Title IX

Laws

Title IX

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded educational programs and activities. Under Title IX, sexual assault and sexual harassment are forms of discrimination on the basis of sex. The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, which enforces Title IX, has recently provided detailed guidance on how educational institutions like KCC must investigate and respond to complaints of sexual assault and sexual harassment. Learn more in Questions and Answers on Title IX and Sexual Violence from the Department of Education.

The Clery Act

The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (the Clery Act) is a federal law and accompanying regulations that require colleges and universities to disclose certain timely and annual information about campus crime, and security and safety policies. Compliance with the Clery Act is a condition for universities, like KCC, that participate in the federal student aid program, and is administered by the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid Office. As a part of its Clery program, Kankakee Community College collects and publishes statistical information on crimes occurring on and around campus, as well as relevant crime and safety information, in its annual crime and safety report.

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)

The federal Violence Against Women Act amendments and accompanying regulations (VAWA) clarify the duties of universities to investigate and respond to reports of sexual assault, stalking, and dating and domestic violence, and to publish policies and procedures related to the handling of these cases. Under VAWA, universities also must provide training to the campus communities on sexual misconduct. Compliance with VAWA is a condition for universities, like KCC, that participate in the federal student aid program, and is administered by the Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid Office. New VAWA regulations were published by the U.S. Department of Education in October 2014 and became effective July 1, 2105.

Illinois Gender Violence Act

Under this Act, a person who has been subjected to gender-related violence may bring a civil action for damages, injunctive relief, or other appropriate relief against a person or persons perpetrating that gender-related violence. You can read more about this act on the Illinois General Assembly website.

Definitions

Sex Discrimination

Sex discrimination includes any behavior or communication that improperly singles out, stigmatizes, victimizes, or otherwise subjects an individual to unequal treatment to his or her detriment on the basis of his/her sex, gender identity, or failure to conform to stereotypical notions of masculinity or femininity. Sex discrimination includes, but is not limited to, verbal abuse, sexual harassment, sexual violence, and other acts of sexual misconduct. Sexual harassment of students, including sexual violence, interferes with a student’s right to receive an education free from discrimination and, in the case of sexual violence, dating/relationship violence and stalking, are crimes.

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, or acts that an individual did not request or invite and that are regarded as undesirable or offensive when:

1. Submission to such conduct is made explicitly or implicitly a term of condition of a student’s individual’s education, academic advancement, evaluation, grades or employment;
2. Submission to or rejection of such conduct is deemed to be used as the basis for an educational or employment decision affecting the individual;
3. Such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s educational or work performance, or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive educational or working environment; or
4. Such conduct denies or limits a student’s ability to participate in or receive the benefits, services or opportunities of KCC’s programs or activities or the individual’s employment access, benefits or opportunities.

Examples of conduct of a sexual nature include:

1. Verbal: Specific demands for sexual favors, sexual innuendos, sexually suggestive comments, jokes of a sexual nature, sexual propositions, or sexual threats.
2. Non-Verbal: Sexually suggestive emails, other writings, articles or documents, objects or pictures, graphic commentaries, suggestive or insulting sounds or gestures, leering, whistling, or obscene gestures.
3. Physical: Nonconsensual touching, pinching, brushing the body, or any unwelcome or coerced sexual activity, including sexual assault.

Non-Consensual Sexual Intercourse

Includes any intentional or knowing contact, however slight, between the sex organ, mouth or anus of one person, by the sex organ, mouth, or anus of another person or the intrusion however slight of any body part including a finger(s), animal, or foreign object into the sex organ, anus or mouth of another by force or threat of force; intimidation; without the consent of the victim; or when the victim is unable to give consent due to age, diminished mental capacity, or intoxication.

Other Sexual Misconduct

Includes sexual assault, sexual exploitation, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual violence and stalking.

Sexual Exploitation

Occurs when an individual takes non-consensual or abusive sexual advantage of another for his/her own advantage or benefit, or to benefit or advantage anyone other than the one being exploited, and that behavior does not otherwise constitute one of the other sexual misconduct offenses. Sexual exploitation includes invasion of sexual privacy, prostituting another individual, non-consensual video, photographing, or audio taping of sexual activity, going beyond the boundaries of consent, engaging in voyeurism, knowingly transmitting an STD or HIV to another individual, exposing one’s genitals in non-consensual circumstances, inducing another to expose their genitals.

Sexual Violence

Physical sexual acts perpetuated against a person’s will or where a person is incapable of giving consent (e.g. due to the person’s age, use of drugs or alcohol, or because an intellectual or other disability prevents the person from having the capacity to give consent). Sexual violence includes, but is not limited to, rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, sexual abuse and sexual coercion. All such acts of sexual violence are forms of sex discrimination prohibited by Title IX.

Dating/Relationship Violence

The term dating violence means violence committed by a person: 1) who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim; and 2) where the existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on a consideration of the length of the relationship, the type of relationship, and the frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship.

Dating Violence can include, but is not limited to:

1. Physical violence: hitting, slapping, pushing, kicking, biting, pinching, holding or restraining, choking, or burning;
2. Sexual Violence: forcing sex or specific sexual acts or behaviors or rape;
3. Intimidation: breaking items, throwing things, or hurting animals;
4. Threats and coercion: suicidal threats, threats of violence, threats to report the victim for misconduct or destroy their reputation and social connections, or coercion under threats to make the victim do things they normally would not and use those activities as further threats, threats against individual’s family, friends, or children;
5. Isolation: keeping victim away from friends and family, monitoring and/or limiting phone calls, texts, emails, Facebook or other forms of communication, monitoring interactions and activities throughout the day, not allowing participation in activities or hobbies, or using jealousy as an excuse for all of these behaviors;
6. Emotional abuse: name calling, put downs in front of others, humiliating and degrading victim through words and behaviors, or requiring victim to look or dress a certain way;
7. Minimizing, blaming and denying the controlling behavior and abuse: blaming the victim for the abusive behavior, defining the abusive behavior as loving behavior, or describing the abusive behavior as normal;
8. Use of privilege: use of privilege and social roles to justify behavior, use status as a citizen, certain religious faith, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, economic situation, or other privilege of status to threaten, coerce or justify behavior;
9. For same-sex partners: “outing” or the threat of “outing” can be a strong element of control.

Domestic Violence

Domestic violence means asserted felony or misdemeanor crimes of violence and includes the use or attempted use of physical abuse or sexual abuse, or a pattern of any other coercive behavior committed, enabled, or solicited to gain or maintain power and control over a victim, including verbal, psychological, economic, or technological abuse that may or may not constitute criminal behavior, by a person who is a current or former spouse or intimate partner of the victim, or person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim, is cohabitating or has cohabitated with the victim as a spouse or intimate partner, shares a child in common with the victim, or commits acts against a youth or adult victim who is protected from those acts under the family or domestic violence laws of the jurisdiction.

Stalking

Knowingly and without justification follows or surveils another on at least 2 separate occasions and threatens or places in reasonable apprehension; stalking occurs when he or she knowingly engages in a course of conduct directed at a specific person and knows or should know that the conduct would cause a reasonable person to fear for their own safety or the safety of another person, or suffers emotional distress, defined as “significant mental suffering, anxiety or alarm. Stalking in conjunction with causing bodily harm, confining or restraining a person or violating court order or injunction is also prohibited.

Examples of stalking include, but are not limited to (includes third-party contact):

Stalking includes cyberstalking. Cyberstalking is to knowingly use electronic communication, including, without limitation, the creation and maintenance of an internet website or webpage for at least 24 hours which is accessible to one or more third parties, e-mail communication, and posting messages on a third party’s internet website or webpage, to engage in any of the following conduct: 1) transmit a threat of immediate or future bodily harm, sexual assault, confinement or restraint to a specific person or a family member of that person; 2) place a specific person or a family member of that person in reasonable apprehension of immediate or future bodily harm, sexual assault, confinement or restraint; or 3) knowingly solicit a third party to transmit a threat of immediate or future bodily harm, sexual assault, confinement or restraint to a specific person or a family member of that person in violation of KCC’s Title IX Policy and Procedure.

