The sexual harassment survey conducted by the campus affirmative action office is the prime source of measuring the success of Iowa State’s sexual harassment policy.

“Our work is not done,” said Iowa State President Martin Jischke in response to the issue of sexual harassment on campus.

“It’s unfortunate that we have any examples of sexual harassment, but I’m pleased that the system we have implemented is working,” Jischke said.

Jan Padgitt, associate affirmative action officer, said, “the purpose of the survey is to determine the nature and frequency of sexual harassment cases handled by officials other than those of the affirmative action office.”

Jischke said the survey helps to demonstrate that sexual harassment at ISU is not tolerated.

“It is first a tool of monitoring to make sure that sexual harassment complaints are dealt with. Second, it is an educational tool to let the people of this campus know that most cases are dealt with informally and to the satisfaction of the victims,” Jischke said. “The survey also serves to send a message that harsh discipline will be dispensed if necessary. We have terminated people for this type of harassment.”

The survey heightens officials’ awareness of sexual harassment on campus, Padgitt said.

“I think that it can be a learning experience for administrators and managers,” she said.

The most recent survey, covering the time period between August 1, 1994 and July 31, 1995, cited 44 cases of sexual harassment that were dealt with on an informal basis. About 23 percent of those cases fell under the categories of “sexual advances, touching or demands for sexual favors,” according to the sexual harassment survey. The other cases were labeled as creating a harassing environment.

This year’s survey is the second conducted by the affirmative action office. The number of reported sexual harassment cases have increased from last year’s survey.

“There was a slight, statistically insignificant increase in the number of reported cases from the previous survey,” Padgitt said. “This may be due to the statistical variation or people may be more aware of what sexual harassment is and, therefore, are reporting more cases.”

Jischke agreed. “I think that more and more employees are aware of how to deal with this type of situation,” he said.

Padgitt said the number of cases at ISU is not outstanding.

“I think that it is happening more than it is reported, but it’s not any worse relative to others [universities]. Unfortunately, I don’t think that we’re any better either,” Padgitt said.

“It’s difficult to know if we’re similar to other campuses because there aren’t any comparable studies,” Jischke said. “Of course, any case is quite unfortunate.”

The ISU policy on sexual harassment “is based on case law,” Padgitt said.

The university’s policy states that its primary goal is “to prevent the objectionable behavior or stop it whenever it occurs” because sexual harassment “compromises institutional integrity and corrupts traditional academic values.” In addition, this type of harassment “inhibits the individual’s ability to function effectively as a student or employee and violates acceptable standards of interrelationships.”

ISU’s policy defines sexual harassment as including “activities which are inappropriate in professional settings or circumstances.”

Also, the policy states that sexual harassment “can range from unwelcome sexual flirtations and inappropriate put-downs of individual persons or classes of people to serious physical abuses such as sexual assault.”

“The university’s policy was developed with multiple motives,” Padgitt said. “First, sexual harassment is illegal and therefore can create a liability situation, we want to avoid that. From a moral and ethical position, we don’t want students and staff to experience sexual harassment because it is detrimental to their well-being. It is also to warn people that they will be disciplined.”

Until sexual harassment is eliminated, there is still work to be done, Jischke said.

“I think that more and more people are aware that sexual harassment is not tolerated on this campus. But not everyone understands this, so we have some work left to do,” he said.