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It
is the desire of Western Seminary to provide the highest quality
of education as well as an environment that facilitates learning
and Christian growth. All students, faculty and staff are expected
to live according to the highest standards of Christian behavior.
In addition, participation in certain federally-funded student
aid programs requires that we establish specific policies and
programs in relation to particular societal issues and/or problems.
Therefore, in compliance with the Drug Free Schools and Communities
Act Amendment of 1989 (Public Law 101-226), Western Seminary hereby
adopts this drug and alcohol abuse prevention program.
In addition to the standards of conduct written in the seminary
catalog, Western Seminary specifically prohibits the unlawful
possession, use or distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol
by students and employees on its property or as part of any
of its activities.
The unlawful possession or distribution of illicit drugs and
alcohol or disorderly conduct as a result of drug or alcohol
abuse are violations of the laws of the City of Portland, the
State of Oregon and the United States. Penalties for violations
of these laws will be determined by the courts. Western Seminary
will support all local, state and federal laws relating to drug
and alcohol abuse, including referral to local authorities for
prosecution.
The use of drugs brings with it many dangers to an individual's
mental and physical health. Common results of abuse are: addiction,
delusions, hallucinations, toxic psychosis, depression, convulsions,
loss of appetite, cirrhosis, emphysema, heart disease, various
cancers, panic reactions, brain damage, bone marrow disorders,
lower resistance to disease, abscesses, infections, hepatitis,
proneness to accidents and death.
Western Seminary desires to assist any student or employee in
obtaining pertinent information on drug abuse or in entering
the appropriate, medically supervised treatment program. A bibliographic
list of resources within the Multnomah County Library system
dealing with drug abuse issues and a directory of Oregon Prevention
and Treatment Providers is on file in the Records Office. Please
contact the Dean of Student Development (students) or your supervisor
(employees) for further counseling and guidance.
Violation of these standards by an employee or student will
be reason for mandatory evaluation and/or treatment for a substance
use disorder or for disciplinary action up to and including
dismissal from school or termination of employment.
The
intent of this program and our participation in it is to be preventative
and remedial, not punitive. If you have questions or concerns
about this policy and/or your relationship to it, please see the
Dean of Student Development.
Federal regulations
require that all institutions receiving Title IV moneys must comply
with the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990. One
aspect of our compliance involves the collecting and reporting
of statistics on the number of specific crimes which have occurred
on campus and the number of arrests on campus for liquor law violations,
drug-abuse violations and weapons possessions. The specific crimes
which must be reported are: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated
assault, motor vehicle theft, manslaughter, arson, referrals for
disciplinary action due to drug related or liquor law violations
or weapons possession, crimes motivated by prejudice and crimes
that occur near the campus.
This information may be found on the Department of Education Office
of Postsecondary Education website (http://ope.ed.gov/security).
When you have reached the Office of Secondary Education’s
homepage, click on "Information for Students" at the
bottom of the page. On the resulting webpage, click on "COOL"
and then "IPEDS COOL." Then key in "Western Seminary"
in the space for "Name of Institution." This link will
give you the required information. If you have questions or if
you wish a hard copy of the required information, please contact
the Financial Aid Office at 503-517-1818.
While it is highly unlikely that any of these things will occur
on the Western campus, we ask that -- should they occur -- they
(and any other crimes) be reported immediately to the Financial
Aid Office on the second floor of Armstrong Hall. Any questions
regarding this policy should be referred to this office as well.
The seminary
community will not tolerate sexual harassment, and the seminary
is committed to providing and preserving an atmosphere free from
harassment in any form.
Sexual
harassment is defined as any unwelcome sexual advances, requests
for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a
sexual nature when (1) submission to such conduct is made either
explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's
admission, evaluation, graduation or other aspects of academic
progress, or employment, (2) submission to or rejection of such
conduct by an individual is used as a basis for academic or
employment decisions affecting such individual, or (3) such
conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering
with an individual's academic or work performance or creating
an intimidating, hostile or offensive academic or working environment.
This policy
covers all full- and part-time students on all campuses and
teaching sites, as well as extension students. Anyone who experiences
harassment in the classroom or on the job should seek consultation
through the Dean of Student Development (or his representative)
or the Academic Dean. (Note: A corresponding policy relating
to seminary employees may be found in the seminary employee’s
handbook.)
A sincere
attempt will be made to thoroughly investigate all complaints
and to assure preservation of the reputation and integrity of
the involved individuals. Names of individuals involved, the
facts of an investigation or any written information regarding
an investigation will be kept confidential except to those actually
involved in the investigation in order to protect the accuser
from retribution and the accused against false accusation.
If informal
efforts are unsuccessful, formal procedures exist which allow
both parties an opportunity to pursue a resolution. Complainants
have the opportunity to pursue their allegations without fear
of retribution and to seek relief from proven sexual harassment.
Alleged offenders will have the opportunity to defend themselves
and clear themselves of the complaint. Proven offenders will
have the opportunity to make amends, based on an increased awareness
of the effect of their behavior. Appropriate counseling may
be made available to the proven offender and/or disciplinary
action or dismissal consistent with the degree of seriousness
of the sexual harassment will be taken.
Any individual
will have up to 90 days after the alleged occurrences(s) to
file a complaint. It must be recognized, however, that a lengthy
period of time between an alleged occurrence(s) and an investigation
may make fact finding extremely difficult or impossible.
The process
for investigating a complaint of sexual harassment shall be
as follows:
a.
The complaint shall be reported to the Dean of Student Development
or his representative. If the complaint is able to be resolved
at this level to the satisfaction of the parties involved,
a report shall be filed with the Academic Dean so that the
seminary will be aware of any pattern of harassment by a
particular individual and also be aware of all complaints
of sexual harassment. The report should detail the complaint
and its resolution.
b. If the complaint cannot be resolved informally, the Dean
of Student Development must file a report within ten working
days of the first report to him/her to the Sexual Harassment
Committee, which will be formed to investigate and resolve
the complaint. This committee will include a faculty member
chosen by the Academic Dean, a member of the Student Ministry
Team chosen by the Student Ministry Team chairperson, and
the Human Resources Coordinator. In pursuing the investigation,
the committee shall take the following steps:
- Confirm the name and position of the parties involved;
- Thoroughly ascertain all facts, asking questions in
a nonjudgmental manner to determine the type of alleged
harassment, the date(s) and location where it occurred,
and if there were any witnesses who observed the alleged
harassment;
- Communicate its findings and its intended actions to
the Academic Dean and those involved in the alleged
harassment.
c. The investigation shall begin within fifteen working
days from the time the complaint was referred to the committee.
The committee shall report its decision within 30 working
days from the time the complaint was referred to the committee.
The decision of the investigating committee may be appealed to the President
and/or the Board of Trustees. This appeal must be filed within
30 days of the decision of the investigating committee.
It is the policy of the seminary to enforce Title VII and to create
an academic and employment environment free of sexual harassment.
Western Seminary
actively subscribes to a policy of equal education and employment
opportunity for all people regardless of race, national origin,
sex, age, marital status, or disability. This policy is in compliance
with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title
IX of the Education Amendements of 1972, and Section 504 of the
Rehabilitatioin Act of 1973. Students have specific rights guaranteed
by the Family Educaational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. The
Seminary also has a policy which prohibits sexual harassment.
Inquries regarding compliance with federal law should be directed
to the Office of the President, Western Seminary. |
