Sexual Harassment within College Campus Recreation Departments as Perceived by NIRSA Employees

Abstract

This is part one of a four-part presentation of a national investigation of NIRSA members on the topic of sexual harassment/discrimination within college campus recreation departments. A national survey of 1000 randomly selected NIRSA members in North America was completed by means of an on-line questionnaire to determine the perceptions of NIRSA members as to the possible existence of sexual harassment [discrimination] within their own college campus recreation departments, in terms of a) existence of sexual harassment in the work environment, b) frequency of occurrences against males and females, c) examples of sexual harassment, d) frequency of sexual harassment acts, e) reaction to sexual harassment, f) issuance of complaints, g) existence of policies/procedures dealing with sexual harassment, and h) separation between males and females (exclusion, avoidance, distancing). An examination of the data was completed in terms of the respondents' gender, marital status, and gender of one's supervisor. Findings revealed that the vast majority of the respondents felt that their work place was safe, one of respect, one of tolerance, not intimidating and that sexual harassment was not a major factor in their workplace. Policies, procedures and educational opportunities were cited as existing in terms of the identification, prevention, reporting and prompt complaint resolution of sexual harassment. Common forms of unwanted verbal expressions of a sexual nature were infrequently cited as existing within the work place.