Definitions in compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 and its regulations:
Hostile Environment Harassment: 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 recipient’s education, program or activity.
Sexual Assault: Title IX regulations define “sexual assault” as incorporating the following classes of conduct: rape, sodomy, sexual assault with an object, fondling, incest.
Dating Violence: Violence committed by another person who is or has been in a social relationship of romantic or intimate nature with the victim; and where the existence of such a relationship will be determined based on length of relationship, type of relationship and frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship.
Domestic Violence: 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 state, or by any other person against and adult or youth victim who is protected from that person’s acts under the domestic or family violence laws of the state.
Stalking: Engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety or the safety of others; or suffer substantial emotional distress.
Quid Pro Quo Harassment: An employee of the institution conditions the provision of some aid, benefit, or service on another person’s participation in unwelcome sexual conduct. This often arises in the employment context where an employee holds a position of authority over a student.