Harassment Policy

Students are expected to demonstrate respect to other individuals of the community as they pursue their academic goals and live on the campus. Harassment, including Discriminatory Harassment and Bullying, is a violation of policy and will not be tolerated.

Harassment: Unwelcome conduct that, based on the totality of the circumstances, is subjectively and objectively offensive and is so severe or pervasive that it interferes with an individual’s ability to participate in the educational offerings and programs of the College. This includes creation of a hostile environment in learning, living, or work settings and can consist of a single incident or a series of repeated incidents.

Discriminatory Harassment: Harassment, as defined above, that is based on the individual’s actual or perceived protected characteristic including race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin including shared ancestry, disability, veteran status, marital/familial status, possession of a General Education Development Certificate (GED) as compared to a high school diploma, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, sex, age, or genetic information, or other legally-protected traits. Please see Gettysburg College’s Nondiscrimination Statement for additional information.

Bullying: Harassment that consists of unwanted, aggressive verbal, social or physical behavior by a person or group that involves an observed or perceived power imbalance. Cyberbullying is a form of bullying and includes the use of an electronic medium to harass through the use of embarrassing images or content or the use of hostile, degrading, or fictitious information or content.