1. Following, monitoring, observing, or surveilling a person;
2. Appearing at a person’s home, place of business, or classroom;
3. Threatening or communicating to a person or about a person;
4. Making harassing phone calls to a person;
5. Mailing written messages, or sending electronic messages/photos;
6. Leaving messages or objects at person’s home, place of business, vehicle, or classroom; and/or
7. Interfering with or damages personal property, including pets.

Retaliation

Any form of retaliation, including intimidation, threats, harassment and other adverse action taken or threatened against any complainant or person reporting or filing a complaint alleging sexual discrimination, harassment or misconduct or any person cooperating in the investigation of such allegations (including testifying, assisting or participating in any manner in an investigation) is strictly prohibited. Action is generally deemed adverse if it would deter a reasonable person in the same circumstances from opposing practices prohibited by the College’s 2.2.6 Policy and Procedures. Retaliation may result in disciplinary or other action independent of the sanctions or interim measures imposed in response to the allegations of sexual discrimination, harassment or misconduct.

Hostile Environment Caused by Sexual Harassment

A sexually harassing hostile environment is created when conduct by an individual is so severe, pervasive or persistent that it denies or limits an individual’s ability to participate in or receive the benefits, services or opportunities of the College’s educational programs or activities or the individual’s employment access, benefits or opportunities. In determining whether a hostile environment has been created, the conduct in question will be considered from both a subjective and an objective perspective of a reasonable person in the alleged victim’s position, considering all the circumstances.

Incapacitation

When a person is incapable of giving consent due to the person’s age, use of drugs or alcohol, or because an intellectual or other disability which prevents the person from having the capacity to give consent.

Intimidation

To make timid or fearful, to compel or deter by or as if by threats. Intimidation is a form of retaliation prohibited by the College’s Sexual Discrimination, Harassment and Misconduct Policy and Procedures.

Threat

Any oral or written expression or gesture that could be interpreted by a reasonable person as conveying an intent to cause harm to persons or property.

Consent

Consent is clear, knowing and voluntary. Consent is active, not passive. Silence, in and of itself, cannot be interpreted as consent. Consent can be given by words or actions, as long as those words or actions create mutually understandable clear permission regarding willingness to engage in (and the conditions of) sexual contact/activity.

1. Consent to any one form of sexual contact/activity cannot automatically imply consent to any other form of sexual activity.
2. Previous relationships or prior consent cannot imply consent to future sexual acts.
3. In order to give consent, one must be of legal age.
4. Sexual contact/activity with someone who one should know to be or reasonably should have known to be mentally or physically incapacitated (by alcohol or other drugs, unconsciousness, sleep, or blackout), violate this policy.
5. Consent may be withdrawn at any time.

Force

Force is the use of physical violence and/or imposing on someone physically to gain sexual access. Force also includes threats, intimidation (implied threats) and coercion that overcome resistance or produce consent.

Coercion

Coercion is unreasonable pressure for sexual activity. Coercive behavior differs from seductive behavior based on the type of pressure someone uses to get consent from another. When someone makes it clear to you that they do not want sex, that they want to stop, or that they do not want to go past a certain point of sexual interaction, continued pressure beyond that point can be coercive. This can include coercion by supervisory, instructional, or disciplinary authority.

