| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 52.81 |
| Liaison | Stephan Classen |
| Submission Date | Oct. 14, 2021 |
Cascadia College
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 3.00 |
Stephan
Classen Assistant Director of Sustainable Practices Student Learning |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Non-discrimination statement
Yes
The non-discrimination statement, including the website URL where the policy is publicly accessible:
As a state institution of higher education, Cascadia College is committed to providing a healthy, productive, and supportive environment in which our students are able to learn and our employees are able to work. The college does not tolerate violent, harassing, threatening, or intimidating behavior toward students, staff, faculty, or visitors.
Cascadia recognizes its responsibility for investigation, resolution, implementation of corrective measures, and monitoring the educational environment and workplace to stop, remediate, and prevent discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, perceived or actual physical or mental disability, pregnancy, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, creed, religion, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or use of a trained guide dog or service animal, as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act and ADA Amendment Act, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act and Washington State’s Law Against Discrimination, Chapter 49.60 RCW and their implementing regulations. To this end, Cascadia College has enacted policies prohibiting discrimination against and harassment of members of these protected classes. Any individual found to be in violation of these policies will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the College or from employment.
The following office has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies and can direct inquiries to the appropriate office for ADA-related requests:
Executive Director of Human Resources
Cascadia College
18345 Campus Way NE, CC2-280
Bothell, WA 98011
phone 425.352.8880
http://www.cascadia.edu/discover/governance/policies/nondiscrimination.aspx
Cascadia recognizes its responsibility for investigation, resolution, implementation of corrective measures, and monitoring the educational environment and workplace to stop, remediate, and prevent discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, perceived or actual physical or mental disability, pregnancy, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, creed, religion, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or use of a trained guide dog or service animal, as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act and ADA Amendment Act, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act and Washington State’s Law Against Discrimination, Chapter 49.60 RCW and their implementing regulations. To this end, Cascadia College has enacted policies prohibiting discrimination against and harassment of members of these protected classes. Any individual found to be in violation of these policies will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the College or from employment.
The following office has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies and can direct inquiries to the appropriate office for ADA-related requests:
Executive Director of Human Resources
Cascadia College
18345 Campus Way NE, CC2-280
Bothell, WA 98011
phone 425.352.8880
http://www.cascadia.edu/discover/governance/policies/nondiscrimination.aspx
Bias response team
Yes
A brief description of the institution’s discrimination response protocol or team:
We have online information about how to proceed with a discrimination complaint http://www.cascadia.edu/discover/governance/policies/titleix.aspx
From our Title IX report page:
Any employee, applicant, student, or visitor of the College may file a complaint. Complaints may be submitted in writing or verbally. The College encourages the timely reporting of any incidents of discrimination or harassment. For complainants who wish to submit a written complaint, a formal complaint form is available online. Hard copies of the complaint form are available at the Human Resources office in CC2-280. Any person submitting a discrimination complaint shall be provided with a written copy of the College’s anti-discrimination policies and procedures.
The Title IX / EEO Coordinator or designee:
Will accept all complaints and referrals from College employees, applicants, students, and visitors.
Will make determinations regarding how to handle requests by complainants for confidentiality.
Will keep accurate records of all complaints and referrals for the required time period.
May conduct investigations or delegate and oversee investigations conducted by a designee.
May impose interim remedial measures to protect parties during investigations of discrimination or harassment.
Will make findings of fact on investigations completed.
May recommend specific corrective measures to stop, remediate, and prevent the recurrence of inappropriate conduct.
The College encourages the timely reporting of any incidents of discrimination or harassment. Complaints may be submitted in writing or orally. For complainants who wish to submit a written complaint, a formal complaint form is available online on page 8 of this document. The complaint form is available in the Human Resources Office at Cascadia College.
We also have an established Bias Incident Response Team. See details in attached document.
Confidentiality Requests and Sexual Violence Complaints. The Title IX / EEO Coordinator will inform and obtain consent from the complainant before commencing an investigation into a sexual violence complaint. If a sexual violence complainant asks that the complainant’s name not be revealed to the respondent or that the College not investigate the allegation, the Title IX /EEO Coordinator will inform the complainant that maintaining confidentiality may limit the college’s ability to fully respond to the allegations and that retaliation by the respondent and/or others is prohibited. If the complainant still insists that the complainant’s name not be disclosed or that the College not investigate, the Title IX /EEO Coordinator will determine whether the College can honor the request and at the same time maintain a safe and non-discriminatory environment for all members of the college community, including the complainant. Factors to be weighed during this determination may include, but are not limited to:
the seriousness of the alleged sexual violence;
the age of the complainant;
whether the sexual violence was perpetrated forcibly or with a weapon;
whether the respondent has a history of committing acts of sexual or other violence or has been the subject of other sexual violence complaints;
whether the respondent threatened to commit additional acts of sexual violence against the complainant or others; and
whether relevant evidence can be obtained through other means (e.g., security cameras, other witnesses, physical evidence).
If the College is unable to honor a complainant’s request for confidentiality, the Title IX / EEO Coordinator will notify the complainant of the decision and ensure that complainant’s identity is disclosed only to the extent reasonably necessary to effectively conduct and complete the investigation.
If the College decides not to conduct an investigation or take disciplinary action because of a request for confidentiality, the Title IX / EEO Coordinator will evaluate whether other measures are available to limit the effects of the harassment and prevent its recurrence, and will implement such measures if reasonably feasible.
E. INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE
Upon receiving a discrimination complaint, the College shall commence an impartial investigation. The Title IX / EEO Coordinator shall be responsible for overseeing all investigations. Investigations may be conducted by the Title IX / EEO Coordinator or designee. Complaints against employees will be investigated by the Human Resources Office; complaints against students will be investigated by the Office of Student Support Services. If the investigation is assigned to someone other than the Title IX / EEO Coordinator, the Title IX /EEO Coordinator shall inform the complainant and respondent(s) of the appointment of an investigator.
Interim Measures. The Title IX / EEO Coordinator may impose interim measures to protect the complainant and/or respondent pending the conclusion of the investigation. Interim measures may include, but are not limited to, imposition of no contact orders, rescheduling classes, temporary work reassignments, referrals for counseling or medical assistance, interim suspension of the respondent consistent with the College’s student conduct code or the College’s employment policies and collective bargaining agreements.
Investigation. Complaints shall be thoroughly and impartially investigated. The investigation shall include, but is not limited to, interviewing the complainant and the respondent, relevant witnesses, and reviewing relevant documents. The investigation shall be concluded within a reasonable time, normally sixty days or sooner barring exigent circumstances. At the conclusion of the investigation the investigator shall set forth findings and recommendations in writing. If the investigator is a designee, the investigator shall send a copy of the findings and recommendations to the Title IX / EEO Coordinator. The Title IX / EEO Coordinator shall consider the findings and recommendations and determine, based on a preponderance of the evidence, whether a violation of the discrimination and harassment policy occurred, and if so, what steps will be taken to resolve the complaint, remedy the effects on any victim(s), and prevent its recurrence. Possible remedial steps may include, but are not limited to, referral for voluntary training/counseling, development of a remediation plan, limited contact orders, and referral and recommendation for formal disciplinary action. Referrals for disciplinary action will be consistent with the student conduct code or college employment policies and collective bargaining agreements.
Written Notice of Decision. The Title IX / EEO Coordinator will provide each party and the appropriate student services administrator or appointing authority with written notice of investigative findings, and of actions taken or recommended to resolve the complaint, subject to the following limitations. The complainant shall be informed in writing of the findings and of actions taken or recommended to resolve the complaint, if any, only to the extent that such findings, actions, or recommendations directly relate to the complainant, such as a finding that the complaint is or is not meritorious or a recommendation that the accused not contact the complainant. The complainant may be notified generally that the matter has been referred for disciplinary action. The respondent shall be informed in writing of the findings and of actions taken or recommended to resolve the complaint and shall be notified of referrals for disciplinary action. Both the complainant and the respondent are entitled to review any final findings, conclusions, and recommendations, subject to any FERPA confidentiality requirements.
Informal Dispute Resolution. Informal dispute resolution processes, like mediation, may be used to resolve complaints when appropriate. Informal dispute resolution shall not be used to resolve discrimination complaints without written permission from both the complainant and the respondent, as applicable. If the parties elect to mediate a dispute, either party shall be free to discontinue mediation at any time.
