VCOM Administrative and Classified Staff Handbook

Violence Violence is the unlawful exercise of physical force and includes physical contact through any act of violence, physical control, and/or intimidation through threat of violence. Violence of any type is a violation of VCOM policy. Sexual violence includes unwanted sexual contact through intimidation, physical control, and extends to an act of sexual contact with a person who is incapacitated to the point of being unable to voice consent or their lack of consent. Sexual violence encompasses several categories including rape, sodomy, and sexual assault by a person or with an object and includes the crimes of dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Sexual assault for purposes of this policy is any type of sexual contact or sexual behavior that occurs without the explicit consent of the recipient. Sexual Harassment, as defined herein, is a form of sexual violence. Reporting Acts of Discrimination, Harassment, or Violence Any person (whether or not the person reporting is the person alleged to be the victim and including parents or guardians of any party who is a minor or legally disabled), may report discrimination, harassment, or violence in person, by mail, by telephone, by electronic mail or by any other means that results in the Title IX Coordinator or a VCOM administrative officer receiving the person’s verbal or written report. Such a report may be made at any time without regard for business hours. Any VCOM administrative officer receiving such a report shall notify the Title IX Coordinator of the report. In the event the Campus Director of Human Resources is the accused, the President of the College shall designate a properly trained employee as temporary Title IX Coordinator for purposes of completing the appropriate grievance process. Except as provided below, all VCOM employees and students are considered mandatory reporters and must report known or suspected acts of discrimination, harassment, or violence to the Title IX Coordinator or a VCOM administrative office. Licensed mental health professionals, on-campus healthcare providers, and others with a legal duty of privileged communication are exempt from being mandatory reporters except in cases of immediate threat or danger. If a reporting party is unsure of a resource’s ability to maintain confidentiality, the reporting party is advised to ask the individual before talking to them. Grievance Procedure for Claims of Discrimination, Harassment, or Violence VCOM takes all claims of discrimination, harassment, or violence seriously and has established policy and procedures to handle such claims. Students and employees wishing to learn more about the grievance procedure should reference Policy U011: VCOM Discrimination, Harassment, and Violence Policy and Procedures. Complaints Regarding Non-Compliance with American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Accreditation Standards VCOM is committed to meeting and exceeding the standards for Accreditation of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine: COM Accreditation Standards and Procedures as described by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA). A copy of the standards is available upon the request from the Office of the Campus Dean or at the AOA COCA’s website at: http://www.osteopathic.org/inside-aoa/accreditation/COM-accreditation/Pages/default.aspx Students, faculty, staff, or members of the general public who believe that VCOM may not be in compliance with a standard of accreditation have the right to file a complaint through one or all of the following procedures: 1. Complete a “VCOM Accreditation Standards and Procedures Complaint Form”, which may be obtained from the Director for Institutional Licensure, Reporting and Accreditation Support, asking VCOM to investigate and provide a corrective action, if warranted, for the area in which the complainant believes the college is not in compliance with COCA standards.

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