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 on how NMC enforces Title IX and the Campus SaVE Act as listed in NMC’s policies (below) and Sexual Misconduct: Policies and Procedures Brochure. 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:
- D-702.01 – Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Procedure
- D-602.05 – Student Sexual Assault
- D-602.04 – Sexual Harassment-Students
View NMC's Sexual Misconduct: Policies And Procedures Brochure »
Who can I report sexual misconduct to?
You can report sexual violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment or stalking to the Title IX Coordinator, Vicki Cook, 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. If you are an employee and report your concern to your supervisor, your supervisor is required to report the information to the Title IX Coordinator. In the event the NMC student is a minor, a parent or guardian may file a report on behalf to 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:
- Contact Troy Kierczynski, Title IX Coordinator: (231) 995-1147,
- Email sexual-misconduct@nmc.edu or
- Fill out the online form here »
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