Title IX

CRR 1.1 Administration, Rationale Applicability, Scope, Independence and Conflict of Interest, and Statement on Nondiscrimination

PCC is updating this policy. While the current version refers to the Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI), the Office of Student Conduct and Community Support is now responsible for issues that were previously handled by OEI for students and People, Strategy, Equity and Culture (PSEC) is responsible for employee matters. Please contact conductandcare@pcc.edu with any questions involving students or your People Partner for any questions involving employees.

Table of contents

  1. PCC Statement on Nondiscrimination
  2. Administration of PCC’s Civil Rights and Responsibilities Policy
  3. Rationale for this Policy
  4. Applicability of this Policy
  5. Scope of this Policy
  6. Independence and Conflict of Interest

Policy

  1. PCC Statement on Nondiscrimination
    It is against the College’s policy for any manager, supervisor, faculty member, staff member, or student to engage in prohibited harassment or discrimination of any member of the College community. PCC adheres to all federal, state, and local civil rights laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination in public institutions of higher education, including applicable provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (as amended); related Executive Orders 11246 and 11375; Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Titles I and II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (as amended); the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Uniformed Service Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, and all applicable federal, state, and local civil rights laws. PCC does not discriminate against any employee, applicant for employment, student, or applicant for admission on the race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, disability, veteran status, age, sexual orientation, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law including protections for those opposing discrimination or participating in any resolution process on campus, with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or other human rights agencies. This policy covers nondiscrimination in both employment and access to educational opportunities. Therefore, any member of the PCC community who acts to deny, deprive, or limit the educational or employment and/or social access, benefits, and/or opportunities of any member of the PCC community, guest, or visitor on the basis of their actual or perceived membership in the protected classes listed above is in violation of PCC’s policy on nondiscrimination. When brought to the attention of PCC, any such discrimination will be promptly and fairly addressed and remedied by PCC according to the appropriate resolution process in Part 2 of this policy.
  2. Administration of PCC’s Civil Rights and Responsibilities Policy
    The Director of Compliance & Title IX Coordinator oversee implementation and compliance of PCC’s Civil Rights and Responsibilities Policy. The Director of Compliance & Title IX Coordinator has the primary responsibility for coordinating PCC’s efforts related to investigation, resolution, and implementation of corrective measures and monitoring to stop, remediate, and prevent discrimination, harassment, and retaliation prohibited by PCC’s Civil Rights and Responsibilities Policy. Inquiries about or concerns regarding this policy and procedure, may be made internally to:
    Director of Compliance and Title IX Co-Coordinator
    722 SW 2nd Ave
    Portland, OR 97204
    equity.inclusion@pcc.edu
    971-722-5840In addition to internal resources provided above, inquiries may be made externally to:
    Federal Resources:
    Office for Civil Rights (OCR)
    U.S. Department of Education
    400 Maryland Avenue, SW
    Washington, D.C. 20202-1100
    Customer Service Hotline: 800-421-3481
    Fax: 202-453-6012
    TDD: 877-521-2172
    Email: OCR@ed.gov
    Website: www.ed.gov/ocr
    Complaint form
    Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
    Federal Office Building
    909 First Avenue
    Suite 400
    Seattle, WA 98104-1061
    Phone: 800-669-4000
    Fax: 206-220-6911
    TTY: 800-669-6820
    ASL Video Phone: 844-234-5122
    Website: www.eeoc.gov
    Oregon Resources:
    Office of Community Colleges and Workforce Development
    255 Capitol Street NE
    Salem, OR 97310
    Phone: 503-947-2401
    Email: ccwd.info@state.or.us
    Website: www.oregon.gov/highered

    Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI)
    Civil Rights Division
    800 NE Oregon St.
    Suite 1045
    Portland 97232
    Phone: 971-673-0764
    Email: crdemail@boli.state.or.us
    Website: www.oregon.gov/boli

  3. Rationale for this Policy
    Portland Community College’s goal is to provide an atmosphere that encourages individuals to realize their potential. To ensure compliance with federal, state and local civil rights laws and regulations, and to affirm its commitment to promoting the goals of fairness and equity in all aspects of the educational enterprise, PCC has developed internal policies and procedures that provide a prompt, fair, and impartial process for addressing allegations of discrimination or harassment on the basis of protected class status. PCC values and upholds the dignity of all members of our community, and strives to balance the rights of the parties, the safety of our community, and the needs of the College in what is often a difficult time for all those involved.
  4. Applicability of this Policy
    The goal of this policy is to extend equal opportunity in employment, admission, and participation in the College’s programs, services, and activities to all persons. Any person who believes they have been discriminated against, harassed, or retaliated against by a College employee, representative, student, or community member, is encouraged to address those concerns with the Office of Equity & Inclusion, which offers grievance procedures to resolve complaints of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in a prompt and equitable manner. Complaints about issues other than alleged discrimination, harassment, or retaliation may be submitted in accordance with the applicable collective bargaining agreement, Management/Confidential handbook, student grievance process, Standards for Professional Behavior, EthicsPoint, or other college complaint process.
  5. Scope of this Policy
    This policy prohibits all forms of unlawful discrimination. Sometimes, discrimination involves exclusion from activities. Sometimes, discrimination takes the form of harassment or, in the case of sex-based discrimination, encompasses sexual violence, stalking, sexual exploitation, or intimate partner violence. This policy also prohibits retaliation for raising concerns of violations of this policy, participating in the process for addressing violations, or other protected activity. Creating an environment free from unlawful discrimination or harassment requires all members of the PCC community to be free to report discriminatory or harassing behaviors, and to participate in investigations or resolutions of those behaviors. Under this policy, discriminatory, harassing, or retaliatory behaviors will not be tolerated. It is the responsibility of every member of the College community to comply with PCC’s Civil Rights and Responsibilities Policy. This includes notifying each employee/student of their rights and responsibilities under this Policy. Management and staff are expected to take reasonable action to maintain work sections and educational environments free of conduct that causes, or reasonably could be considered to cause discrimination or retaliation.
  6. Independence and Conflict of Interest
    The Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI) is responsible for administering this policy and acts with independence and authority free from bias and conflicts of interest. The Director of Compliance & Title IX Coordinator oversees all resolutions under this policy and acts to promptly respond to complaints that may be violations of the Civil Rights and Responsibilities Policy. The Director of Compliance & Title IX Coordinator assesses the complaint process to ensure that Office of Equity and Inclusion representatives act with objectivity and impartiality, free from conflicts of interest and/or potential bias. If any College representatives who are typically involved in processing a Civil Rights & Responsibilities Policy complaint are, or become, the subject of the complaint (for example, any member of the Office of Equity & Inclusion staff) of allegations of harassment or discrimination, the complaint goes directly to the College President. To raise any concern involving bias or conflict of interest by an assigned Investigator, contact the Director of Compliance & Title IX Coordinator.