Commitment To Ensuring Equal Access and Equal Opportunity

Lake-Sumter State College prohibits discrimination in all aspects of its programs, activities employment and contracts for services. LSSC welcomes students of every race, color, sex, ethnicity, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran’s status, employment, religion, sexual orientation, and political affiliation.

LSSC’s Notice of Non-Discrimination Based on Protected Status

It is the procedure of the District Board of Trustees to provide equal opportunity for employment and educational opportunities to all applicants for employment, employees, applicants for admission, students, and others affiliated with the College, without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, religion, disability, marital status, sex/gender, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, and any other factor protected under applicable federal, state, and local civil rights laws, rules and regulations (collectively referred to as “Protected Status”).

In addition, Lake-Sumter State College (“LSSC” or “College”) strives to be a community in which all members can learn and work in an atmosphere free from all forms of harassment, including sexual harassment, discrimination, intimidation and/or retaliation. This Procedure prohibits all forms of discrimination and harassment based on Protected Status. It expressly, therefore, also prohibits sexual assault and sexual exploitation, which by definition involve conduct of a sexual nature and are prohibited forms of sexual or gender-based harassment. This Procedure further prohibits stalking and interpersonal violence, which need not be based on an individual’s Protected Status. Finally, this Procedure prohibits complicity for knowingly assisting in an act that violates this procedure and retaliation against an individual because of his or her good faith participation in the reporting, investigation, and/or adjudication of violations of this procedure. These behaviors are collectively referred to in this procedure as Prohibited Conduct.

All members of the College community are responsible for conducting themselves in accordance with this procedure and other College rules and procedures. LSSC students and employees who violate this procedure may face discipline up to and including expulsion or termination. The College’s protection of these statuses is grounded in federal, state, and local laws.

The College encourages all community members to take reasonable and prudent actions to prevent or stop Prohibited Conduct. Taking action may include direct intervention when safe to do so, seeking assistance from a person in authority at the College, enlisting the assistance of friends, contacting law enforcement, or contacting LSSC Security. Members of the College community who exercise this positive responsibility will be supported by the College and protected from retaliation.The College has an obligation to make reasonable efforts to investigate and address known or suspected instances of Prohibited Conduct. To foster a climate that encourages prevention and reporting of Prohibited Conduct, the College will actively promote prevention efforts, educate the College community, respond to all reports promptly, provide Interim protective measures to address safety and emotional well-being, and act in a manner that recognizes the inherent dignity of the individuals involved.

Sexual or gender-based harassment, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, and retaliation, as defined in LSSC’s Discrimination, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Procedure , are prohibited forms of discrimination under Title IX, which covers all of the College’s programs and activities. Like racial, religious, and national origin harassment, sexual or gender-based harassment and sexual violence are also prohibited under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 760 et al, F.S., and other applicable laws.

The College’s prohibition against interpersonal violence (including domestic and dating violence) and stalking is also governed by federal law because these forms of behavior are prohibited by the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security and Campus Crime Statistics Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1092(f) (the Clery Act) and Section 304 of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013. Such acts violate the essential dignity of our community member(s) and are contrary to our institutional values.

The College, as an educational community, will promptly and equitably respond to reports of sexual assault, interpersonal violence, and stalking in order to eliminate the Harassment, prevent its recurrence, and address its effects on any individual or the community. The College recognizes that sexual assault, interpersonal violence, and stalking encompass a broad spectrum of conduct and will respond according to both the severity of the offense and the threat it poses to the campus community.

Staff Contacts

Title IX Coordinator
(352) 365-3592

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights

Annual & Required Notifications

The College provides continuous and annual notifications of its Statement of Non-Discrimination. The Annual & Required Notifications page has additional information on how this is shared.