Sexual Misconduct and Title IX Policies and Resources

Northwestern University distributed the following message to members of the University community.

Northwestern University is committed to maintaining a living, working, and educational environment free from sexual harassment, sexual violence, and sex discrimination. It is the policy of Northwestern to comply with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, prohibiting discrimination based on sex (including sexual harassment and sexual violence) in the University’s educational programs and activities.  

Sexual harassment is any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, which includes, but is not limited to, unwelcome sexual advances; the use or threatened use of sexual favors as a basis for academic or employment decisions; conduct that creates a hostile, intimidating or offensive academic or working environment; conduct that has the effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance; and other verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature  that is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive to limit a person's ability to participate in or benefit from an educational program or activity. Sexual violence, including sexual assault, is a prohibited form of sexual harassment.

Northwestern has designated a Title IX coordinator and several deputy Title IX coordinators who will address complaints of sexual harassment, sexual violence, sex discrimination, and gender equity. http://www.northwestern.edu/provost/policies/title-ix/coordinators.html.  

Northwestern's Title IX coordinator is Joan Slavin, director of the Office of Sexual Harassment Prevention and Special Assistant to the Provost. She can be contacted at 847-491-3745 or j-slavin@northwestern.edu

Students, staff, and faculty who become aware of conduct that might violate these policies are urged to promptly report the conduct to one of the offices in the link above. Northwestern prohibits retaliation against anyone for making a complaint of discrimination or harassment, for assisting someone else in making such a complaint, or for participating in an investigation of discrimination or harassment.

Please go to http://www.northwestern.edu/provost/policies/title-ix  for more information about Title IX. Please go to www.northwestern.edu/sexual-harassment for Northwestern University’s complete Policy on Sexual Harassment and further guidance. Please go to http://www.northwestern.edu/student-conduct/conduct/formal/sahas for information on the Sexual Assault Hearing and Appeals System for students.

Northwestern also offers free, confidential resources, including CARE (Center for Awareness, Response, and Education), which provides services related to sexual violence for students; CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services for students); the Women’s Center (for all university community members); the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program; and the Office of the University Chaplain/Office of Religious Life (for all University community members). For more information and links to websites, see: http://www.northwestern.edu/sexual-harassment/counselors .