Johnson Center Lobby

Student Health and Wellness

Equal Opportunity and Title IX

As a Christian institution of higher learning supporting the mission and embodying the faith heritage of the Evangelical Covenant Church, North Park desires to have a campus community “which truly values people and is characterized by integrity, diversity, collegiality, fairness, compassion, and joyful living.” (Excerpted from North Park University Strategic Plan.)

North Park is committed to providing and maintaining a welcoming environment, and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or any form of intimidation by any person in any form directed against students, faculty, or staff of the institution. To assure that its commitment is met, North Park has adopted a Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation. The Policy prohibits discrimination or harassment of any member of the University community because of his or her race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran’s status, or other protected status, as those terms are defined by applicable local, state, and federal law, subject to North Park’s right, as a religious institution, to make decisions on the basis of religious beliefs and lifestyle consistent with the religious principles espoused by the Evangelical Covenant Church.

North Park’s commitment to equal opportunity encompasses compliance with federal laws applicable to educational institutions that receive federal funds, including Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender, including any act of sexual violence or nonconsensual sex, Title VI, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race or national origin, the Rehabilitation Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability, and the Age Discrimination in Federally Assisted Programs Act, which prohibits discrimination against students on the basis of age.

Grievance Procedure

The Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation sets forth both informal and formal complaint procedures. These procedures may be used by any member of the North Park community who has experienced, or witnessed, behavior contrary to the University’s equal opportunity principles. The procedures provide a fair and impartial mechanism to justly and promptly resolve all complaints implicating equal opportunity, while maintaining, to the maximum degree possible, confidentiality.

Sexual Assault

Any act of sexual violence or nonconsensual sex violates equal opportunity. North Park has a special commitment to guarding against such violations, supporting victims, and promptly instituting remedial measures to ensure continuing equal educational opportunity for victims and accountability for transgressors. Our Campus Safety and Security Office, Health Services, and Counseling Support Services work in concert with Equal Opportunity Coordinators and Title IX Advocates to assure holistic attention to the continued wellbeing of students and assistance in pursuing all available remedies.

Coordination of Equal Opportunity Programs

Any act of sexual violence or nonconsensual sex violates equal opportunity. North Park has a special commitment to guarding against such violations, supporting victims, and promptly instituting remedial measures to ensure continuing equal educational opportunity for victims and accountability for transgressors. Our Campus Safety and Security Office, Health Services, and Counseling Support Services work in concert with Equal Opportunity Coordinators and Title IX Advocates to assure holistic attention to the continued wellbeing of students and assistance in pursuing all available remedies.

Resources

The following resources are available to the members of the community:

Title IX

As a Christian institution of higher education, North Park is committed to providing a campus environment characterized by mutual respect among students, faculty, and staff. To effectuate this commitment, it is North Park University’s policy that any form of sexual violence or other offense, harassment, discrimination, retaliation or misconduct will not be tolerated. This policy applies to all members of the campus community: students, faculty, staff, and visitors. It applies to incidents that occur on campus property as well as any off-campus functions sponsored or supervised by the institution. This policy also applies to off-campus conduct that has continuing impact on the ability of a member of the North Park community to fully engage in, and benefit from, campus life.

North Park’s policy is mandated not only by its adherence to Christian principles, but also by law, including Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972.

The information below is intended to help you answer several questions, and point you to resources you may need regarding Title IX and related issues:

What is Title IX

Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 is a federal law prohibiting sex discrimination by entities that receive federal funds, including educational institutions. The law is enforced by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights. The Department of Education has promulgated regulations to implement Title IX. The regulations appear at 34 C.F.R. Part 106.

Title IX and the implementing regulations state that “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.” The definition of “program or activity” includes all the operations of an educational institution that receives federal funds.

Title IX is one of several federal and state laws governing equal opportunity. In furtherance of all these laws, North Park University has adopted a strict Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, Relationship Violence, and Retaliation. North Park University does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, or veteran status. North Park University does not permit harassment, including sexual harassment or other harassment based on gender. North Park University does not permit retaliation. North Park prohibits any act of sexual violence.

Who is responsible for implementing the Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, Relationship Violence, and Retaliation?

All University administrators have responsibility to ensure that equal opportunity policies are followed, just as all members of the North Park community are expected to adhere to the policies. Coordination of these efforts, and responsibility for implementation of, and compliance oversight for, the Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, Relationship Violence, and Retaliation, including prompt and equitable resolution of any complaints, is delegated to the University’s Title IX Coordinator and Deputy Coordinator.

Title IX Coordinator
Elizabeth Fedec
Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students
Student Engagement
(773) 244-5664
Room 151, Center for Student Engagement, first floor, Johnson Center

Deputy Title IX Coordinator
Emily Wagner
Director of Seminary Student Life and Formation
Room 108, first floor, Nyvall Hall
(773) 244-6219

Deputy Title IX Coordinator
Jessica Nagle
Room 151, Center for Student Engagement, first floor, Johnson Center
Direct: (650) 383-4753 ext. 145

Mailing Address:

North Park University
3225 W FOSTER AVE
Chicago, IL 60625

Who can answer my questions or take my complaint?

