Discrimination and Harassment

Discriminatory Harassment

Unwelcome conduct on the basis of actual or perceived membership in a protected class, by any member or group of the community. The behavior creates a hostile working environment which may effect a person’s learning opportunities or their ability to do their job. Examples include but are not limited to:

• Threatening or causing physical harm, extreme verbal abuse or other conduct which threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person on the basis of their actual or perceived membership in a protected class.
• Discrimination, defined as actions that deprive other members of the community of educational or employment access, benefits or opportunities on the basis of their actual or perceived membership in a protected class.
• Intimidation, defined as implied threats or acts that cause an unreasonable fear of harm in another, on the basis of actual or perceived membership in a protected class.
• Hazing, defined as acts likely to cause physical or psychological harm or social ostracism to any person within Alma College community, when related to the admission, initiation, pledging, joining, or any other group-affiliation activity (as defined further in the hazing policy) on the basis of actual or perceived membership in a protected class; hazing is also illegal under Michigan State law and prohibited by Alma College policy.
• Bullying, defined as repeated and/or severe aggressive behavior likely to intimidate or intentionally hurt, control or diminish another person, physically or mentally, on the basis of actual or perceived membership in a protected class.

Hostile Environment

A hostile environment may be created by spoken, written, graphic, or physical conduct that is sufficiently severe, persistent/pervasive, and objectively offensive that it interferes with, limits or denies the ability of an individual to participate in or benefit from educational programs or activities or employment access, benefits, or opportunities.

Offensive conduct and/or harassment that does not rise to the level of discrimination or that is of a generic nature not on the basis of a protected status may not result in the imposition of discipline under College policy, but will be addressed through civil confrontation, remedial actions, education, and/or effective conflict resolution mechanisms.