Discrimination & Harassment Policy
This information is from Major Facts, the student handbook. The information printed is as accurate and up-to-date as possible. However, this does not preclude the possibility of changes taking place during the academic year. Any changes will be updated on this website.

Millsaps College affirms the principle that its students, faculty and staff have a right to be free from sexual harassment by any member of the academic community. In addition, Millsaps College affirms the principle that its students have a right to be free from discriminatory harassment by any member of the academic community.

Harassment of any person or groups of persons on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, handicap, or veteran’s status is a form of discrimination specifically prohibited in the Millsaps College community. Any employee, student, student organization, or person privileged to work or study in the Millsaps College community who violates this policy will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including permanent exclusion from the College.

Sexual harassment is defined as an attempt to coerce an unwilling person into a sexual relationship, or to subject a person to unwanted sexual attention, or to punish a refusal to comply, or to create a sexually intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or educational environment. Sexual harassment is understood to include a wide range of behaviors, from the actual coercing of sexual relations to the unwelcoming emphasizing of sexual identity. This definition will be interpreted and applied consistent with accepted standards of mature behavior, academic freedom, and freedom of expression.

Discriminatory harassment includes conduct (oral, written, graphic or physical) directed against any person because of their race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, handicap, or veteran’s status and that has the purpose or reasonably foreseeable effect of creating an offensive, demeaning, intimidating, or hostile environment for that person or group of persons. Such conduct includes, but is not limited to, objectionable epithets, demeaning depiction or treatment, and threatening or actual abuse or harm.

Procedures
For redress of grievance against instances of sexual harassment the following procedure should be followed:

• Any member of the College community who believes that he or she has been a victim of sexual harassment should bring the complaint to the attention of the administrator responsible for the conduct of the person alleged to have committed the offense. The Vice President and Dean of the College in cases involving a faculty member, the Vice President and Dean of Students where the complaint is against a student, or the Vice President for Administration where it is against an employee of the College other than a faculty member or student. Alternatively, the complaint may first be brought to the College Counselor who will, with the consent of the complainant, communicate with the appropriate administrator.
• An effort will be made to keep the initial discussion between the complainant and the College official confidential. If, however, the complaint is to lead to official action, it must be brought to the attention of the President of the College who will notify the accused and appoint a committee to investigate the allegations. The College may elect to suspend the accused during the investigation.
• The committee will inform the President in writing of the results of the investigation. If it finds basis for the complaint, the President will in turn advise the alleged offender of the identity of the complainant and charges.
• Effort will be made to effect an informal resolution of the complaint acceptable to both parties.

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