The College intends to
provide an environment for Students, Staff and Fellows free from
unlawful or otherwise unjustifiable discrimination (which can include
harassment) and to foster mutual respect and consideration. It repudiates
any form of harassment of either women or men on grounds such as
sex, or sexual orientation, race, ethnic origin, colour, nationality,
national origin or religious belief.
The College Council has
authorised the preparation and the circulation of this document
in order to: inform each member of the College that harassment is
wholly unacceptable behaviour and that any incidents will be taken
seriously, fully investigated and acted upon in an appropriate manner.
Harassment can take a
variety of forms, some of which are redefined in detail in the University's
policy statement. Conduct that has the purpose or the effect of
unreasonably interfering with an individual's work, or creating
an intimidating, hostile,or offensive working, educational or social
environment comes under the definition of harassment.
The College Harassment
Officer for 2006-07 will be Dr Rachael Harris (rmh1001@hermes.cam.ac.uk)
and can be approached confidentially by any individual.
Any individual who considers
someone's behaviour to himself or herself to fall into the category
of harassment may also approach any Tutor, the individual's Director
of Studies, the Dean, the Welfare or Women's Officer of the JCR,
or a member of the MCR Committee, or, in the case of Staff, the
Head of Department or the College Bursar. It is hoped that the majority
of cases will be resolved at this level.
The College also has a
Harassment Monitoring Group, comprising the Harrassment Officer,
two Tutors, the Dean and the College Bursar, and will include members
from both sexes. Its purposes are twofold: firstly, to investigate
complaints brought to it by a complainant or by any of those mentioned
in paragraphs 4 and 5 who may act on behalf of a complainant only
with his or her explicit consent. The Group will treat all cases
with the utmost confidentiality, investigate them promptly, and
endeavour to resolve them. If the Group, which has no disciplinary
powers, considers a case to merit such action, it will refer it
to the appropriate College disciplinary body - one of those mentioned
in paragraph 7. Before doing so, the Group will ensure that the
alleged offender has been informed of the nature of the complaint
in writing.
The second function of
the Monitoring Group is to determine and monitor the extent of the
problem. Therefore all incidents of harassment should be reported
to the Group, even if the matter has been resolved at a level described
in paragraphs 4 and 5. These reports will preserve the anonymity
of those involved. The Monitoring Group will report to the Equal
Opportunities Committee, which in turn will report to the College
Council under unreserved business, annually.
Disciplinary Procedures
Junior
Members
When it is alleged that
the harassment has been carried out by a Junior Member of the College,
the Monitoring Group may refer the case to the Dean of Students
for possible action under the College's Court of Discipline procedure.
Senior
Members
Where it is alleged that
the harassment has been carried out by a Senior Member of the College,
the Monitoring Group may refer the case to the Master, for possible
action in terms of Statute 45.
Staff
Where it is alleged that
the harassment has been carried out by a member of the College Staff,
the Monitoring Group may refer the case to the College Officer responsible
for that department, for action under the terms of the Contract
of Employment.
Others
Where it is alleged that
harassment has been carried out by someone not a member of the College,
the Monitoring Group may refer the case to the relevant Officer
in Clare for taking it up with the appropriate authorities.
The code of practice described above is
issued without prejudice to criminal or civil liability.
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