Sexual Harassment from Washington, the Classroom and to the Workplace

By. J.A. Dandridge

Fort Collins Colo. — Everyone has seen the movie where the boss takes an inappropriate interest in the classic secretary. In reality sexual harassment has potential to take place in the workplace and classroom between a range of positions, careers and genders. It could also take place at Colorado State University, even while the Office of Equal Opportunity continues to fight against it.

It even happens in Washington, as most have been reminded, with Anita Hill’s story floating back to the surface of media spotlight in the past weeks. She had a career working for Supreme Court Justice Nominee at the time, Clarence Thomas, at the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission. By 1991 Hill became overwhelmed with the alleged sexual comments from her boss. Hill’s speaking up created a domino effect from her case to the media, almost destructing Thomas’ career.

CSU’s Office of Equal Opportunity and New Media Learning have teamed up to prevent events like the above from taking place on campus, since 2009.

According to CSU’s Office of Equal Opportunity’s Coordinator, Michelle Havens, “an email dated November 11, 2009, Provost Miranda notified members of the Campus Community that the online New Media Learning Sexual Harassment Awareness Training was mandatory for all current employees to complete by January 15, 2010.”

The office of equal opportunity at CSU defines sexual harassment as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal and physical conduct of a sexual nature by one in a position of power or influence. When a trade off takes place, for example, between sexual favors and employment or grades, it is defined as quid pro quo sexual harassment. When excessive sexual jokes, stories or requests for dates take place, it is defined as hostile environment sexual harassment.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics wrote that, in 1986 the U.S. Supreme Court held for the first time that unwelcome sexual advances at work create a hostile work environment which constitutes gender discrimination under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Times are no longer the same and maybe that is why some CSU students and employees do not feel sexual harassment in the future or current workplaces will be at such a high risk as in the past, even when it comes to gender.

Lenae Andersen, a statistics department teacher’s assistant at CSU, considers “At the time this sort of thing was happening to Anita Hill, people weren't inclined to believe the woman and I think they are now. Fortunately times have changed, so that people who are being harassed have something that they can do about it.”

Susan De Long, one of CSU’s civil and environmental engineering assistant professors, says she never witnessed or had firsthand experience with sexual harassment at CSU. She personally felt like the Preventing Sexual Harassment Program helped her to further understand the definitions of sexual harassment as well.

Andersen provided another valid view on the situation. She mentioned how, most people would not choose to partake in sexually offending their peers or co-workers because they are building a professional bridge and they don’t want to burn it.

“any person who has those kinds of attitudes would probably get weeded out before they get here. Before you get into graduate school you have to have letters of recommendation from faculty members from previous schools, and I think those are kind of hard to get if you burn bridges.”

CSU Police Department’s Safety Report 2010 showed that between 2007 and 2008, harassment and sexual misconduct have been reported a total of 157 times.

Although the numbers reported are low, some cases go unreported and the Office of Equal Opportunity continues to find solutions to keep students and employees aware and safe.

Havens reminds that the campus works as a whole and other resource are working in favor of extending education and support too.

“There exist additional training sessions, coaching and education that serve to raise awareness. CSU has an established Sexual Harassment Policy and Procedure and in addition to the OEO, the Victim Assistance Team, the Counseling Center, Conflict Resolution, Student Conduct Services, and Human Resource Services.”