Facts

Nine Fast Facts About Sexual Assault and Title IX^*

1. Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in education programs that receive federal funding. (This means all public and charters K-12 schools, some private K-12 schools, and nearly all colleges and universities.)
2. Sexual harassment, including sexual assault, is a type of sex discrimination that’s banned by Title IX.
3. Sexual assault = a physical act done against a person’s will. This includes situations in which a person is incapable of giving consent due to drug or alcohol use.
4. One in five women are victims of completed or attempted sexual assault while in college. That’s over 2 million women.
5. Sexual harassment creates a hostile environment when it is sufficiently serious that it interferes with or limits a student’s ability to participate in or benefit from an educational program. (Rape is sufficiently severe to create a hostile environment.)
6. If a school knows (or reasonably should know) about sexual harassment, including sexual assault, that creates a hostile environment, Title IX requires the school to take immediate action to eliminate the harassment, prevent its recurrence, and address its effects.
7. Schools are required to adopt and publish grievance procedures for students who complain of sex discrimination, including sexual assault.
8. If you file a complaint with the school, regardless of where the assault occurred, your school must process the complaint under grievance procedures.
9. Because Title IX investigation is different from law enforcement investigation, even if you file a police report your school is independently required to investigate the assault. This investigation must be prompt, thorough, and impartial.

Nine Fast Facts About Sexual Assault and Title IX provided by www.nwlc.org.

What Is sexual harassment?

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment when submission to or rejection of this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work or academic environment.

Sexual harassment can occur in a variety of circumstances, including but not limited to the following:

• The victim as well as the harasser may be a woman or a man. The victim does not have to be of the opposite sex.
• The harasser can be the victim’s supervisor, an agent of the employer, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or a non-employee. A student can be harassed by teachers, other students, or anyone else with whom the student interacts while at school or while engaging in school-related activities.
• The victim does not have to be the person harassed but could be anyone affected by the offensive conduct.
• Unlawful sexual harassment may occur without economic injury to or discharge of the victim.
• Such conduct has the purpose or effect of interfering with the individual’s work or educational performance; of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working and/or learning environment; or of interfering with one’s ability to participate in or benefit from an education program or activity.
• The harasser’s conduct must be unwelcome.

Examples of Sexual Harassment

• Pressure for sexual activity
• Requests for sexual favors
• Unwelcome patting, hugging or touching of a person’s body, hair or clothing, intentionally brushing up against someone
• Sexual innuendos, gestures, looks, jokes or comments
• Disparaging remarks to a person about his or her gender or body; claiming that a person is gay or lesbian
• Spreading sexual rumors about a person
• Displaying or transmitting sexually suggestive electronic content, including emails and texts
• Giving unwelcome personal gifts
• Sexual assault

What should I do if I am being sexually harassed?

Sexual harassment which is ignored often escalates. It is helpful to directly inform the harasser that the conduct is unwelcome and must stop. Alert other people about the behavior. Doing this will provide you with support and can be important evidence later. Use any complaint mechanism or grievance system available and/or in place.

Keep a detailed written record of the harassment. Record what happened, when, where, who else was present, and how you reacted. Save any notes, pictures, or other documents you receive from the harasser.

Report the problem. Contact us to schedule an initial appointment to discuss your situation with us. We normally set aside an hour to speak with you. When you visit us, we will ask you to describe your situation and your view of what is going on, so that we can fully understand the situation. No one will force you to take any action you do not want to take.

What should I do if I am assaulted?

If the incident(s) involve sexual assault or rape, you are encouraged to immediately contact Campus Police at (815) 802-8190 or dial 911. You should go to the nearest emergency room and ask to be seen by a health care professional who specializes in examining sexual assault victims.

What do I do to preserve evidence of sexual assault?

For information on preserving evidence, please see the RAINN website regarding what to do in the aftermath of a sexual assault.

What do I do if I believe a friend or myself have been harassed?

If you experience, observe, hear about or believe someone has been sexually harassed in any way, you should make a report of the facts of the incident(s) in a timely manner by contacting the Title IX Coordinator at 815-802-8510 (Office L201) or the Director of Human Resources at 815-802-8128 (Office D116).