The Title IX Coordinator and Deputy Coordinators serve as a primary resource. They play an integral role in carrying out the University’s commitment to provide a positive and enriching learning environment for all community members, and will answer all questions pertaining to equal opportunity. They are also responsible for receiving all complaints of Title IX and other violations of the Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, Relationship Violence, and Retaliation. The Title IX Coordinators participate in the investigation of such complaints, and oversee resolution of complaints and implementation of corrective actions.

 

Title IX Advocates

Additionally, the University has appointed certain members of the campus community to serve as Title IX Advocates. Title IX Advocates can answer questions, provide information on legal rights and protections, provide information on campus resources, and help file complaints with the Title IX Coordinator or Deputy Coordinator if assistance is needed.

Access a list of Title IX Advocates

Responsible Employees

Finally, all University administrators (vice presidents, deans, directors), faculty, head coaches, resident directors, and resident assistants, along with staff members of Campus Safety and Security and the Office of Human Resources, are designated as “Responsible Employees.” They are responsible for forwarding any Title IX concern brought to them to the Title IX Coordinator or Deputy Coordinators.

What should I do if I witness or experience a potential violation?

Members of the University community should contact a Title IX Coordinator or Deputy Coordinator if they are personally subjected to, or they observe, conduct that may be in violation of the University’s Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, Relationship Violence, and Retaliation, including any conduct believed to constitute sexual violence, exploitation, misconduct or harassment; other non-consensual sexual act; discrimination or harassment on the basis of gender, or any form of retaliation for having rejected or complained of conduct violating the Policy. This includes acts of discrimination in employment, admission, programs, or activities and any act of physical violence (e.g., rape or other sexual assault). (Click here for additional information on what to do in cases of sexual violence.) In the event of any form of violence or threatened violence, campus security should also be informed:

Office of Campus Safety and Security

  • Emergency: (773) 244-5600
  • Non-Emergency: (773) 244-5780
  • Director of Campus Security: (773) 244-5222

Anyone witnessing or experiencing a potential violation may also contact the Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (“OCR”) to ask questions about Title IX and other equal opportunity laws applicable to recipients of federal funds or to make complaints. The Chicago branch of OCR is located at:

500 W Madison st, suite 1475
CHICAGO IL 60661-4544
Telephone: (312) 730-1560
Fax: (312) 730-1576

Are complaints confidential?

All complaints are investigated on a need-to-know basis. Hearings may also be held in private rather than public settings when the complaint involves sensitive matters in order to maintain the greatest level of confidentiality possible. However, typically, individual accountability cannot be established without disclosure of the complaint to at least the individual charged with violating the Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, Relationship Violence, and Retaliation.

 

A complainant may request that the complaint be treated as confidential – i.e., not disclosed to the person alleged to have committed the violation. Since such requests may prevent full resolution of the complaint, the Title IX Coordinator/Deputy Coordinators will assess whether it is possible to honor the request without jeopardy to the community at large. The applicable Coordinator will take into account North Park’s ability to resolve the complaint without disclosing the complainant’s identity or the details of the specific allegations to the subject of the complaint.

What happens if I make a complaint?

Depending on the nature of the complaint and taking into account the complainant’s preferences, complaints are resolved through an informal process which may include mediation and/or investigated and determined through a formal complaint procedure. Both processes are described in the Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, Relationship Violence, and Retaliation. Click here to see the complaint procedures.

 

Both informal and formal processes assure a fair and impartial resolution on a prompt basis. Informal processes are usually completed within a period of five to ten business days. Formal investigations (the first step in the Formal Complaint Process) are ordinarily concluded within thirty days of the complaint and the complainant and the charged party notified of the outcome. The amount of time involved in the second part of the process—levying a sanction if a complaint is substantiated—varies depending on the sanction and the status of the charged person. Sanctions that do not require a hearing (e.g., for staff, or less severe sanctions for students and faculty) are levied within a few days of the investigation’s conclusion. If a hearing must be convened (e.g., in the case of severe sanction against a student or faculty member), the time period and procedure for determination is governed by the Student Handbook or Manual of Academic Personnel Policies, respectively. Determinations are made based on the preponderance of the evidence. Other remedial measures would be put in place within 30 days of the conclusion of the investigation.

If the complaint is substantiated, corrective action may be taken against the person(s) found responsible for the violation including discipline up to expulsion/discharge from North Park. Additional remedial measures may also be taken to ensure that the complainant and the North Park community in general continue to enjoy the full benefits of a non-discriminatory environment. Remedial measures may be taken either at the conclusion of the complaint process or on an interim basis, as necessary.

Resources

The following resources are available to the members of the community: