The John Marshall Law School Harassment Prevention Policy

It is the policy of The John Marshall Law School to provide an educational and work environment free from offensive, harassing or discriminatory behaviors on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability or any other legally protected characteristic.  This prevention policy applies to all aspects of employment including but not limited to recruiting, hiring, promotion and discipline, as well as all aspects of the educational process including but not limited to recruiting, admission, evaluation and participation in educational activities. A violation of this policy does not necessarily rise to the level of a violation of law.

1. Prohibited Behaviors

An essential element of this policy is the prohibition against offensive, disrespectful or demeaning behaviors and/or communications that are sexual in nature or context.  Prohibited behaviors include, but are not limited to:

Making unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or engaging in other offensive verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when the conduct is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive to limit an individual's ability to participate in or benefit from an educational or work program or activity,   or it creates a hostile educational or work environment.

Explicitly or implicitly conditioning an individual's participation in an educational or work program or activity, or basing an education or work-related decision on an individual's submission to unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

Prohibited behaviors can be verbal, non-verbal or physical.  Examples of prohibited verbal behaviors  include but are not limited to sexual innuendo, sexual propositions and comments, insults, threats and jokes about gender-specific traits.  Examples of prohibited non-verbal behaviors  include but are not limited to sexually suggestive or insulting noises, obscene gestures and display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures.  Examples of prohibited physical behaviors include but are not limited to unwelcome touching and coercive sexual contact.

2. Application to all Persons

This policy prohibits all students, employees and faculty from engaging in behaviors inconsistent with this policy and protects all students, employees and faculty from prohibited behaviors by other students, employees and faculty or third persons.  The law school will take reasonable care to prevent and eliminate behaviors inconsistent with this policy. Once notified of such behavior, the law school will take prompt & effective action.

3. Reporting and Investigation

Persons who experience offensive behaviors inconsistent with this policy may report it by any one of the following methods:

1) Calling the JMLS Harassment Prevention Hotline at 312.427.2737 X506. 

2) Reporting the behaviors to any dean, manager or supervisor, including the offending employee’s supervisor.

Reports of offensive behaviors inconsistent with this policy should be made promptly after the alleged policy violation occurs.    The submission of an internal report does not preclude the complainant from seeking relief elsewhere.

4. Confidentiality

All such reports will be handled as promptly and confidentially as possible.  Although information will be limited to those with a need to know, the law school cannot guarantee anonymity or confidentiality.  

5. Enforcement Assignments

Either the Vice Dean or the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs shall enforce this policy as it applies to students and faculty.  The Associate Dean for Administration will enforce this policy as it applies to non-faculty employees and other individuals.  The Associate Dean for Academic Services is responsible for coordination the Law School's compliance with section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

6. Violations of Policy

Any individual whose behavior is found to be inconsistent with this policy shall be subject to appropriate corrective and/or disciplinary action, including but not limited to reprimand, additional training, demotion, transfer, expulsion or discharge, subject to applicable faculty and student disciplinary procedures. Violations of this policy do not necessarily rise to the level of a violation of any law.

8. Non-Retaliation

The law school will take reasonable care to protect persons who report behaviors inconsistent with this policy or who cooperate in the investigation from retaliation or other adverse action.  No such individual will be adversely affected in the terms and conditions of his or her employment or education for either making such a report or cooperating in the investigation of a report.  Reports of retaliation will be investigated as promptly as is practical and corrective action will be taken as appropriate.

8. Dissemination of Policy

A copy of this policy is given to students in the student handbook, posted in areas where all persons may review it, including  the law school’s Business Office Intranet site, and may be obtained upon request from any Dean, department head or supervisor.