KCC will not tolerate sexual harassment of its students or employees and will investigate all allegations of harassment. Reports will be investigated promptly. As stated above, please retain any notes, pictures, or other documents you receive from the harasser that may relate to the complaint. Where sexual harassment is found, steps will be taken to end it immediately.

What if I’m not sure if my experience truly constitutes harassment?

If you believe you may have experienced harassment or assault, but are unsure of whether it was a violation of KCC sexual harassment policy, you should contact the Title IX Coordinator of the Director of Human Resources. It is imperative that all accounts of harassment are reported and investigated, in order to maintain the safety of the KCC community. The Title IX Coordinator or Director of Human Resources will help clearly define acts that constitute sexual misconduct, and provide information regarding options.

What do I do if I am accused of sexual misconduct?

Do not contact the alleged victim. If you have not already been contacted by the Title IX investigator, you may want to contact the Title IX Coordinator at 815-802-8510 or the Director of Human Resources at 815-802-8128, who can explain the College’s procedures for addressing sexual misconduct complaints. You may also want to confidentially speak with a counselor or seek other community assistance. KCC Provides free counseling services to KCC students. You are encouraged to reach out to Joe Phillips for confidential reporting via phone or email at 779-803-4031 or email joe@transformativegrowth.org .

Report

Members of the KCC community who believe they have experienced sexual misconduct have the right to choose whether or not to report the incident to law enforcement and/or pursue a sexual misconduct complaint with the college. Information on reporting options can be found in the File a Complaint section

Additional information about what happens after a report is made can be found in the College Policy section.

Regardless of whether an individual decides to make a report, KCC strongly encourages individuals who have experienced sexual misconduct to preserve evidence to the greatest extent possible, as this will maintain all options for them in the future.

Interim protective measures and accommodations are reasonable measures the college can put in place to provide immediate support and added protection to an individual who has experienced sexual misconduct. Such measures include, but are not limited to:

• No-contact directives
• Housing or workplace relocation
• Adjustment of course schedules or workplace schedules
• Time off from class or work, or a leave of absence
• Transportation arrangements

Interim protective measures and accommodations can be made available regardless of whether an individual chooses to report an incident to the college or law enforcement, and come with no cost to the individual. KCC will keep confidential any accommodations or protective measures provided, to the extent that maintaining such confidentiality would not impair the ability of the institution to provide the protective measures or accommodations.

Students seeking interim protective measures or accommodations should contact Meredith Purcell, Title IX Coordinator at 815-802-8510 or via email at mpurcell@kcc.edu (Office L201), David Cagle or Director of Human Resources at 815-802-8128 or via email at dcagle@kcc.edu (Office D116).

Other Help

For Kankakee/Iroquois county community resources related to mental health, substance abuse, family issues, legal issues, health care, emergency and disaster services, or aging, see Student Resources - Referral Services.

On-Campus Counselor

The following on-campus counselor can provide an immediate confidential response in a crisis situation, as well as ongoing assistance and support:

Joe Phillips
Social worker
Transformative Growth Counseling
Phone: 312-588-9437
Office: KCC Room D230
Email: joe@transformativegrowth.org
Website: Counseling & Referral Services

The College has designated the Vice President for Student Affairs as the Title IX Coordinator. Contact information for the Title IX Coordinator is as follows:

Meredith Purcell
Vice President for Student Affairs
Kankakee Community College
100 College Drive
Kankakee, IL 60901
815-802-8510  mpurcell@kcc.edu  Office L201

Responsibilities of the Title IX Coordinator include, but are not limited to:

• Overseeing the College’s response to all Title IX reports and complaints and identifying and addressing any patterns or systemic problems revealed by such reports or complaints.
• Being informed of all reports and complaints raising Title IX issues, including those initially filed with another individual or office or if the investigation will be conducted by another individual or office.
• Conducting and/or assigning Title IX investigations, including the investigation of facts relative to a complaint.
  • With respect to Title IX complaints that relate to a College employee as the complainant or as the respondent, the Title IX Coordinator will partner with the Department of Human Resources to manage the investigation into the allegations and recommend any appropriate sanctions against an employee.
  • The Title IX Coordinator must not be the decision-maker for a determination of responsibility in response to a formal Title IX complaint of sexual harassment.
• Coordinating any appropriate supportive measures and ensuring the effective implementation of any remedies.
• Ensuring that appropriate policies and procedures are in place for working with law enforcement and coordinating services with local victim advocacy organizations and services providers, including rape crisis centers.
• Ensuring that adequate training is provided to students, faculty and staff on Title IX issues.
• Monitoring students’ participation in athletics and across academic fields to ensure that sex discrimination is not causing any disproportionate enrollment based on sex or otherwise negatively affecting a student’s access to equal educational opportunities.
• Developing a method to survey the school climate and coordinating the collection and analysis of information from that survey.
• Promoting an educational and employment environment which is free of sex discrimination and gender bias.

Inquiries concerning the application of Title IX may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator or to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the United States Department of Education:

Office for Civil Rights, Chicago Office
U.S. Department of Education
Citigroup Center
500 W. Madison Street, Suite 1475
Chicago, IL 60661-4544
312-730-1560
OCR.Chicago@ed.gov

Human Resources

David Cagle
Director of Human Resources/ College’s Affirmative Action Officer
Kankakee Community College
100 College Drive
Kankakee, IL 60901
815-802-8128
dcagle@kcc.edu  Office D116

The Human Resources Department will partner with the Title IX Coordinator with respect to any complaints of sex-based misconduct that involve a College employee as the complainant or as the respondent. For any such complaints that involve a College employee as the respondent and fall outside the scope of Title IX, the Human Resources Department will manage the investigation into the allegations and issue a decision and any appropriate sanction(s).

For complaints of sex-based misconduct that involve a College employee as the respondent, investigatory and disciplinary procedures required by any applicable collective bargaining agreement will apply in addition to these Procedures.

If someone you know within the KCC community has experienced sexual misconduct, we can help you help them. Sometimes, the most valuable advice comes from someone the individual already trusts. Whether you’re a roommate, parent, or concerned member of our faculty or staff, we can point you to resources that you can share, as well as provide support for you through the process.

1. Listen

• Confirm the person’s safety. Ask the survivor, “Are you safe right now?” If they say no, help them create a plan to get to a safe place. Call 911 if necessary.
• Provide nonjudgmental support. Your role is not to determine whether or not something occurred. Your primary responsibility is to remain supportive of the survivor, while referring the person those who are trained in providing assistance and/or intervening.

2. Refer

• Help the person get medical care if needed.
• Help the person consider whether to make a report with the police or with the college.
• Direct the person to on-campus or off-campus confidential counseling and advocacy resources.
• Let the person know who at KCCC they can contact to request protective measures and accommodations such as no-contact directives, housing relocation, adjustment of schedules, time off, etc.

3. Report, as required

All KCC employees, including student employees, are required to report incidents of sexual misconduct, unless they are confidential counselors.

• If you are required to report the incident, explain your reporting responsibilities to the person who has disclosed the information to you.
• If the incident involves alleged sexual misconduct by a faculty member, staff member, or a third party, contact the Title IX Coordinator, Meredith Purcell at 815-802-8510 (Office L201), the Director of Human Resources, David Cagle at 815-802-8128 (Office D116) or campus police at 815-802-8190.

