault is reported, it is often helpful to seek counseling for the traumatic experience. The Counseling Center(888-2620), Health Services (888-2610), Campus Ministry (888-2420), or off-campus, Crisis Services (834-3131) are good sources of support. 
5. DOCUMENT THE INCIDENT.
   A victim, as soon as possible, should write down every detail about the incident, including:  who, what, when, where, and how.
     • At the first opportunity, the above information should be brought to the
      attention of the Public Safety or one of the resources listed below.
     • If the Buffalo Police Department is to be involved and criminal charges filed, the above information is crucial.
6. 6. DECIDE HOW TO PROCEED.
   The decision as to prosecute the suspect and/or initiate internal judicial proceedings lies with the victim. 

Judicial Process –External
If the victim wishes to have the assailant prosecuted, the police and the district attorney’s office will handle the legal proceedings.   

Judicial Process – Internal
If the perpetrator is a member of the College community, the victim also has the option to file a complaint through the College’s disciplinary systems.  Any campus proceeding will be handled with sensitivity and with respect for confidentiality and both the complainant and the respondent are entitled to have an advisor present during the hearing.  At the conclusion of the internal judicial hearing, both the complainant and the respondent shall be informed of the outcome (decision and sanction) of the hearing.  Sanctions that may be imposed may range from a formal warning to expulsion from the College.  Detailed procedures concerning the campus disciplinary hearings, including the rights of the complainant and respondent are contained in the Community Standards found in the Student Handbook.

Whether the victim chooses the external or internal process, a College representative will be available to assist throughout the process including providing transportation to off-campus sites. 

ANONYMOUS REPORTING
If the victim does not want to pursue action within the College system or the criminal justice system at this time, she/he may still want to consider having an anonymous report made.  A member of the Counseling Center (888-2620), Health Services (888-2610) or Campus Ministry (888-2420) can report the details of the incident to the Department of Public Safety without revealing the identity of the victim.  The purpose of an anonymous report is to comply with the victim’s wish to keep the matter private while taking steps to ensure future safety for the victim and others.  With such information, the College can keep accurate records about the number of assaults involving students, determine whether there is a pattern of assaults with regard to particular location, method, or assailant, and alert the campus community to potential danger.

ACCOMMODATIONS
Academic and living arrangements can be made to accommodate the victim’s needs.  For example, if the victim and the accused are in the same class or residence hall, arrangements will be made to separate the two.

MORE INFORMATION
Contact Residence Life, Campus Programming & Leadership Development (CP&LD), Student Affairs, Public Safety, Health Services and Counseling Center.