Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Non-Discrimination & Anti-Harassment Policy

I) NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT

Hobart and William Smith is committed to providing a non-discriminatory and harassment-free educational, living, and working environment for all members of the HWS community, including students, faculty, staff, volunteers, and visitors.  HWS prohibits discrimination and harassment in their programs and activities on the basis of age, color, disability, domestic violence victim status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, shared ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, veteran status, or any other status protected under the law.

Discrimination on the basis of sex includes sexual harassment, sexual violence, sexual assault, other forms of sexual misconduct including stalking and intimate partner violence, and gender-based harassment that does not involve conduct of a sexual nature, as defined in Hobart and William Smith Title IX, Discrimination, and Harassment Policy.

II) PROHIBITED CONDUCT

A) Prohibited Discrimination
Prohibited discrimination is adverse treatment of any student based on actual or perceived race, color, religion, creed, age, national origin, ethnicity, shared ancestry or ethnic characteristic, disability, veteran or military status, marital status, pregnancy, citizenship status, or genetic information rather than on the basis of the student’s individual merit. Prohibited discrimination also includes any conduct that constitutes illegal discrimination under the law of the jurisdiction in which the conduct occurs.

B) Prohibited Harassment
Prohibited harassment is unwelcome verbal or physical conduct based on actual or perceived race, color, religion, creed, age, national origin, ethnicity, shared ancestry or ethnic characteristic, disability, veteran or military status, marital status, pregnancy, citizenship status, or genetic information that, from the viewpoint of a reasonable person under all the relevant circumstances, would create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive academic or residential environment or otherwise adversely affect the individual’s academic opportunities or participation in any HWS program, activity, or benefit. Prohibited harassment also includes any conduct that constitutes illegal discrimination under the law of the jurisdiction in which the conduct occurs.

C) Retaliation
Retaliation means any adverse action taken against an individual for making a good faith report of a violation of this policy or participating in any investigation or proceeding under this policy. Retaliation includes threatening, intimidating, harassing or any other conduct that would discourage a reasonable person from engaging in activity protected under this policy.

III) REPORTING, INVESTIGATION, and RESOLUTION PROCEDURES

Acts of prohibited discrimination and prohibited harassment against an HWS student violate this policy. Retaliation is also a separate violation of this policy. HWS is committed to addressing allegations of prohibited discrimination, prohibited harassment, and retaliation promptly, in accord with its investigative procedures, and will take action necessary to ameliorate such prohibited discrimination, prohibited harassment, and retaliation, including by taking disciplinary measures, as necessary.

Students should refer to the Title IX, Discrimination, and Harassment policy for confidential resources, reporting resources and potential resolution procedures.