Do’s and Don’ts

While you are not expected to act as a counselor, when you are with someone who has experienced sexual misconduct, you should be aware that the supportiveness of your response can be critical in the healing process. Though there is no one “right” way to respond, the following may serve as a guide identifying more or less helpful responses:

DO

• Give the survivor your complete attention.
• Validate the survivor’s feelings.
• Tell the survivor:
  • “I believe you.”
  • “This was not your fault.”
  • “You have options.”
  • “Thank you for coming forward.”
• Offer the survivor options:
  • To sit or stand.
  • To share more or be silent.
  • To call referral agencies or not, or to have you call.
• Ask the survivor what they need.
• Remind the survivor that they are not alone, that other people of all genders have experienced sexual misconduct.
• Provide the survivor with information about the resources available to them, including confidential counseling, medical resources and reporting resources.
• Suggest to the survivor that they preserve evidence.
• Follow up with the survivor.
• Report the incident to the appropriate Title IX Coordinator if you are a college employee.
• Take care of yourself after dealing with the situation. Get support for yourself if you need it. Consider speaking with a confidential counselor.

DON’T

• Tell the survivor that you know what they are going through.
• Label the experience for the survivor or make any legal conclusions.
• Minimize the survivor’s experience (e.g. that’s just how that person is.)
• Tell the survivor what they should do or make decisions for them.
• Ask the survivor questions that suggest they are to blame (e.g. What were you drinking? What were you wearing? Why didn’t you run? What were you doing in that place?)
• Question whether the survivor is telling the truth or show doubt about their story.
• Tell the survivor that they need some proof or evidence.
• Touch the survivor’s leg, shoulder, hand, etc. unless they have explicitly told you that it is okay to do so.
• Talk about your own issues or history.
• Guarantee complete confidentiality, particularly if you are a college employee with a reporting obligation.
• Panic. Take a deep breath and focus on listening to the survivor.

The college follows its Title IX Policy and Procedures.

File a Complaint

Complete the form below to file a complaint electronically. You can submit an anonymous complaint but KCC may be limited in how it can respond/investigate. If you provide contact information, you will receive a response within 12 hours of KCC’s receipt of this form.

Alternately, you can file your complaint directly with Meredith Purcell, Title IX coordinator and vice president for student affairs, (mpurcell@kcc.edu, 815-802-8510, Office L201) or David Cagle, affirmative action officer and director of human resources (dcagle@kcc.edu, 815-802-8128, Office D116).​

Note: This form can be filed with your identity or anonymously. The system will notify you that entering personally identifying information may be used by the college during any investigation related to this complaint.

Discrimination, Harassment, or Misconduct Complaint Form

KCC supports pregnant and parenting students as they balance academic, work, and family obligations. KCC strives to provide students with appropriate on and off-campus resources to allow them to be successful as they navigate their various roles and responsibilities.

It is the policy of KCC to provide equal opportunity and protection against discrimination and harassment, as defined in the college’s Non-Discrimination and Non-Harassment Policy and Policy Prohibiting Sex-Based Misconduct, and as required by state and federal statutes and regulations. Pursuant to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the college “shall not discriminate against any student, or exclude any student from its education program or activity, on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy or recovery therefrom.”  34 C.F.R. § 106.40(b)

Students seeking reasonable accommodations due to pregnancy, childbirth or a related condition should contact the Title IX coordinator at 815-802-8510 or mpurcell@kcc.edu (Office L201). Reasonable accommodations may include, but are not limited to:

• Providing modifications to the physical environment, such as accessible seating
• Extending deadlines and/or allowing the student to make-up tests/missed assignments
• Providing remote student learning options
• Excused absences due to pregnancy or childbirth
• Incomplete grades

KCC has lactation rooms available for students who are breastfeeding. The lactation room is located in the Workforce Development Center, Room D214A; and the North Extension Center, Room N208. For the South Extension Center, please contact Nancy Schunke at 815-802-8784. Contact Student Affairs at 815-802-8500, the Title IX coordinator at 815-802-8510, or visit Room D220 for more information.

• KCC Pregnancy Resource Guide
• KCC Pregnancy and Related Conditions Fact Sheet

In alignment with 34 CFR Part 106.45(b)(10) of the 2020 Title IX Regulations, KCC publishes all materials used to train college Title IX team members.

Training

• Training for Kankakee Community College Title IX Personnel