Title IX

Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender (sex). Title IX prohibited conduct includes sexual harassment, sexual violence, relationship (dating or domestic) violence and stalking.

If the College knows or in the exercise of reasonable care should know about student-on-student sexual harassment, including sexual violence, that creates a hostile environment, Title IX law requires PIHMA to take immediate and appropriate steps to investigate or otherwise determine what occurred (subject to confidentiality considerations). If an investigation reveals that sexual harassment, including sexual violence, created a hostile environment, PIHMA must then take prompt and effective steps reasonably calculated to end the sexual harassment or sexual violence, prevent its recurrence and, as appropriate, remedy its effects on the victim and PIHMA community.

Marilee Rudin – Title IX Coordinator, Director of Administration
(602)274-1885
mrudin@pihma.edu

Notify the Title IX Office promptly. If the student needs emergency assistance call: 911 or 9-911 from a campus phone.

Send an email to mrudin@pihma.edu with as much as the following information as was reported to you (noting you should not investigate):

• Name of the person who may have experienced Prohibited Sexual Conduct (Complainant)
• Name of the Responding Party (accused party) (if known)
• Date of the incident
• Date the information was shared with you
• Name of the person to whom the report was made
• Location of the incident (be as specific as possible)
• Time of the incident
• Nature of the conduct (be as specific as possible regarding the allegations: e.g., Complainant awoke to Responding Party touching her breasts without permission.)

Following a report, the Title IX Office will send outreach and offer to meet with the Complainant to assist with immediate safety measures and other necessary and appropriate interim measures (e.g., housing, academic accommodations, etc.).

If a Complainant requests to remain confidential, PIHMA will give serious consideration to that request. Only in rare circumstances will PIHMA proceed to a Title IX investigation against the wishes of the Complainant. Generally, PIHMA will seek to honor the request of the Complainant not to proceed to a Title IX investigation and to remain confidential and will not proceed to a formal Title IX investigation without the consent of the Complainant. The Title IX Coordinator will consider a number of factors in deciding whether the request can be honored, including the age of the Complainant, whether there is evidence of a pattern of misconduct, the severity of the misconduct, and whether there is a safety risk to the Complainant or the PIHMA community. Should PIHMA, in weighing such factors, determine it must proceed, PIHMA will explain its rationale to the Complainant and make sure that the Complainant is offered a support person throughout the process. The Complainant will not be required to participate in the process as a prerequisite to the PIHMA proceeding.

The Title IX Coordinator is dedicated to meeting with students seeking information about their options. Upon a report of a Title IX concern, PIHMA will work with the Complainant to put interim measures in place to ensure a safe, hostile free environment for the student. Following an investigation and a determination that conduct prohibited by Title IX occurred, more permanent accommodations and safety measures may be implemented. Accommodations and safety measures (including interim measures) could include:

• Counseling services
• Academic accommodations
• No contact or stayaway letters
• Limitation on extracurricular activities
• Removal from the PIHMA community
• Other appropriate actions as necessary

The purpose of a Title IX investigation pursuant to the PIHMA Student Title IX Investigation and Hearing Process is to determine:

• Whether or not Prohibited Conduct has occurred;
• Whether there is an ongoing risk of harm from further Prohibited Conduct and, if so, what steps are necessary to prevent its recurrence;
• Whether accommodations for the Complainant need to be put in place to redress the effects of Prohibited Conduct;
• Whether accommodations or safety measures should be put in place to ensure the safety of the PIHMA community;
• Whether the conduct warrants a Hearing by the Office of Community Standards for discipline; and
• Whether any changes to policies, practices or training should be considered and implemented.

You can learn more by contacting the Title IX Coordinator at (602) 274-1885 or mrudin@pihma.edu.

A student who has been accused of Title IX prohibited conduct can contact the Academic Dean and/or the Title IX Coordinator. The Title IX Coordinator can meet with students seeking information about their options.