Title IX

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.

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, harassment, assault, and/or hostile environments that are created based on one’s sex or gender. Title IX ensures 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 Title IX?

Title IX provides protections for all NMC students and employees. This applies to all NMC students regardless of age, including dual enrolled and early college students. Pregnant students and/or students experiencing pregnancy related conditions are also protected under Title IX. Please refer to the Pregnancy and Student Support Brochure here for more information.

How is Title IX enforced on campus?

NMC has strict policies and procedures for enforcing Title IX 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. 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). Students may also report sexual misconduct to the Student Life Office, including speaking with a confidential counselor about your options.

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.

For questions, concerns or assistance with Title IX matters:

Related links:

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. 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:

Training 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

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