The University is committed to providing a work and learning environment that is free of unlawful harassment. Harassment on the basis of race, sex, or any other classification protected by law, is contrary to basic standards of conduct between individuals at PLNU. Therefore, harassment in any form--verbal, physical, or visual--is strictly prohibited.

Prohibited sexual or other unlawful harassment refers to behavior that is not welcome, is personally offensive, and creates an intimidating or offensive work or academic environment. Whether or not harassment occurred, depends not on whether the act was intended to cause harm, but the effect of the act on the individual's employment or learning environment.

Unlawful harassment includes, but is not limited to, the following behaviors:

• Pinching or patting; unwelcome touching or hugging; impeding or blocking normal movement
• Commenting on the clothing of an individual in a sexual way, for example, "I sure like the way those pants fit"
• Repeatedly asking someone for a date after you have been turned down
• Whistling or cat calling
• Suggestive or obscene letters, notes, and invitations
• Derogatory comments, slurs, or jokes; crude or vulgar language
• Leering, sexually-oriented gestures
• Display of sexually suggestive or derogatory objects, pictures, cartoons, or posters
• Threatening or insinuating that lack of sexual favors will result in retaliation by hindering employment or academic progress

Any such behavior may constitute harassment when:

• Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work or academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or academic environment; or
• Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment or academic decisions affecting such an individual; or
• Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment or academic progress.

Any faculty member who feels subjected to or becomes aware of actual or potential harassment, including sexual harassment, should immediately report the incident either verbally, or in writing, to the department chair/school dean, a college dean, or the Associate Vice President for Human Resources.

The University will undertake an investigation of the harassment allegations. If the University determines that its policies have been violated, disciplinary action, up to and including termination, will be taken. There will be no reprisal or retaliation against the complainant. Any individuals engaging in such conduct contrary to University policy may be personally liable in any claim brought against them.

The University encourages its faculty, staff, and students to report any incidents of harassment immediately so that complaints can be quickly and fairly resolved.