Sexual Harassment (Title IX) Frequently Asked Questions

Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) prohibits any person in the United States from being discriminated against on the basis of sex in seeking access to any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. Title IX prohibited conduct includes sexual harassment, sexual assault, relationship (dating or domestic) violence and stalking. Please see the full definitions below.    

• Sexual Assault
• Sexual Harassment
• Dating Violence
• Domestic Violence
• Stalking

A Title IX sexual harassment report may be made by any person who believes that sexual harassment may have occurred that requires the University’s response. The person reporting need not be the complainant. Students are encouraged to report instances of sexual harassment or sexual violence involving University students or employees to the Title IX Coordinator. 

Amanda Bowman
(425) 889-7824
amanda.bowman@northwestu.edu
5520 108th Ave. NE
Kirkland, WA 98083

A University employee with authority to institute corrective measures on behalf of the University (an Official with Authority, or OWA) must report all relevant information to the Title IX Coordinator whenever the OWA has actual knowledge of sexual harassment or allegations of sexual harassment committed by any University employee or student or occurring in the University’s education program or activity. OWA include the following University employees:

• President
• Provost
• Vice Presidents
• Deans and Directors
• Athletic Coaches 
• Area Coordinators

An OWA who receives the information as part of a confidential communication in the context of a professional or otherwise privileged relationship or communication (for example, the OWA was the reporting person’s therapist, lawyer, minister, physician, or spouse) does not have a reporting obligation.

If any other employee and any resident hall advisor (“RA”) witnesses or receives a report of sexual harassment committed by any University employee or students or occurring in the University’s education program or activity, then the employee or RA is expected to report the incident to the Title IX Coordinator.  Employees who are statutorily prohibited from reporting that information are exempt from this reporting expectation, including any licensed counselor who receives the information in his or her professional capacity as a licensed counselor.

The University’s response to a report of Sexual Harassment will be to promptly contact the Complainant to:

• Discuss and provide written information about the availability of supportive measures. 
• Consider the complainant’s wishes with respect to supportive measures. 
• Inform the complainant that supportive measures are available with or without the filing of a formal complaint; and 
• Explain the process for filing a formal complaint. 

The University will treat the complainant and respondent equitably by offering supportive measures and will follow the University’s Sexual Harassment Grievance Process (Title IX), if a formal complaint is filed alleging sexual harassment under Title IX.

Supportive measures may include referral to the University’s counseling center or other counseling resources, extensions of deadlines or other course-related adjustments, modifications of work or class schedules, University security escort, mutual restrictions on contact between the parties, changes in work or housing locations, leaves of absence, increased security and monitoring of certain areas of the campus, and other similar measures. Supportive measures are available regardless of whether a formal complaint is filed.

Please see our Resources and Support page for additional information.

The University not only prohibits discrimination and harassment, but it also prohibits retaliation against any person for making any complaint about discrimination or harassment or assisting, testifying, or otherwise participating in any discrimination or harassment investigation, or otherwise opposing discrimination or harassment prohibited by the Nondiscrimination Policy. Retaliation means any adverse action that might dissuade or deter a reasonable person from making or supporting a complaint of discrimination or harassment. Retaliation can include threats, intimidation, unjustified negative grades or evaluations, demotion, deduction in pay, among other things.

Individuals who feel they have been subjected to retaliation should report the incident to the Title IX Coordinator, who will address the report as required by the Sexual Harassment Grievance Process (Title IX) or other applicable policy or procedure.