Policy on Sexual Harassment
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, provides that it shall be unlawful discriminatory practice for any employer, because of the sex of any person, to discharge without just cause, to refuse to hire, or otherwise discriminate against any person with respect to any matter directly or indirectly related to employment. Harassment of any employee on the basis of sex violates this federal law. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has issued guidelines as to what constitutes sexual harassment of an employee under Title VII.
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when the following occurs:
- submission to such conduct is made explicitly or implicitly a term or
condition of an individual's employment or academic standing; or
- submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used
as a basis for employment or for arriving at academic decisions affecting
an individual; or
- such conduct unreasonably interferes with an individual's work or academic performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or academic environment.
Sexual harassment of University faculty, staff or students is prohibited and shall subject the offender to dismissal or other sanctions after compliance with procedural due process requirements. In the event a claim of sexual harassment arises, the claimant may use University grievance procedures that have been established for faculty, staff and students as appropriate. This policy also prohibits an employee from sexually harassing a superior and a student from sexually harassing a faculty member. Employees or students who feel they are victims of this form of discrimination are encouraged to consult the Office of Access and Equity, E-103 Martin Hall, (864) 656-3181, for advice and assistance in resolving complaints.
In the event a graduate student wishes to appeal the resolution of the Office of Access and Equity, the student must submit a written request for an appeal to the dean of the Graduate School, who in turn will convene an ad hoc committee that will review the process and/or sanction. The committee membership will come from faculty and students already appointed to the Graduate Council.
Amorous Relationships
Amorous relationships that might be appropriate in other circumstances can be inappropriate when they occur between a faculty member, officer or supervisor of the University, and any student or subordinate employee for whom he/she has a professional responsibility.
Those in positions of authority inherently carry the element of power in their relationships with students or subordinates. It is imperative that those with authority neither abuse, nor appear to abuse, this power entrusted to them.
Officers, supervisors and members of the teaching staff should be aware that any romantic involvement with a student or subordinate employee could make them liable for formal action if a complaint is initiated. Even when both parties have consented to such a relationship, it is the officer, supervisor or faculty member who may be held accountable for unprofessional behavior. Difficulties can also arise from third parties who may feel that they have been disadvantaged by such relationships. Graduate assistants, resident assistants, tutors and undergraduate teaching assistants who are also professionally responsible for students, would be wise to exercise special care in their relationships with students they instruct or evaluate.
Any questions concerning these statements or Clemson University's Policy on Sexual Harassment should be directed to the Office of Access and Equity, E-103 Martin Hall, (864) 656-3181.
Compliance with the English Fluency in Higher Education Act of South Carolina
Clemson University has established a policy to assure that all instructional activities are conducted by individuals possessing appropriate proficiency in written and oral use of the English language. Instructional activities include lectures, recitation or discussion sessions, and laboratories. The individuals to be certified include full-time and part-time faculty, graduate teachers of record, graduate teaching assistants and graduate laboratory assistants for whom English is not the first language. The policy also addresses the avenues available to undergraduate and graduate students who experience difficulties associated with English usage by those individuals delivering the instructional activities. The salient features of the policy as they directly affect students are as follows:
A student who experiences difficulty with the instructor's written or oral English and who wishes to seek relief must do so prior to the seventh meeting of a 50-minute class and prior to the fifth meeting of a 90-minute class in regular semesters. In the five-week summer sessions, relief must be sought prior to the third class meeting.
Students are to initiate the grievance by coming to the Office of the Director of Undergraduate Academic Services and receiving the grievance instructions with the time limits set above.
Directory Information Policy
Clemson University hereby designates the following categories of student information as public or "directory information." Such information may be disclosed by the institution for any purpose, at its discretion.
Category I
Clemson University hereby designates the following categories of student information as public or "directory information." Such information may be disclosed by the institution for any purpose, at its discretion.
Category Ia
Dates of attendance, degrees awarded, date and place of birth, major course and academic class..
Category II
Participation in officially recognized activities and sports.
Category III
Physical factors (height, weight of athlete), date and place of birth for members of athletic teams.
Currently enrolled students may withhold disclosure of any category of information under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. To withhold disclosure, written notification must be received in the Registration Services Office by the last day to register for the enrollment period concerned as published in the Clemson University calendar at Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634-5125. Forms requesting the withholding of directory information are available in the Registration Services Office, E203 Martin Hall.
Clemson University assumes that failure on the part of the student to specifically request the withholding of categories of directory information indicates individual approval for disclosure.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (Annual Notice to Students)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) affords eligible students certain rights with respect to their education records. They are:
- The right to inspect and review the student's education records (provided
the student has not waived this right) within 45 days of the day the University
receives a request for access.
Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department or other appropriate official, a written request identifying the record(s) they wish to inspect. The University official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the University official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
- The right to request the amendment of the student's education records
that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading.
Students may ask the University to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. To challenge the accuracy of an education record, the student should write to the registrar or other University official responsible for the record,and clearly identify the part of the record he/she wants changed and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the University official decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the University official will notify his/her vice president. The vice president will then notify the student of his/her right to a hearing regarding the request for an amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of a right to a hearing.
Note: The challenge of a student under this paragraph is limited to information which relates directly to the student and which the student asserts is inaccurate or misleading. With regard to a student's grade, this right does not permit the student to contest a grade on the grounds that a higher grade is deserved, but only to show that the grade has been inaccurately recorded.
- The right to consent to the disclosure of personally-identifiable information
contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that
FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interest. A school official is a person employed by the University; a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the board of trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another university official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his/her professional responsibilities.
Upon request, the University discloses education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
- The right to refuse to permit the designation of any or all of the following
categories of personally-identifiable information as directory information
, which is not subject to the above restrictions on disclosure: student's
full name, home address and telephone number, campus address and telephone
number, campus e-mail address, state of residence, age, date and place
of birth, sex and marital status, parents' names and addresses, academic
class, class schedule and class roster, name of adviser, major field of
study, including the college, division, department or program in which
the student is enrolled, participation in officially recognized activities
and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance
and graduation, degrees and honors and awards received including selection
to a dean's list or honorary organization and the grade point average
of students selected, and the most previous educational institution attended.
Photographic, video or electronic images of students taken and maintained
by the University are also considered directory information.
Directory information may be disclosed by the University for any purpose, at its discretion. Any student wishing to exercise his/her right to refuse to permit the designation of any or all of the above categories as directory information must give written notification to the Registration Services Office by the last day to register for the enrollment period concerned as published in the Clemson University calendar.
- The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Clemson University to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is Family Policy Compliance Office, US Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-4605.
Racial Harassment Policy
It is the policy of Clemson University to conduct and provide programs, activities and services to students, faculty and staff in an atmosphere free from racial harassment. Racial harassment is any behavior that would verbally or physically threaten, torment, badger, heckle or persecute an individual because of his or her race.
Racial harassment of University faculty, staff, students or visitors is prohibited and shall subject the offender to appropriate disciplinary action.
Students who feel that they have been subjected to racial harassment can seek advice from the Office of Access and Equity, E-103 Martin Hall, phone: 656-3181.
