General Harassment
SSP prohibits harassment of any student, volunteer, or employee by another student, volunteer, employee or third party for any reason including, but not limited to: age, national origin, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, ancestry and/or veteran status. Harassment includes but is not limited to slurs, epithets, threats, derogatory comments, unwelcome jokes, and teasing.

Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment of or by any person in attendance at an SSP program is prohibited. Sexual harassment includes but is not limited to unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and/or verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature including, but not limited to, drawings, pictures, jokes, teasing, or uninvited touching.

In accordance with this policy, unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, sexual demands, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature will constitute sexual harassment when:

• The conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an affected person’s performance, or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment; or in third party situations, one or more individuals are reasonably offended by the sexual interaction, conduct, or communications between others.
• The conduct has the effect of creating actual, perceived, or potential conflicts of interest, favoritism, disruption or lack of objectivity.

Rights and Duties
Any ISEF participant who feels that he or she is a victim of such harassment at an SSP program should promptly report the matter to an SSP employee or other adult authority who will immediately present to the proper authority. Upon receipt of any allegation(s), an investigation will be initiated. All such reports will be handled as confidentially as possible. SSP may take appropriate disciplinary action against any person found to have violated the harassment policy. No adverse action or retaliation will be allowed to be taken against a ISEF participant who reports a violation or who participates in an investigation of this policy in good faith.

If an SSP employee or adult volunteer becomes aware of any circumstances that reasonably suggest either General or Sexual Harassment, including a report of harassment by a ISEF participant, then he or she is under a responsibility to contact the proper authority. Knowingly false accusations are prohibited and will be treated by disciplinary action comparable to that which would be applied to actual misconduct.