About Misconduct

Dean College prohibits sexual misconduct in any form. Any form of violence, intimidation, abuse, exploitation or harassment based on sex, gender identity or sexual preference is contrary to the ideals of Dean and may jeopardize a community member's ability to learn, work, or otherwise participate in the life of the College. 

Dean College strongly encourages all members of the community to take action, seek support and report incidents of sexual misconduct. If the College becomes aware of alleged sexual misconduct that impacts one or more members of the College community, the College will investigate the matter and, where misconduct is found to have occurred, it will take action to end the behavior, eliminate any hostile environment, remedy its effects, and prevent its recurrence. The College will do so whether the perpetrator of the misconduct is a student, employee, guest, vendor or other third party. 

For purposes of investigating and adjudicating allegations of misconduct, Sexual Misconduct has two categories:

  • Title IX Policy Violations. 
  • Non-Title IX Policy Violations

Each of these categories has its own investigation and hearing model.  

Title IX Policy Violations include the following conduct, if it occurs in connection with the College’s educational programs or activities and in the United States: 

  • Sexual Harassment in which an employee of the College conditions the provision of an aid, benefit or service of the College on an individual’s participation in unwelcome sexual conduct (quid pro quo harassment).
  • Sexual Harassment involving unwelcome conduct that a reasonable person would determine to be so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to the College’s education program or activity (hostile environment harassment).
  • Sexual Assault, dating violence, domestic violence or stalking as those terms are defined under the Clery Act or the Violence Against Women Act. 

Non-Title IX Policy Violations comprise any Sexual Misconduct that is not a Title IX Policy Violation.

All students, staff, and faculty at Dean College are responsible for adhering to the College’s policy on Sexual Misconduct. 

The Title IX Coordinator will oversee the College’s response to alleged Sexual Misconduct Violations (Title IX and Non-Title IX) and ensure that appropriate resources are available to students and employees involved. 

If a Title IX Sexual Misconduct Investigation occurs, and the student is also charged with a Non-Title IX policy violations arising from the same incident, the charges will be adjudicated together in accordance with the Title IX procedures. 

The College’s Title IX Coordinator is Shannon Overcash, Associate Dean of Students. The Title IX Coordinator oversees Title IX compliance, policies, procedures, and training for the Dean College community. 

There are three Deputy Title IX Coordinators at the College. Deputy Title IX Coordinators oversee sexual harassment compliance, training, policies and procedures, and resources available to the populations they serve. The Title IX Coordinator oversees the work of the Deputy Title IX Coordinators. 

  1. Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Students, Shawn Tremblay
  2. Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Athletics, Beth Ward  
  3. Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Faculty/Staff, Andrea Adams

The Assistant Vice President of Human Resources or his/her designee will investigate all incidents in which staff, faculty member(s) are accused of sexual harassment. Employees who commit sexual harassment are subject to the full range of sanctions available under the College's employment policies, up to and including termination of employment. 

A person designated by the Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Students will investigate all incidents in which students are accused of Sexual Misconduct. Students who commit Sexual Misconduct are subject to the full range of sanctions available under the student code of conduct, up to and including dismissal.  

A person designated by the Title IX Coordinator will investigate all incidents in which the person accused of Sexual Harassment is a guest, vendor or other third party.  Third parties who engage in Sexual Harassment are subject to a range of sanctions that may include a No Trespass Order from the College and /or termination of any relationship with the College. 

Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedures Documents

Click the documents below to view the full Title IX Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedures documents.

2023-2024 Title IX Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedures

2022-2023 Title IX Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedures