Bullying means any written or verbal expression, physical act or gesture, or pattern thereof, by a student that is intended to cause or is perceived as causing distress or intimidation to one or more students. Bullying interferes with another student or students’ ability to be fully immersed and engaged as contributing members of the campus community. Bullying includes, but is not limited to, conduct by a student against another student that a reasonable person knows has the potential to:
- Harm a student.
- Damage a student’s property.
- Place a student in reasonable fear of harm to his or her person or property.
- Creating a hostile curricular or co-curricular environment for a student. A student who engages in an act of bullying, false reporting of bullying, or permits, condones, or tolerates bullying shall be subject to referral to the Wartburg College Student Code of Conduct where the procedures outlined in the Social Conduct and Student Conduct Board Hearing sections of the Wartburg Student Conduct System will be employed.
Consistent with the Code of Iowa, any employee who, in the scope of their employment responsibilities, examines, attends, counsels, or treats a child (person under the age of 18) must report suspected child abuse to the director of campus security and the director of human resources and Title IX coordinator, or through Knights Code, as soon as reasonably possible. Nothing limits an employee from reporting directly to law enforcement or the Department of Human Services. The scope of this policy is intended to be broad, and any uncertainty about whether reporting is required should be resolved in favor of making a report.
All complaints will be processed in accordance with state and federal law, including, but not limited to, a prompt, impartial, and discreet investigation. Upon completion of the investigation, the appropriate parties will be notified of the findings. If any employee is found to have abused a child, appropriate corrective action will be taken. This could range from a disciplinary warning up to and including termination.
No employee will suffer retaliation for reporting alleged instances of child abuse.