Title IX Federal Rights

Seminole State College complies with Title IX of the Education Act of 1972 and its implementing regulations. The following definitions apply to Title IX complaints filed under Procedure 1.0601, Resolving Complaints of Sexual Harassment Under Title IX.

Definitions

Sex discrimination: Title IX states that no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.

Sexual harassment: Title IX defines sexual harassment as conduct on the basis of sex that satisfies one or more of the following:

1. An employee of the College conditioning the provision of an aid, benefit or service of the College on an individual’s participation in unwelcome sexual conduct
2. 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 College’s education program or activity
3. Sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence or stalking. ¹

Sexual Assault: Title IX uses the following definition: an offense classified as a forcible or non-forcible sex offense under the uniform crime reporting system of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). A sex offense is any sexual act directed against another person, without the consent of the victim, including instances where the victim is incapable of giving consent. It includes:

1. Fondling: The touching of the private body parts of another person for the purpose of sexual 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.
2. Incest: Sexual intercourse between persons who are related to each other within the degrees wherein marriage is prohibited by law.
3. Statutory Rape: Sexual intercourse with a person who is under the statutory age of consent.
4. Rape: The penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.

Dating Violence: Title IX uses the following definition: violence committed by a person

1. who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim
2. where the existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on a consideration of the following factors:
   1. The length of the relationship
   2. The type of relationship
   3. The frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship

Domestic Violence: Title IX uses the following definition: felony or misdemeanor crimes of violence committed by a current or former spouse or intimate partner of the victim, by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabitating with or has cohabitated with the victim as a spouse or intimate partner, by a person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction receiving grant monies, or by any other person against an adult or youth victim who is protected from that person’s acts under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction.

Stalking: Title IX uses the following definition: engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to

1. fear for his or her safety or the safety of others; or
2. suffer substantial emotional distress.

¹ ‘‘Sexual assault’’ as defined in 20 U.S.C. 1092(f)(6)(A)(v), ‘‘dating violence’’ as defined in 34 U.S.C. 12291(a)(10), ‘‘domestic violence’’ as defined in 34 U.S.C. 12291(a)(8), or ‘‘stalking’’ as defined in 34 U.S.C. 12291(a)(30).

Contacts

For information about particular issues, please contact the Title IX coordinator for the College:

• Barbara Coleman-Foster
  AVP, Equity and Diversity/Title IX Coordinator
  407.708.2373
  Sanford/Lake Mary Campus, F Building, Office 0203, Sanford, FL 32773

In situations involving sexual harassment, notice to the College president also starts the Title IX complaint process.

• Dr. Georgia L Lorenz
  President
  407.708.2010
  Sanford/Lake Mary Campus, Weldon Administration Building, Office 201, Sanford, FL 32773 (when facilities reopen and employees are scheduled, with appropriate safety precautions)

Sexual harassment, if reported externally:

• Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights

The following resources are available for support:

In this section related to Title IX, the College also wants to state its Policy 1.060, Non-Discrimination.

Seminole State College of Florida strictly prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, pregnancy, national origin, ethnicity, age, sex, gender, veterans’ or military status, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, marital status or any other factor protected under applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations in its programs, activities and employment. This statement supports obligations under Title IX and various other laws including the Violence Against Women Act and the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination (SaVE) Act.

To support the statement, the College publishes these resources:

• Non-Discrimination Policy (Policy 1.060)
• Harassment Policy (Policy 2.090)
• Equity Officer Policy (Policy 1.070)
• Resolving Complaints of Discrimination (Procedure 1.0600)
• Resolving Sexual Harassment Grievances Under Title IX (Procedure 1.0601)

External Contacts

• Federal monitoring agency: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 800.368.1019, if College response is not satisfactory
• Law enforcement jurisdiction where incident took place (Campus Safety and Security will help locate)

Download this document in PDF format.

Equity and Diversity/Title IX, 7.4.20, 8.9.20