Definitions Related to Title IX

Advisor of Choice" means a Student or Employee has the right to have one Advisor of his/her choice present during any meeting conducted under this policy. The Advisor may not have personal involvement regarding any facts or circumstances of the alleged misconduct. The Advisor's only function shall be to assist and/or consult with the Student or Employee. The Advisor may not act as a spokesperson. The Advisor may be an attorney but participation shall be limited, as stated above.
"Consent" means the affirmative and voluntary agreement to engage in a specific sexual activity during a sexual encounter. Consent cannot be given by any individual who is mentally or physically incapacitated, either through the effect of drugs or alcohol or for any other reason; or under duress, threat, coercion, or force; or inferred under circumstances in which consent is not clear, including but not limited to the absence of "no" or "stop", or the existence of prior or current relationship or sexual activity.
"Dating Violence" includes violence committed by a person who is or has been in a relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim: (1) The existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on the report and with consideration of the length of the relationship, the type of relationship, and the frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship. (2) For the purpose of this definition dating violence includes, but is not limited to, sexual or physical abuse or the threat of such abuse. Dating violence does not include acts covered under the definition of domestic violence. (3) For the purposes of complying with Title 34 CFR 668.41, of the federal register and pertaining to the annual security report under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act), any incident meeting this definition is considered a crime for the purposes of Clery Act reporting.
"Domestic Violence" includes (1) A felony or misdemeanor crime 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 in which the crime of violence occurred, 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 in which the crime of violence occurred. (2) For the purposes of complying with Title 34 CFR 668.41, any incident meeting this definition is considered a crime for the purposes of Clery Act reporting.
"Hostile Environment" includes conduct of a sexual nature that is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive to limit a student's or employee's ability to participate in or benefit from the education program or from one's employment, or to create a hostile or abusive educational or work environment.
"Incapacitation" includes a person's inability to provide consent due to the use of drugs or alcohol, when the person is asleep or unconscious, or because of an intellectual or other disability that prevents the student or employee from having the capacity to give consent.
"Responding Person" includes any student or employee against whom a complaint under this policy has been made for an alleged violation of this policy.
"Responsible Party" includes any employee: who has the authority to take action to redress sexual violence or who has been given the duty of reporting incidents of sexual violence or any other misconduct by students or employees to the Title IX coordinator or other appropriate school designee; or whom a student or employee could reasonably believe has this authority or duty; or any student employees.
"Sexual Assault" is any type of sexual contact or behavior that occurs without the explicit consent of the recipient. Sexual assault includes sexual activities as forced sexual intercourse, forcible sodomy, child molestation, incest, fondling, attempted rape, and includes sexual acts against people who are unable to consent either due to age or incapacitation.
"Sex Discrimination" includes behaviors and actions that deny or limit a person's ability to benefit from, and/or fully participate in the educational programs, activities, and services because of a person's gender.
"Sexual Harassment" includes unwelcome sexual advances, intimidation, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: (1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment, academic status, receipt of university services, participation in university activities and programs, or affects the measure of a student's academic performance; or, (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for a decision affecting employment, academic status, receipt of services, participation in university activities and programs, or the measure of a student's academic performance; or, (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with employment, academic performance and is severe, persistent, or pervasive and/or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or educational environment.
"Sexual Misconduct" includes any sexual act or contact of a sexual nature that occurs, regardless of personal relationship, without the consent of the other person(s), or that occurs when the person(s) is unable to give consent or whose consent is coerced or obtained in a fraudulent manner. Sexual misconduct includes, but is not limited to, unwanted sexual contact with an object without consent and/or by force, video voyeurism, violence of a sexual nature, sexual abuse, non-consensual sexual intercourse, sexual exploitation, sexual assault, and obtaining, posting, or disclosure of intimate descriptions, photos or videos without express consent of the other person(s).
"Stalking" includes: (1) Engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for the person's safety or the safety of others; or suffer substantial emotional distress. (2) For the purpose of this definition course of conduct means two or more acts, including, but not limited to, acts in which the stalker directly, indirectly, or through third parties, by any action, method, device, or means follows, monitors, observes, conducts surveillance, threatens, or communicates to or about, a person, or interferes with a person's property. Substantial emotional distress means significant mental suffering or anguish that may, but does not necessarily, require medical or other professional treatment or counseling. Reasonable person means a reasonable person under similar circumstances and with similar identities to the victim.