Title IX is a comprehensive federal law enacted in 1972 as part of the Higher Education Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity. Title IX applies to colleges and universities that receive federal financial assistance, including Palomar College. Title IX states, in part:
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 education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.
Title IX prohibits actual, attempted, or threatened sexual harassment, sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking related to education, employment, and other services provided by Palomar College. Examples of the types of conduct that violate Title IX and relevant laws in California include, but are not limited, to:
- Rape
- Oral copulation without consent
- Forcible fondling (touching the genitals, anus, or breasts without consent)
- Dating violence or domestic violence (violence committed by a current or previous intimate or romantic partner, spouse or domestic partner, or a person who shares custody of a child with the victim)
- Stalking a person (can occur physically or through communication methods like phone, email, texting, and social media)
- Exposing genitals, breasts, or buttocks to another person in an unwelcome manner
- Pressure for sexual activity
- Sexual innuendo, comments, noises, and gestures
- Ogling or leering
- Sexually explicit questions
- Requests for sexual favors (i.e. quid pro quo harassment)
- Unwelcome touching, including, but not limited, to hugging, patting, stroking, squeezing, rubbing, or pinching
- Spreading rumors about a person’s sexuality or sexual activity
- Name-calling related to gender or sexuality (i.e, “whore;” “fag”)
- Displaying or sending sexually suggestive electronic content (i.e. emails, voicemails, text messages, and posts on social media)
- Pervasive displays of sexually explicit or graphic content (such as pictures, calendars, and cartoons)
How to Report
How to Report Sexual Misconduct Incidents at Palomar College
To report sexual harassment, sexual violence, or the threat of these committed by a student, employee, faculty, or other member of the campus community, you may take any of the following steps to seek assistance:
Contact the Title IX office to report the incident to a Title IX Coordinator at (760) 744-1150 ext. 2531 or eeotitleix@palomar.edu receive information about:
- Your legal rights
- Complaint filing options
- Request an investigation or other resolution process
- Supportive resources
- You may also complete and submit Palomar College’s Unlawful Discrimination Complaint Form to begin the Title IX process.
Submit an online Incident Report. A Title IX Coordinator or another appropriate Palomar College employee will respond and provide you with information about your rights and resources in accordance with Title IX.
Call the Palomar College Police Department (Campus Police) to report a crime and file a criminal report at (760) 891-7273 or from any campus phone at ext. 2289. You may also use any of the blue light emergency phones on campus; simply pick up the phone to contact Campus Police immediately. Campus Police can also help you obtain medical assistance, emergency protective orders, and other court orders as appropriate.
If you experience sexual assault:
- GET to a safe place.
- CONTACT local law enforcement. If the assault happened on campus, call the Palomar College Police Department as described above. For off-campus assaults, call 911.
- DO NOT bathe, use the restroom, groom yourself, or douche. Do not remove or destroy your clothing or other items you are wearing. These actions could destroy important evidence.
- DO NOT straighten or clean the area of the assault, if possible.
- SEEK medical attention if needed.
- SEEK emotional support. You may want to talk to your family or friends about what happened. You can also seek emotional support, including counseling from the agencies listed below.
Retaliation is prohibited under federal and state law against any person who experiences and/or reports sexual misconduct. The law also protects individuals who assist someone with submitting a report of sexual misconduct and/or who participates in the investigation and/or resolution of sexual misconduct. “Retaliation” is defined as threats, intimidation, reprisals, and/or adverse actions related to education and employment.
Notice of Nondiscrimination
Palomar Community College District is committed to a safe and equitable learning environment for all students and employees. The District does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnic group identification, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including pregnancy), genetic information, marital status, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation in any of its policies, procedures, practices, educational programs and employment. The District is committed to equal opportunity in educational programs, employment, and all access to institutional programs and activities. In addition, all students have the right to participate fully in the educational process, free from discrimination and sexual harassment. Sexual harassment includes incidents involving sexual harassment or sexual violence, including, but not limited to, sexual assault, rape, dating violence, domestic violence or stalking. Any student or employee who believes that he/she has been harassed or retaliated against in violation of this notice should immediately report such incidents by following the procedures described on this website. Supervisors are mandated to report all incidents of harassment and retaliation that come to their attention. Palomar Community College District is an equal opportunity employer.