Final Decision/Reconsideration. Either the complainant or the respondent may seek reconsideration of the decision by the Title IX / EEO Coordinator. Requests for reconsideration shall be submitted in writing to the Title IX / EEO Coordinator within seven days of receiving the decision. Requests must specify which portion of the decision should be reconsidered and the basis for reconsideration. If no request for reconsideration is received within seven days, the decision becomes final. If a request for reconsideration is received, the Title IX / EEO Coordinator shall respond within ten (10) business days. The Title IX / EEO Coordinator shall either deny the request or, if the Title IX / EEO Coordinator determines that the request for reconsideration has merit, issue an amended decision. Any amended decision is final and no further reconsideration is available.
Please see the website for further information and definitions, or contact:
Executive Director of Human Resources
Cascadia College
18345 Campus Way NE, CC2-280
Bothell, WA 98011
phone 425.352.8262
From our Title IX report page:
Any employee, applicant, student, or visitor of the College may file a complaint. Complaints may be submitted in writing or verbally. The College encourages the timely reporting of any incidents of discrimination or harassment. For complainants who wish to submit a written complaint, a formal complaint form is available online. Hard copies of the complaint form are available at the Human Resources office in CC2-280. Any person submitting a discrimination complaint shall be provided with a written copy of the College’s anti-discrimination policies and procedures.
The Title IX / EEO Coordinator or designee:
Will accept all complaints and referrals from College employees, applicants, students, and visitors.
Will make determinations regarding how to handle requests by complainants for confidentiality.
Will keep accurate records of all complaints and referrals for the required time period.
May conduct investigations or delegate and oversee investigations conducted by a designee.
May impose interim remedial measures to protect parties during investigations of discrimination or harassment.
Will make findings of fact on investigations completed.
May recommend specific corrective measures to stop, remediate, and prevent the recurrence of inappropriate conduct.
The College encourages the timely reporting of any incidents of discrimination or harassment. Complaints may be submitted in writing or orally. For complainants who wish to submit a written complaint, a formal complaint form is available online on page 8 of this document. The complaint form is available in the Human Resources Office at Cascadia College.
We also have an established Bias Incident Response Team. See details in attached document.
Confidentiality Requests and Sexual Violence Complaints. The Title IX / EEO Coordinator will inform and obtain consent from the complainant before commencing an investigation into a sexual violence complaint. If a sexual violence complainant asks that the complainant’s name not be revealed to the respondent or that the College not investigate the allegation, the Title IX /EEO Coordinator will inform the complainant that maintaining confidentiality may limit the college’s ability to fully respond to the allegations and that retaliation by the respondent and/or others is prohibited. If the complainant still insists that the complainant’s name not be disclosed or that the College not investigate, the Title IX /EEO Coordinator will determine whether the College can honor the request and at the same time maintain a safe and non-discriminatory environment for all members of the college community, including the complainant. Factors to be weighed during this determination may include, but are not limited to:
the seriousness of the alleged sexual violence;
the age of the complainant;
whether the sexual violence was perpetrated forcibly or with a weapon;
whether the respondent has a history of committing acts of sexual or other violence or has been the subject of other sexual violence complaints;
whether the respondent threatened to commit additional acts of sexual violence against the complainant or others; and
whether relevant evidence can be obtained through other means (e.g., security cameras, other witnesses, physical evidence).
If the College is unable to honor a complainant’s request for confidentiality, the Title IX / EEO Coordinator will notify the complainant of the decision and ensure that complainant’s identity is disclosed only to the extent reasonably necessary to effectively conduct and complete the investigation.
If the College decides not to conduct an investigation or take disciplinary action because of a request for confidentiality, the Title IX / EEO Coordinator will evaluate whether other measures are available to limit the effects of the harassment and prevent its recurrence, and will implement such measures if reasonably feasible.
E. INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE
Upon receiving a discrimination complaint, the College shall commence an impartial investigation. The Title IX / EEO Coordinator shall be responsible for overseeing all investigations. Investigations may be conducted by the Title IX / EEO Coordinator or designee. Complaints against employees will be investigated by the Human Resources Office; complaints against students will be investigated by the Office of Student Support Services. If the investigation is assigned to someone other than the Title IX / EEO Coordinator, the Title IX /EEO Coordinator shall inform the complainant and respondent(s) of the appointment of an investigator.
Interim Measures. The Title IX / EEO Coordinator may impose interim measures to protect the complainant and/or respondent pending the conclusion of the investigation. Interim measures may include, but are not limited to, imposition of no contact orders, rescheduling classes, temporary work reassignments, referrals for counseling or medical assistance, interim suspension of the respondent consistent with the College’s student conduct code or the College’s employment policies and collective bargaining agreements.
Investigation. Complaints shall be thoroughly and impartially investigated. The investigation shall include, but is not limited to, interviewing the complainant and the respondent, relevant witnesses, and reviewing relevant documents. The investigation shall be concluded within a reasonable time, normally sixty days or sooner barring exigent circumstances. At the conclusion of the investigation the investigator shall set forth findings and recommendations in writing. If the investigator is a designee, the investigator shall send a copy of the findings and recommendations to the Title IX / EEO Coordinator. The Title IX / EEO Coordinator shall consider the findings and recommendations and determine, based on a preponderance of the evidence, whether a violation of the discrimination and harassment policy occurred, and if so, what steps will be taken to resolve the complaint, remedy the effects on any victim(s), and prevent its recurrence. Possible remedial steps may include, but are not limited to, referral for voluntary training/counseling, development of a remediation plan, limited contact orders, and referral and recommendation for formal disciplinary action. Referrals for disciplinary action will be consistent with the student conduct code or college employment policies and collective bargaining agreements.
Written Notice of Decision. The Title IX / EEO Coordinator will provide each party and the appropriate student services administrator or appointing authority with written notice of investigative findings, and of actions taken or recommended to resolve the complaint, subject to the following limitations. The complainant shall be informed in writing of the findings and of actions taken or recommended to resolve the complaint, if any, only to the extent that such findings, actions, or recommendations directly relate to the complainant, such as a finding that the complaint is or is not meritorious or a recommendation that the accused not contact the complainant. The complainant may be notified generally that the matter has been referred for disciplinary action. The respondent shall be informed in writing of the findings and of actions taken or recommended to resolve the complaint and shall be notified of referrals for disciplinary action. Both the complainant and the respondent are entitled to review any final findings, conclusions, and recommendations, subject to any FERPA confidentiality requirements.
Informal Dispute Resolution. Informal dispute resolution processes, like mediation, may be used to resolve complaints when appropriate. Informal dispute resolution shall not be used to resolve discrimination complaints without written permission from both the complainant and the respondent, as applicable. If the parties elect to mediate a dispute, either party shall be free to discontinue mediation at any time.
Final Decision/Reconsideration. Either the complainant or the respondent may seek reconsideration of the decision by the Title IX / EEO Coordinator. Requests for reconsideration shall be submitted in writing to the Title IX / EEO Coordinator within seven days of receiving the decision. Requests must specify which portion of the decision should be reconsidered and the basis for reconsideration. If no request for reconsideration is received within seven days, the decision becomes final. If a request for reconsideration is received, the Title IX / EEO Coordinator shall respond within ten (10) business days. The Title IX / EEO Coordinator shall either deny the request or, if the Title IX / EEO Coordinator determines that the request for reconsideration has merit, issue an amended decision. Any amended decision is final and no further reconsideration is available.
Please see the website for further information and definitions, or contact:
Executive Director of Human Resources
Cascadia College
18345 Campus Way NE, CC2-280
Bothell, WA 98011
phone 425.352.8262
Recruitment programs
Yes
Does the institution have programs specifically designed to recruit academic staff from underrepresented groups?:
Yes
Does the institution have programs designed specifically to recruit non-academic staff from underrepresented groups?:
Yes
If yes to any of the above, provide:
We host events on campus for underrepresented student groups such as the various cultural events, cross culture engagement activities for students and prospective students. Some of these events are for students in 5th - 12th grades that are NOT currently enrolled at a college. These events are specifically designed to engage low-income, underrepresented, at-risk youth and expose them to college campuses so they have an understanding of what is available to them in their local community in hopes it encourages them to continue their education after high school.
We also have a new initiative: Cascadia Scholars to recruit and support BIPOC students.
https://www.cascadia.edu/discover/about/diversity/scholars.aspx
We advertise open positions (faculty and staff) on the following sites in an effort to recruit from underrepresented groups: ColorsNW: https://jobs.colorscareers.com/,
BlacksInHigherEd: http://www.blacksinhighered.org/,
and the DEHPD: Diversity & Equity in Hiring & Professional Development listserv
We also have the annual Diversity Career Fair sponsored by the 5 Star Consortium:
http://www.fivestarconsortium.com/p/diversity-career-fair.html
We also have a new initiative: Cascadia Scholars to recruit and support BIPOC students.
https://www.cascadia.edu/discover/about/diversity/scholars.aspx
We advertise open positions (faculty and staff) on the following sites in an effort to recruit from underrepresented groups: ColorsNW: https://jobs.colorscareers.com/,
BlacksInHigherEd: http://www.blacksinhighered.org/,
and the DEHPD: Diversity & Equity in Hiring & Professional Development listserv
We also have the annual Diversity Career Fair sponsored by the 5 Star Consortium:
http://www.fivestarconsortium.com/p/diversity-career-fair.html
Mentoring, counseling and support programs
Yes
Does the institution have mentoring, counseling, peer support or other programs designed specifically to support academic staff from underrepresented groups on campus?:
Yes
Does the institution have mentoring, counseling, peer support or other programs to support non-academic staff from underrepresented groups on campus?:
Yes
A brief description of the institution’s programs designed specifically to support students, academic staff, and/or non-academic staff from underrepresented groups:
The Center for Culture, Inclusion and Community at Cascadia is open any time the campus is open and provides a variety of services to students including referral resources, campus orientations, ESL conversation partner program, educational events and social activities. The Center also coordinates scholarships to facilitate participation in the annual Students of Color Conference and the Q-Topia conference.
The Language Learning Center provides resources and events to help students, faculty and staff become more fluent in a new language and culture. More information about upcoming events can be found here http://www.cascadia.edu/academic_resources/llc/default.aspx
Cascadia College also offers a meditation room that is available for use for all students, staff and faculty. http://www.cascadia.edu/services/default.aspx
Cascadia is dedicated to pluralism and social justice and has numerous programs in place to provide training and support to students, faculty and staff throughout the year. More information about upcoming events can be found here http://www.cascadia.edu/discover/about/diversity/default.aspx
In addition, we always encourage employees to attend the Faculty and Staff of Color Conference https://fsocc.weebly.com/ , we are proactive in encouraging our faculty to participate in the Faculty of Color Cross-Institutional Mentorship Program https://www.sbctc.edu/colleges-staff/programs-services/faculty-of-color-mentorship/default.aspx, and
we have been active in the Social Justice Leadership Institute as well
https://www.bellevuecollege.edu/diversity/sjli/
The Language Learning Center provides resources and events to help students, faculty and staff become more fluent in a new language and culture. More information about upcoming events can be found here http://www.cascadia.edu/academic_resources/llc/default.aspx
Cascadia College also offers a meditation room that is available for use for all students, staff and faculty. http://www.cascadia.edu/services/default.aspx
Cascadia is dedicated to pluralism and social justice and has numerous programs in place to provide training and support to students, faculty and staff throughout the year. More information about upcoming events can be found here http://www.cascadia.edu/discover/about/diversity/default.aspx
In addition, we always encourage employees to attend the Faculty and Staff of Color Conference https://fsocc.weebly.com/ , we are proactive in encouraging our faculty to participate in the Faculty of Color Cross-Institutional Mentorship Program https://www.sbctc.edu/colleges-staff/programs-services/faculty-of-color-mentorship/default.aspx, and
we have been active in the Social Justice Leadership Institute as well
https://www.bellevuecollege.edu/diversity/sjli/
Support for future academic staff
No
A brief description of the institution’s programs to support and prepare students from underrepresented groups for careers as faculty members:
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Optional Fields
Yes
Does the institution offer housing options to accommodate the special needs of transgender and transitioning students?:
No
Website URL where information about the institution’s support for underrepresented groups is available:
---
Additional documentation to support the submission:
---
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
We do not have student housing. We have gender neutral bathrooms and information on their locations available at the main information desk.
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.