/Institutions/Baptist-University-of-Florida/json/2025-2026/Student-Handbook-local.json

/Institutions/Baptist-University-of-Florida/json/2025-2026/Student-Handbook.json

Sexual Misconduct

General

Engagement in any sexual act outside of a monogamous heterosexual marriage is not in keeping with the ideals of Christianity or this institution. Such an act is grounds for dismissal.
Cohabitation and/or keeping company in a private place that leads to suspicion of illicit sexual activity is grounds for dismissal. Avoiding the appearance of evil is necessary to positive Christian witness.

 

Sexual Harassment

The university is committed to providing its students, faculty, and staff with an environment free from implicit and explicit coercive behavior used to control, influence, or affect the well-being of any member of the university community. Sexual harassment of any person is inappropriate, unacceptable, and contrary to the Christian standards of conduct expected of all members of the university community, students, staff, and faculty.

Students have the right to be free from sexual harassment. Students are prohibited from engaging in sexually harassing conduct towards any other person. Sexual harassment can include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when (1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment, (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual, or (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.

Sexual harassment directed towards students can include physical conduct or verbal innuendo of a sexual nature, imposed on the basis of sex by an employee or agent of the university, when (1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s status in a course, program, or activity; (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for academic decisions affecting such individual, including, but not limited to, grades or academic progress; or (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s academic performance or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment.

Any student who engages in sexual harassment will be subject to disciplinary action ranging from a warning to expulsion. Those who have a complaint regarding sexual harassment should contact the Director of Campus Safety.

 

Complaint Procedure for Harassment and Discrimination

If you suspect that your rights under any of the above-stated policies on discrimination have been violated, you may register your complaint with the Director of Campus Safety. Upon receipt of a complaint which alleges a violation of these policies, the Director of Campus Safety shall begin an investigation of the charge(s). An investigation shall include an interview with the person filing the complaint, the person(s) accused of violating the nondiscrimination and anti- harassment policies and any person designated by either of the principal parties as witnesses to the incident in question.

The investigation shall be completed within 30 days of the receipt of the complaint. The matter shall then be presented to the University Hearing Officer in the form of written recommendations. At discretion, he/she may accept the recommendations, interview the persons involved, direct further investigation by the university and/or hold formal hearings on the matter. If formal hearings are ordered, each party shall be given equal opportunity to select an advisor of the party’s choice (who may be, but does not need to be, an attorney). This process shall be completed and shall make a final decision on the merits of the complaint within 60 days of receipt of the complaint by the university. The decision of the University Hearing Officer shall be final. Throughout this process the identities of the complaining party and accused will be kept confidential and disclosed only on a need-to-know basis.

 

Sexual Assault

Baptist University of Florida will not tolerate sexual assault in any form, including acquaintance rape. Rape is generally defined as, but not limited to, forced sexual intercourse perpetrated against the will of the victim. This applies regardless of whether the assailant is a stranger or an acquaintance of the victim and applies to all members of the BUF community. The type of force may involve physical violence, the threat of harm to the victim or sexual exploitation of a person who is physically unable to resist or who is unconscious. This policy also applies to any other sex-related assault or offense including any form of sexual battery.

Many forms of sexual assault are a violation of the criminal statues of the State of Florida and may subject the perpetrator to criminal penalties. The university will make no attempt to shield members of the BUF community from the law, nor will it intervene in legal proceedings against a member of the BUF community. In addition to criminal prosecution, BUF will pursue strong disciplinary action through its own channels when there is reason to believe that the university's regulations against sexual assault have been violated. Thus, a member of the BUF community may be prosecuted by the state and disciplined by the university, and even if criminal authorities choose not to prosecute, the university may pursue disciplinary action.

 

Emergency Reporting

BUF encourages victims of sexual assault to report the incident in order to deter these assaults and to ensure that victims receive counseling, advice, and support. Reports of sexual assault should be made immediately to the Director of Campus Safety. Once the Director of Campus Safety learns of a sexual assault on the campus, the office will assist with referral to a professional Christian counselor in the area.

In reported cases of rape, acquaintance rape, or other cases of violent sexual assault, the university will:

• encourage the victim to receive rape crisis counseling and medical attention.
• encourage the victim to report the incident to local police.
• assist the victim in receiving counseling and guidance by referral to a professional Christian counselor.

The university must report the incident, without the name of the victim, to the appropriate law enforcement authorities. Unless specifically requested by the victim not to do so, the university will report the incident and the name of the victim to the Rape Victim Advocate in the State Attorney's Office.

 

Disciplinary Action

Any person electing to initiate a disciplinary action against a student for allegedly violating the rules of the university must inform the Director of Campus Safety as soon as practical, and said action will proceed in accordance with the formal procedure adopted by the university and stated in this handbook. Once disciplinary proceedings have been concluded, the victim is entitled to the results of the proceedings.