5.0 Non-Harassment & Non-Discrimination in the Internship Setting

NWHSU is committed to providing an internship environment that promotes personal integrity, civility, and mutual respect and an environment free of discrimination or harassment in all its forms. This includes all forms of sexual discrimination, including: sexual harassment, sexual assault, and sexual violence as well as general harassment and discrimination by employees, students, or third parties. Retaliation against a person who reports or complains about discrimination or harassment, or who participates in or supports the investigation of a discrimination or harassment complaint, is also prohibited, and will not be tolerated.

Any member of the NWHSU community found to have violated this policy is subject to disciplinary or corrective action, up to and including removal of a provider or site from our internship program.

Discrimination occurs when an individual is treated adversely or differently because of that person's actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex/gender, gender identity, marital status, familial (or parental) status, disability, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, age, family care leave status or veteran status or any other protected class. Harassment includes conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual because of his or her race, color, creed, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, status with regard to public assistance, membership or activity in a local commission, or any other protected class status defined by applicable law and that:

Has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or educational environment; or
Has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work or educational performance; or
Otherwise adversely affects an individual's employment or educational opportunities.

Some examples of conduct that may constitute discrimination or harassment include the following:

Failure or refusal to hire, train or promote because of an individual's protected class status; or
Disciplining or terminating an individual because of protected class status; or
Treating an individual adversely in any other respect because of protected class status; or
Epithets, slurs, threatening or intimidating acts, including written or graphic material directed to an individual because of protected class status; or
Written, verbal or physical acts directed to an individual because of protected class status that purport to be jokes or pranks.

Sexual Harassment is behavior of a sexual nature that is unwelcome and offensive to the person or persons it targets and that:

Has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or educational environment; or
Has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work or educational performance; or
Otherwise adversely affects an individual's employment or educational opportunities.

Examples of sexually harassing behavior may include unwanted physical contact, foul language of an offensive sexual nature, sexual propositions, sexual jokes or remarks, obscene gestures, and displays of pornographic or sexually explicit pictures, drawings, or caricatures.

Behavior that meets the definition of sexual harassment set out in the NWHSU Title IX Policy will be addressed under the processes laid out in that Policy.

NWHSU’s full policy on Title IX and Non-Discrimination & Non-Harassment is available on the NWHSU website.

Reporting Options:

NWHSU is here to support students and help ensure that students are in a safe internship environment. Even if a student decides not to pursue a formal complaint, speaking up
potentially helps other students since the University will be aware of concerns about the internship site where others future students may be placed. Remember that another person’s misconduct is not your fault and that you are entitled to an environment free from harassment. Finally, it is important to understand that neither your internships site or NWHSU may retaliate against you for having made a good-faith report of harassment or discrimination against an internship site. “Good faith” does not require that your complaint results in a formal finding of harassment or discrimination; it simply means that, when you filed the report, you held an honest belief that your report was true. Some steps you may consider taking include:

Contact Anthony Molinar, Dean of Students, amolinar@nwhealth.edu, 952-887-1381. Please understand that such reports do not come with a guarantee of confidentiality but strive to safeguard the privacy of individuals who have been impacted by harassment or other inappropriate conduct. The University will share information as needed to respond to the requests of those who have been harmed, to assess community safety, or to comply with legal requirements. The Dean of Students can partner with the Clinical Education Department to assist you to find a different internship placement, as appropriate.

Keep a record of the harassment or discrimination, noting the date, time, and place specific behavior occurred should you later choose to report it. Take screenshots or keep copies of texts, emails, or other documentation.

Resources are available even if you choose not to make a formal complaint. Confidential Resources have legally protected confidentiality and only share information with others when given specific permission by the reporting person or when required by law.

University Counseling Services (952) 885-5458. Counseling services is a confidential resource for students and conversations are protected by privilege.
Reporting Hotline is hosted by a secure, independent provider, EthicsPoint – so you can be assured that your report is handled confidentially. You may remain anonymous, and the IP address of your computer cannot be traced. It should be understood that an investigation may be hampered or be impracticable if the Reporting Person cannot be identified and questioned about the incident and related facts.