Sexual Harassment Workshops Raise Awareness of Manager's Responsibility

By Robin Herron

When the subject of a manager's responsibility is raised during the university's sexual harassment workshops, eyebrows also are raised, says Ronald Sinacore, affirmative action planning and compliance coordinator, and Margaret Howell, equal opportunity specialist and Title IX coordinator, from the Equity Office.

"When managers understand that they are responsible if a service repairman comes to their office and harasses an employee, it causes them concern," says Howell.

Sinacore, Howell, and Carol Henderson, Human Resources staff development manager, have been conducting workshops on sexual harassment throughout the university over the past year. The workshops address the most recent evolution of the issue of discrimination in the workplace, which involves sexual harassment and a supervisor's responsibility. Although attendance at the workshops is not mandatory, employees are strongly encouraged to attend because awareness of the issue does make a difference. With about half the university's units trained so far, Sinacore notes that the number of reported sexual harassment incidents has declined in the past year.

According to Sinacore, the definition of sexual harassment, which once was seen only as a gender discrimination issue, has been broadened by recent court decisions. An example, says Sinacore, is the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services in which an employee's supervisor was aware that harassment was taking place but did nothing to stop it, thus creating a hostile work environment.

For George Mason, the case brings into sharp focus a manager's responsibility for sexual harassment, Sinacore says. "The assumption is if the manager knows [about harassment taking place], then [President Merten] knows."

"The number one thing to remember is to report [any incidents] to our office," Sinacore emphasizes. "Managers should not attempt to handle it by themselves. We need to work in partnership."

The responsibility is the same for professors with their students. "If a professor is aware that a student is being sexually harassed, the professor needs to report it to the Equity Office. We'll help them try to resolve it," Sinacore says. The good news is that many allegations can be handled informally and few actually get to the Sexual Harassment Panel or the litigation stage. However, referring to a case involving a university professor and a student that is still going through the courts, both Sinacore and Howell agree that an allegation of sexual harassment must be handled with extreme care. "You need to protect both parties--the complainant and the person being complained about. That's why you need a thorough investigation of the issues," Sinacore says.

For more information on the university's sexual harassment policy and grievance procedures, go to www.gmu.edu/equity/shpolicy.htm or contact the Equity Office at x38730. To request a workshop, contact the Equity Office or Human Resources at x32621.