Title IX / Sexual Harrassment

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 sexual harassment, misconduct, and/or retaliation. Sexual harassment violates an individual’s fundamental rights and personal dignity. King’s College considers sexual harassment, in all its forms, to be a serious offense. This policy refers to all forms of sexual harassment, including but not limited to sexual harassment, sexual assault, and sexual violence by employees, students, or third parties.

King’s College is in compliance with the 2020 Title IX Regulations, as published by the Department of Education.

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 race, national or ethnic origin, religion, gender, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, age, or disability, in accordance with applicable laws.

Sexual Harassment Defined

King’s College has adopted the following definition of Sexual Harassment to address the unique environment of an academic community. The full set of definitions can be found in the Title IX Policy and can also be found in the Student Handbook.

Acts of sexual harassment may be committed by any person upon any other person, regardless of the sex, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity of those involved.

Sexual Harassment, as an umbrella category, includes the offenses of sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking and is defined as conduct on the basis of sex that satisfies one or more of the following:

1. Quid Pro Quo: an employee of King’s College, conditions the provision of aid, benefit, or service of King’s College, on an individual’s participation in unwelcome sexual conduct.
2. Hostile Environment: unwelcome conduct, determined by a reasonable person, to be so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to King’s College education program or activity.
3. Sexual assault: including sex offenses, forcible rape, forcible sodomy, sexual assault with an object, forcible fondling, statutory rape and incest. The full definition can be found in the Title IX Policy, linked above.
4. 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.
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

Filing a Written Complaint

File a written complaint with the Title IX Coordinator or verbally request supportive measures.

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.

Reporting Online

Report online, using the reporting form here. 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. Visit the Confidential Reporting webpage for more information.

Reoport to a Confidential Employee

Under Title IX, the College has designated confidential employees who are not required to report incidents of sexual harassment and sexual misconduct without a student’s consent (unless a legal exception exists). Students who wish to confidentially report instances of sexual harassment may do so with any staff member in the King’s College Counseling Center, any staff member in the 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
Office for Civil Rights
Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Bldg.
400 Maryland Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20202-1100
Telephone: (800) 421-3481
Fax: 202-453-6012; TDD: 800-877-8339
ocr@ed.gov

Title IX Team

The Title IX Team (Pool) is led by the Title IX Coordinators:

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 below.

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.