ICC Policies

The ICC has many policies put in place to better the lives of all of their members. The best source for these policies is the ICC Standing Rules, available at: http://www.icc.coop/structure/policy/ Listed here are some of those policies which are related to member relations, along with various definitions, and what to do if you believe that you are being wronged. Even if you are uncertain of whether you are actually being wronged, please contact an Officer immediately. Remaining silent will not help if there is a problem.

ICC Social Contract (Standing Rules, 6.2)

When members choose to sign a contract with the ICC, they accept the rights and responsibilites of membership in the ICC's housing and social community. As part of the ICC community, members are responsible for upholding shared values. Because the ICC establishes standards for membership, these standards of conduct, while falling within the limits of the law, may exceed federal, state, local, or academic requirements. The ICC considers these rules and procedures for resolving disputes a part of its educational mission and is committed to processes which provide both peer review and mediation.

Dispute Assistance and Resolution Team (DART)

The mission of the Dispute Assistance and Resolution Team is to instill and support a culture of conflict resolution in the ICC which is consistent, balanced and fair. DART encourages resolution strategies that are cooperative, proactive, creative, and peaceful among ICC members and Houses. DART is composed of any interested members. The team is advised by the Directors of Education and Member Services. More information is available at the ICC website: http://www.icc.coop/current/resources/dart.php

Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center (SAPAC)

SAPAC provides educational and supportive services for the University of Michigan community related to sexual assault, intimate partner violence, sexual harassment, and stalking. Their website can be found by clicking the following link: [Website]

Cooperative Behavior (Standing Rules, 6.5)

• • Definition**: Cooperative behavior is that behavior which supports the successful functioning of cooperative operations and governance and contributes to the general wellbeing of co-op members and the ICC organization.

Cooperative behavior is what we strive to maintain within the House. This behavior means remembering that you live with other people, and that we all work together to keep the House in good shape.

Uncooperative Behavior (Standing Rules, 6.6)

• • Definition**: Uncooperative behavior is behavior which impedes or obstructs the successful functioning of cooperative operations, and/or threatens the general wellbeing of co-op members.

Sexual Harassment

• • Definition of Sexual Harassment**: Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

• • ICC's Zero Toleration Policy (Standing Rule 6.10)**: The members of the ICC prohibit and will not tolerate sexual harassment. The ICC members recognize that sexual harassment need not be intentional or persistent and that there are varying degrees of sexual harassment. All ICC members, guests, and employees have the right not to be subjected to sexual harassment.

• • What to do**: If you think you are being sexually harassed, please contact one of the Officers, such as the Member Relations Ch., so that they can help you. Officers should always be the first contact, unless if they were directly involved with the incident. Other resources which can be contacted for help include:

SAPAC's non-emergency phone number: 734-998-9368 SAPAC email: sapac@umich.edu

Office of Student Conflict Resolution: 734-936-6308 Website: www.umich.edu/~oscr

ICC Dispute Assistance and Resolution Team (DART): iccdisputeresolution@umich.edu

• • Examples of Sexual Harassment**:

Unwanted personal attention: Letters, telephone calls, visits, pressure for sexual favors, pressure for unnecessary personal interaction and pressure for dates where a sexual/romantic intent appears evident but remains unwanted.

Unwanted physical or sexual advances: Touching, hugging, kissing, fondling, touching oneself sexually for others to view, sexual assault, intercourse or other sexual activity.

Unwanted sexual statements: Sexual or "dirty" jokes, comments on physical attributes, spreading rumors about or rating others as to sexual activity or performance, talking about one's sexual activity in front of others and displaying or distributing sexually explicit drawings, pictures and/or written material.

Stalking

• • Stalking - Legal Definition**: A willful course of conduct involving repeated or continuing harassment of another individual that would cause a reasonable person to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed or molested.

• • Aggravated Stalking - Legal Definition**: When a stalker violates a personal protection order (PPO) or other court order or a stalker commits another stalking crime after already having been conviccted of stalking. Aggravated stalking is a felony.

• • Cyberstalking**: Cyberstalkers target their victims through chat rooms, message boards, discussion forums, social networking sites, and e-mail. Cyberstalking takes many forms such as: threatening or obscene e-mail; spamming; live chat harassment or flaming (online verbal abuse); leaving improper messages on message boards or in guest books; sending electronic viruses; sending unsolicited e-mail; tracing another person's computer and Internet activity, and electronic identity theft.

• • What to do**: If you believe that you're being stalked, please contact one of the Officers, such as the Member Relations Ch., so that they can help you. The officers should be the first resource contacted, unless if they are directly involved in the incident. Other resources available to contact include:

The police (phone number): 911

DART: iccdisputeresolution@umich.edu ICC General Manager at: 734-662-4414 (ext. 108)

SAPAC's non-emergency phone number: 734-998-9368 SAPAC email: sapac@umich.edu

Remember, most stalkers will NOT take "no" for an answer. Be sure to assess the threat of the stalker and act accordingly.

• • Examples of Stalking Behavior**:

Common behaviors and tactics used by stalkers include, but are not limited to:

 * Following or appearing within one's sight
 * Approaching or confronting someone in a public place or on private property
 * Appearing at one's workplace, home, or school
 * Entering onto property someone own, leases, or occupies
 * Contacting someone by phone, postal mail, e-mail, text, social networking sites, etc
 * Placing or delivering an object to property that someone owns, leases, or occupies
 * Verbal threats

Sexual Violence

• • Definition of Sexual Assault**: Any form of unwanted sexual contact obtained without consent and/or obtained through the use of force, threat of force, intimidation, or coercion.

• • Intimate Partner Violece (IPV)**: Violence that is intentionally used as an abusive tactic and/or physical force in order to obtain and maintain power and control over an intimate partner. It is a crime to assault or batter anyone, including an intimate partner or ex-partner.

• • What to do**: If you believe that you are being sexually assaulted, please contact one of the Officers, such as the Member Relations Ch., so that they can help you. Officers should always be the first resource you contact, unless if they are directly involved with the incident. Other resources include:

The police (phone number): 911 SAPAC 24-hour Crisis Line: 734-936-3333

EHOT: icc.ehot@umich.edu ICC General Manager: 734-662-4414 (ext. 108)

• • If you're a bystander**:

Listen: Allow the survivor to lead the conversation and affirm disclosure

Believe: Clearly communicate that you believe the survivor, do not make the person feel as though he/she must prove an assault occurred. Remind him/her that the assault was not his/her fault.

Support: Remind the survivor that you care and respect the decisions the survivor makes. Ask, "How can I be helpful?"

Refer: Suggest options, don't give advice. Offer to walk the survivor to the resource, such as SAPAC, and talk to the resource beforehand so he/she knows what to expect when the survivor arrives.