Note: WCC employees should contact the office of Human Resources to file their Title IX grievance.
Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 as amended bans sex discrimination in schools, whether it is in academics or athletics. Title IX states:
“No person in the U.S. shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal aid.”
Washtenaw Community College shall comply with all applicable state and federal statutes relating to nondiscrimination. The College provides the following grievance procedure for use by any person participating in a College sponsored program, service, or activity, who believes his or her rights as provided for under Title IX have been violated.
The College has designated a person(s) responsible for compliance with Title IX. The College shall inform all students and employees of the name, office, work address, email address, and office telephone numbers of the employee(s) designated to serve as the Title IX compliance officer(s). The responsible individual(s) shall be available to assist the aggrieved individual or parties with this procedure, as well as conduct or coordinate an investigation and report their findings.
The employee designated to serve as the Title IX compliance officer is:
Linda Blakey, EVP Student and Academic Services & Title IX Coordinator
Room No: SC247
Phone: 734-973-3536 Email: Linda Blakey
Any retaliatory action of any kind taken by any member of the College community against any other member of the College community as a result of that person seeking a remedy under these procedures, cooperating in an investigation, or otherwise participating in any proceeding under these procedures, is prohibited and will be addressed as a separate investigative and disciplinary matter.
Student Grievance Procedure
Option 1 - Informal Resolution
The College encourages informal resolution of grievances. If appropriate, the aggrieved individual(s) may first discuss the grievance directly with the individual against whom the complaint is made. If the alleged discrimination involves a department or unit rather than an individual, the aggrieved individual(s) may discuss the grievance with the Dean or executive officer of that department/unit. If the grievance is not resolved as a result of this discussion, or if the aggrieved individual(s) does not wish to proceed informally, they should proceed to Option 2.
Option 2 – Filing a Written Grievance
The aggrieved individual(s) may file a grievance with one of Washtenaw Community College’s Title IX compliance officers. If the Title IX compliance officer is the person alleged to have discriminated, the grievance may be filed directly with the President of the College, who shall designate another qualified individual to conduct the investigation and report their findings. The grievance must be in writing.
A grievance should be filed in a timely manner following an alleged violation. The College will take affirmative steps to comply with the provisions of Title IX at any time a violation becomes known, but may not be able to address a specific instance of alleged violation if the passage of time has rendered memories unclear and relevant documentation is lacking.
Upon receipt of the grievance, the Title IX compliance officer will immediately conduct an investigation. All parties related to the grievance will be afforded the opportunity to submit evidence (including statements from witnesses) relevant to the grievance. The investigation will be completed within 20 working days and a statement of findings will be issued by the Title IX compliance officer to one or all of the following; the individual, Dean or Vice President of the department/unit against whom the grievance is made, and to the grievant.
If the compliance officer determines that the allegations of discrimination have merit, a proposed resolution according to law and College policy will be submitted to the parties involved. If the proposed recommendations are acceptable to the grievant and the solutions are implemented, the grievance is considered resolved.
The grievant may appeal in instances where he or she is dissatisfied with the resolution. The request for consideration should be filed in the Title IX Coordinator’s office within 5 working days of receipt of the resolution. The Title IX Coordinator will review the request and issue a final resolution in a timely manner. The decision of the Title IX Coordinator is final.
Anyone at any time may contact the following:
Office for Civil Rights
United States Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20202-1100
Phone: 800-421-3481
Or
Office for Civil Rights
United States Department of Education
1350 Euclid Ave Suite 325
Cleveland, OH 44115-1812
Phone: 216-522-4970
Complaints of discrimination will be treated as confidentially as possible, recognizing the potential need to notify the alleged perpetrator of the facts relative to the alleged violation, contact and interview witnesses and other knowledgeable parties, inform key staff of issues required for compliance, and reply to any state or federal agencies who may have been informed of the alleged violation.
Paper copies of the Title IX grievance procedure will be provided upon request by contacting the Dean of Students Office