Title IX / Sex Discrimination

King’s College is committed to providing a learning, working, and living environment that promotes personal integrity, civility, and mutual respect in an environment free of discrimination based on sex, which includes all forms of discrimination based on sex, sex stereotypes, sexual orientation, gender identity, or pregnancy status; sexual harassment which includes sexual assault, dating violence, and domestic violence. Sexual discrimination and harassment violate an individual’s fundamental rights and personal dignity. King’s College considers sexual discrimination, in all its forms, to be a serious offense. This policy refers to all forms of sexual discrimination, including but not limited to sexual harassment, sexual assault, and sexual violence by employees, students, or third parties.

Except as provided elsewhere, no person shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any academic, extracurricular, research, occupational training, or other education program or activity operated by a recipient that receives Federal financial assistance.

• For instances of Sex Discrimination or Sex-based Harassment that occur after August 1, 2024
• For instances of Sexual Harassment or Sexual Misconduct that occurred before August 1, 2024

Title IX Statement on Non-Discrimination

King’s College is committed to equal opportunity in the admission of students, the administration of educational programs and activities for employees and applicants for employment, without discrimination based on sex, sex stereotypes, pregnancy, race, national or ethnic origin, religion, gender, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, age, or disability, in accordance with applicable laws.

Sex Discrimination and Sex-based Harassment Defined

Sex Discrimination, Sex-based Harassment, Intimate Partner Violence and Stalking Pamphlet.

King’s College has adopted the following definitions of Sex Discrimination and Sex-based Harassment to address the unique environment of an academic community. The full Title IX Policy is linked above, and can also be found in the Student Handbook.

Sex discrimination is the umbrella category, including the offenses of sex-based harassment, sexual assault, stalking, dating violence, and domestic violence. Discrimination on the basis of sex includes discrimination on the basis of sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

Sex-based harassment is a form of sex discrimination and means sexual harassment and other harassment on the basis of sex, including when it takes the forms of:

1. Quid Pro Quo: an employee, agent, or other person authorized by King’s College to provide an aid, benefit of service under King’s College’s education program or activity explicitly or impliedly conditioning the provision of such an aid, benefit, or service on a person’s participation in unwelcome sexual contact.
2. Hostile Environment: unwelcome sex-based conduct that, based on the totality of the circumstances is subjectively and objectively offensive and is so severe or pervasive that it limits or denies a person’s ability to participate in or benefit from King’s College’s education program or activity (ie. Creates a hostile environment).
3. Sexual assault: including sex offenses, forcible rape, forcible sodomy, sexual assault with an object, forcible fondling, statutory rape, and incest (see Policy for definitions).
4. Dating Violence: violence, on the basis of sex, committed by a person who is in or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the Complainant. The existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on the Complainant’s statement and with consideration of the length of the relationship, the type of relationship, and the frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship. Dating violence includes but is not limited to sexual or physical abuse or the threat of such abuse. Dating violence does not include acts covered under the definition of domestic violence.
5. Domestic Violence: violence, on the basis of sex, committed by a current or former spouse or intimate partner of the Complainant, by a person with whom the Complainant shares a child in common, or by a person who is cohabitating with, or has cohabitated with, the Complainant as a spouse or intimate partner, or by a person similarly situated to a spouse of the Complainant under the domestic or family violence laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or by any other person against an adult or youth Complainant who is protected from that person’s acts under the domestic or family violence laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. To categorize an incident as Domestic Violence, the relationship between the Respondent and the Complainant must be more than just two people living together as roommates. The people cohabitating must be current or former spouses or have an intimate relationship.
6. Stalking: engaging in the course of conduct, on the basis of sex, directed at a specific person, that would cause a reasonable person to fear for the person’s safety, or the safety of others or suffer substantial emotional distress. The course of conduct means two or more acts, including, but not limited to, acts in which the Respondent directly, indirectly, or through third parties, by any action, method, device, or means, follows, monitors, observes, surveils, threatens, or communicates to or about a person, or interferes with a person’s property. A reasonable person means a reasonable person under similar circumstances and with similar identities to the Complainant. Substantial emotional distress means significant mental suffering or anguish that may but does not necessarily require medical or other professional treatment or counseling.

All employees are subject to the policies as published in the Employee Handbook, including but not limited to the Consensual Relationships Policy, Student Non-Fraternization Policy, and Grievance Policy. The Employee Handbook is published on the College’s website under the Human Resources section.

King’s College reserves the right to impose any level of sanction, ranging from a reprimand up to and including suspension or expulsion/termination, for any offense under this policy.

Filing a Complaint

A complaint is an oral or written request to King’s College that objectively can be understood as a request for King’s College to investigate alleged discrimination under Title IX. Notice or complaints of discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation may be made using any of the following options:

Report to a Title IX Coordinator

File a complaint with or give verbal notice to the Title IX Coordinator:

Regina Corchado, SHRM-SCP
Director of Human Resources
181 North Franklin Street
(570) 208-5968 (office)
(570) 266-3060 (mobile)
reginacorchado@kings.edu

Megan Casey
Associate VP for Student Affairs/Dean of Students
John Lane House, 166 North Franklin Street
(570) 208-5875 (office)
megancasey1475@kings.edu

A report may be made at any time (including during non-business hours) using the telephone number or email address or by mail to the office address listed for the Title IX Coordinator or any other official listed. You can also email titleix@kings.edu.

Report Online

Submit a report online using the Incident Reporting form.

If the Respondent is a student, please use the drop-down menu to select Report Type “Sexual Harassment (Title IX) by Student.” If the Respondent is an employee, please use the drop-down menu to select Report Type “Title IX Report on Employee.”

Anonymous reports are accepted but can give rise to a need to investigate. King’s College tries to provide supportive measures to all Complainants, which is impossible with an anonymous report. King’s College respects Complainant requests to dismiss complaints unless there is a compelling threat to health and/or safety, so the Complainant is largely in control and should not fear a loss of privacy by making a report that allows King’s College to discuss and/or provide supportive measures. You can visit the Confidential Reporting webpage for more information.

Report to a Confidential Employee

Under Title IX, the College has designated confidential employees who are not required to report incidents of sex discrimination and sexual misconduct without a student’s consent (unless a legal exception exists). Students who wish to confidentially report instances of sex discrimination and sexual harassment may do so with a staff member in the King’s College Counseling Center, King’s College Student Health Services, or with the Director of Campus Ministry. Referrals to off-campus agencies may also be given.

The above-listed individuals will maintain confidentiality when acting under the scope of their licensure, professional ethics, and/or professional credentials, except in extreme cases of the immediacy of threat or danger or abuse of a minor with a disability, or when required to disclose by law or court order. 

Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education

Information about Title IX Requirements is available from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights. The website has information on Title IX and how to file a complaint.

The regional office can be contacted at:

U.S. Department of Education
The Wanamaker Building
100 Penn Square East, Suite 515
Philadelphia, PA 19107-3323
(215) 656-8541
(215) 656-8605 (fax)
OCR.Philadelphia@ed.gov

Title IX Team

The Title IX Team (Pool) is led by the Title IX Coordinators. The Dean of Students will retain ultimate authority over the College’s Title IX Policy.

Regina Corchado, SHRM-SCP
Director of Human Resources
181 North Franklin Street
(570) 208-5968 (office)
(570) 266-3060 (mobile)
reginacorchado@kings.edu

Megan Casey
Associate VP for Student Affairs/Dean of Students
John Lane House, 166 North Franklin St.
(570) 208-5875 (office)
megancasey1475@kings.edu

Investigators

Hearing Officers

Appeal Officers

Title IX Team Training

Each member of the Title IX Team has received specialized training on sex discrimination, sex-based harassment, and Title IX. All training materials are available upon request.

Pregnancy

King’s College is committed to assisting students with the balance of the demands involved in pregnancy, childbirth, recovery and related medical conditions to help them complete their academic requirements. The U.S. Department of Education defines pregnancy as inclusive of pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or lactation, as well as medical conditions and recovery related to pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy or lactation.

As a Catholic college, King’s is committed to life and to providing resources that support the choice of life. Therefore, King’s will do all that it can to accommodate the needs of students who are pregnant or were pregnant in terms of coursework, housing, and pastoral, spiritual, and emotional support. The College’s full Pregnancy Policy for students is available here, and in the Student Handbook.