UNLAWFUL DISCRIMINATION POLICY
The policy of San Mateo County Community College District is to provide an educational and work environment in which no person shall be unlawfully denied access to, the benefits of, or unlawfully subjected to discrimination on the basis of ethnic group identification, national origin, religion, age, sex,
sexual orientation, race, color, or physical or mental disability, in any program or activity that is funded directly by, or that receives any financial assistance from the State Chancellor or Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. In so providing, San Mateo County Community College District hereby implements the provisions of California Government Code sections 11135 through 11139.5, the Sex Equity in Education Act (Ed. Code, § 66250 et seq.), Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. § 2000d), Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. § 1681), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. § 794), the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. § 12100 et seq.) and the Age Discrimination Act (42 U.S.C. § 6101). The comprehensive policy and complaint procedures are included in the document titled, "Unlawful Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Policies and Complaint Procedures."

The District provides both an informal and a formal process for the resolution of unlawful discrimination complaints. Individuals who believe that they have suffered unlawful discrimination may elect to proceed under one or both of the procedures within one year of the incident, or within one (1) year of learning of the incident. The selection of complaint procedure is solely at the discretion of the complainant and depends upon: 1) the comfort-level of the individual complainant; 2) the complainant’s feeling about the appropriateness of such a conversation; and, 3) the complainant’s perception of the severity of the event or conduct.

Copies of the San Mateo County Community College District Policy on Unlawful Discrimination are available at the Office of the Vice President of Student Services, Building 1, Room 1315. The San Mateo County Community College District Human Resources Office investigates complaints of unlawful discrimination. Students filing a complaint can pick up a complaint form at the Vice President of Student Services Office or at the District Human Resources Office, 3401 CSM Drive, First Floor, Room 116, San Mateo, CA 94402. For additional information about Unlawful Discrimination complaint process, please call (650) 574-6600.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY
The policy of San Mateo County Community College District is to provide an educational and employment environment free from unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct or communications constituting sexual harassment. Employees, students, or other persons acting on behalf of the District who engage in sexual harassment as defined in this policy or by state or federal law shall be subject to discipline, up to and including discharge, expulsion, or termination of contract.

The comprehensive District Policy for Sexual Harassment and Complaint Procedures are included in the document titled, "Unlawful Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Policies and Complaint Procedures," and the comprehensive policy is in District Rules and Regulations, Section 2.25. Copies of the San Mateo Community College Districts Policy on Sexual Harassment are available at the Office of the Vice President of Student Services located in Building 1, Room 1315. For more information, please call (650) 738-4333.

CONFIDENTIALITY
In recognition of the sensitive nature of sexual harassment complaints, each step in the complaint procedures must be conducted with discretion in order to maintain confidentiality. Information related to sexual harassment complaints will be disseminated only to those individuals who are required (or who need) to have the information in order to facilitate these procedures.

The District is committed to ensuring that employees, students and applicants for employment are not adversely affected for having brought forward a complaint of sexual harassment. All participants in these procedures shall be protected from retaliatory acts by the District and Colleges employees or students. If retaliation or reprisal does occur, disciplinary action will be imposed.

The District provides both an informal and a formal process for the resolution of sexual harassment complaints. Individuals who believe that they have been sexually harassed may elect to proceed under one or both of the procedures within one (1) year of the date of the alleged harassment or the date on which the complainant knew or should have known of the facts underlying the complaint. The selection of complaint procedures is solely at the discretion of the complainant and may depend upon:

• the comfort-level of the individual complainant;

• the complainant’s feeling about the appropriateness of such a conversation; and,

• the complainant’s perception of the severity of the conduct. The complainant need not participate in the Informal Procedure, may proceed directly to the Formal Procedure, and also has the right to file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education.
  

The San Mateo County Community College District Human Resources Office investigates complaints of sexual harassment. Students wanting to file a complaint may pick up complaint forms at the Vice President of Student Services office or at the District Human Resources Office, 3401 CSM Drive, First Floor, Room 116, San Mateo, CA 94402. For additional information about the Sexual Harassment complaint process, please call (650) 574-6600.

Policies continued…