Title IX & the Campus SaVE Act

Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) will not tolerate sexual misconduct, as defined in this Policy, in any form. Such acts of violence are prohibited by NMC policy, as well as state and federal laws.

Sexual misconduct includes but is not limited to rape, acquaintance rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking, dating violence and domestic violence. In Michigan, the law regarding sexual assault is called Criminal Sexual Conduct; it involves any unwanted sexual contact resulting from force, coercion, or when the victim is mentally or physically helpless.

If you believe you have experienced an assault, it is not your fault.

What is Title IX?

Title IX states that no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. Title IX encompasses acts of violence, as well as hostile environments that are created, based on one’s sex or gender. Title IX was reauthorized in 2013 to include the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act (Campus SaVE).

What does Title IX and the Campus SaVE Act do for you?

The Campus SaVE Act was put in place to strengthen and reauthorize the Violence against Women Act (VAWA). It also amended the Clery Act to make sexual crimes more transparent on college campuses and to afford additional rights to campus survivors of sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking. Both ensure that colleges and universities have a policy and procedure in place when they are put on notice regarding a complaint of sexual misconduct.

Who is protected under the Campus SaVE Act?

The Campus SaVE Act provides protections for those who have experienced hate crimes due to one’s national origin and gender identity, as well as all student survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. This applies to all NMC students regardless of age, including dual enrolled and early college students. All employees and faculty on NMC’s campus are also protected under Title IX.

How is Title IX and the Campus SaVE Act enforced on campus?

NMC has been enforcing Title IX since 1972, and implementing the Campus SaVE Act since March 7th, 2014, under Federal law. NMC has strict policies and procedures for enforcing Title IX and the Campus SaVE Act as listed in the College’s policies and Sexual Misconduct: Policies and Procedures brochure (below). Complaints of discrimination and/or harassment will be treated as confidentially as possible. Information received by NMC in connection with the filing, investigation, and resolution of allegations will be treated as private. NMC will disclose information on a limited basis and only as needed to properly and thoroughly conduct an investigation, for the purposes of addressing conduct or practices that are in violation of the policy, or when required to do so by state or federal laws.

Procedures detailing the investigation and resolution can be found online at nmc.edu/policies:

View NMC's Sexual Misconduct: Policies And Procedures Brochure here.

Who can I report sexual misconduct to?

Students can report sexual violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment or stalking to the Title IX Coordinator, Troy Kierczynski, or any college employee that provides direct services to students, such as, but is not limited to: vice presidents, deans, department chairs, directors, and advisors. Students may also report an incident of sexual misconduct via email to sexual-misconduct@nmc.edu, or by using our Red Flag Incident Reporting Form (below).

Employees may report their concerns related to sexual misconduct to their supervisor, Human Resources, or via the Red Flag Incident Reporting Form. Supervisors are required to report these concerns to the Title IX Coordinator. In the event the NMC student involved is a minor, a parent or guardian may file a report on behalf of the student. It is up to the survivor (if 18 or older) to choose if they want to report the crime to the police or not.

To submit a report of sexual misconduct:

Related Links:

Reporting to the Office for Civil Rights

Title IX of the Education Amendment Act of 1972 requires that all entities receiving federal funds or financial assistance prohibit sex discrimination and sexual harassment in their education programs and activities.

Office for Civil Rights (OCR)

Incident reporting to the Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is an option for resolution of discrimination. To file a complaint:

The OCR office for Michigan is located at:

Cleveland Office
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 325
Cleveland, OH 44115-1812
Phone: 216-522-4970
FAX: 216-522-2573
TDD: 800-877-8339
Email: OCR.Cleveland@ed.gov

How Does NMC Administer Title IX Training And Awareness On Its Campuses?

Training For Students

During their time at NMC, students are provided a variety of resources and training opportunities focused on Title IX and the understanding and prevention of sexual misconduct. Title IX concepts and support resources are first introduced to students at orientation. Upon registration each semester, students must acknowledge that they’ve read, understand, and agree to the College’s Title IX policies and procedures. Further, NMC requires that its instructors share a video on the first day of class that reminds students of their rights and responsibilities under Title IX, along with a description of support services available at the College. All students are also offered annual awareness training with content focused on promotion of healthy relationships, understanding consent, and the prevention, detection, and reporting of sexual misconduct.

Training For Employees

All College employees are required to complete annual Title IX awareness training. This training covers both the law and campus application of Title IX, including mandatory reporting rules, scenario training, and NMC's policies, procedures, and resources for reporting and support. Training compliance is monitored by Human Resources.

Training For Title IX Coordinator, Investigators, And Decision-Makers

NMC partners with ATIXA, an independent professional Title IX training association with 11,000 active members, to deliver (at minimum) annual training for its Title IX staff including the College's Title IX Coordinator, investigators, and decision-makers. Links to training materials used by NMC Title IX staff are below:

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