Marquette: McAdams matter FAQs

[ChicosBailBonds]

Most Universities contract out to the same company and used canned online training packets that are approved to CYA in case of any lawsuits.

That makes things extremely similar across Universities as it allows them to point out that this is the same training approved for and being used by almost all Universities.

Is this an opinion, or a fact?  From what little research I did on the web, looks like many more than just "the same company".

[muwarrior69]

What you describe is how the training is actually set up.  It places everything in context and in tone.  The purpose is to show what one can discuss topics openly to learn more and teach, without being offensive. 

If the theology instructors are really feeling hampered by the training etc., then they need to learn how to teach properly...they are doing it wrong.  There is nothing in the trainings that say topics cannot be discussed at all; or that brining up a topic is offensive.

So if a theology professor states emphatically in class that homosexual behavior is sinful according to church teaching, is that harassment? If two or more students come out of that class and start discussing homosexual behavior in the hall way and some other student overhears that conversation and is "offended" is that harassment according to Title IX training? How does one teach Catholic doctrine and still comply with Title IX directives without "offending" someone.

[GGGG]

So if a theology professor states emphatically in class that homosexual behavior is sinful according to church teaching, is that harassment? If two or more students come out of that class and start discussing homosexual behavior in the hall way and some other student overhears that conversation and is "offended" is that harassment according to Title IX training?

If the professor simply states that it is against Catholic theology, that is definitely not harassment.  The second isn't either. 

Remember your first point was about employee training. 

[forgetful]

Is this an opinion, or a fact?  From what little research I did on the web, looks like many more than just "the same company".

How about this.  I just talked to a good friend who is a faculty member in biology at MU.  They confirmed that MU uses the same Title IX and Diversity module as my University.

[ChicosBailBonds]

How about this.  I just talked to a good friend who is a faculty member in biology at MU.  They confirmed that MU uses the same Title IX and Diversity module as my University.

Cool, so two out of several thousand....that must mean the same company.       Be honest, also, your friend actually knows the company that delivers the Title IX module training?    That's some great branding by that company.  How often do you guys take this training...daily?      Or is it once a year? 

[GGGG]

Cool, so two out of several thousand....that must mean the same company.       Be honest, also, your friend actually knows the company that delivers the Title IX module training?    That's some great branding by that company.  How often do you guys take this training...daily?      Or is it once a year? 

At our shop, every new employee takes it and everyone has to re-up every five years.  Student affairs and athletics require it every two or three.

[ChicosBailBonds]

At our shop, every new employee takes it and everyone has to re-up every five years.  Student affairs and athletics require it every two or three.

Exactly.   In my line of work, we have to take these type of trainings, once a year, some once every two years.  Let's just say I find it more than a bit impressive that Forgetful's good friend remembers who provides the module at MU for this sort of thing.  That's very impressive and that company rep or whomever put that module together deserves a big raise for the recall from the biology department.   

[muwarrior69]

Exactly.   In my line of work, we have to take these type of trainings, once a year, some once every two years.  Let's just say I find it more than a bit impressive that Forgetful's good friend remembers who provides the module at MU for this sort of thing.  That's very impressive and that company rep or whomever put that module together deserves a big raise for the recall from the biology department.   

I am glad that I am retired. Would not last a day in the Orwellian work place we have now. I guess today my individual rights guaranteed to me are subordinate to the rights of the protected classes.

[GGGG]

I am glad that I am retired. Would not last a day in the Orwellian work place we have now. I guess today my individual rights guaranteed to me are subordinate to the rights of the protected classes.

WTF are you talking about?  It's about harassment in the work place.  It isn't "Orwellian" in the least.

[muwarrior69]

WTF are you talking about?  It's about harassment in the work place.  It isn't "Orwellian" in the least.

So are employees free to disagree with the definitions of harassment as set out in the training? If I and another co-worker are having a conversation over lunch about transgender people in locker rooms which is a topic of interest today and another employee overhears it and is "offended" and reports it to HR and then we are called into the office with the boss for a "sit down" sounds pretty "Orwellian" to me. But then your definition of Orwellian may differ from mine.

[GGGG]

So employees are free to disagree with the definitions of harassment as set out in the training? If I and another co-worker are having a conversation over lunch about transgender people in locker rooms which is a topic of interest today and another employee overhears it and is "offended" and reports it to HR and then we are called into the office with the boss for a "sit down" sounds pretty "Orwellian" to me. But then your definition of Orwellian may differ from mine.

First, if someone reports it, it doesn't mean it's harassment.  People can report whatever they want.

Second, it depends on how it is being discussed.  If you are saying "I can't believe those freaks want to use the women's room," then yeah.  It's offensive.

Third, this is not about Marquette University.  This is pretty much the case in every workplace.

Fourth, the last thing anyone should do is discuss politics or these types of issues in the workplace.  I have mentioned this before, but my secretary for the past 12 years is a young-earth creationist, die hard Trump supporter.  She is great at her job. 

[muwarrior69]

First, if someone reports it, it doesn't mean it's harassment.  People can report whatever they want.

Second, it depends on how it is being discussed.  If you are saying "I can't believe those freaks want to use the women's room," then yeah.  It's offensive.

Third, this is not about Marquette University.  This is pretty much the case in every workplace.

Fourth, the last thing anyone should do is discuss politics or these types of issues in the workplace. I have mentioned this before, but my secretary for the past 12 years is a young-earth creationist, die hard Trump supporter.  She is great at her job.

But that is exactly what they do when you go to training. Harassment training is politics (Title IX). So its OK to force one political agenda on everyone and pretty much tell them what they can't or shouldn't say.

[GGGG]

But that is exactly what they do when you go to training. Harassment training is politics (Title IX). So its OK to force one political agenda on everyone and pretty much tell them what they can't or shouldn't say.

Uh no.  White, male, heterosexual, Christians can't be harassed either based on their race, gender, sexual preference and religion.  Title IX applies to men as well.

[muwarrior69]

Uh no.  White, male, heterosexual, Christians can't be harassed either based on their race, gender, sexual preference and religion.  Title IX applies to men as well.

So where in the training does it give examples of that?

[GGGG]

So where in the training does it give examples of that?

The one we used certainly gave examples of that.  Just logged on to the training module we use and they give all shorts of examples.  Men harassing men.  Women harassing women. 

You really are looking hard for something that doesn't exist.

[forgetful]

Exactly.   In my line of work, we have to take these type of trainings, once a year, some once every two years.  Let's just say I find it more than a bit impressive that Forgetful's good friend remembers who provides the module at MU for this sort of thing.  That's very impressive and that company rep or whomever put that module together deserves a big raise for the recall from the biology department.   

You really are insufferable. 

Although we only have to take it every several years; the coursework remains in our training accounts.  My friend and I just opened our modules and compared notes.  Quite simple.  No recall required. 

[Coleman]

I am responsible for some of the ethics and compliance training at my (non-university) workplace. I can confirm that our vendor works with many, many, other companies. There are not a huge amount of players in this space, for the simple reason that a lot of ethics training has specific requirements about what needs to be covered, so it makes sense from a cost perspective to make your training as uniform as possible. It is dull, but it meets the requirements.

I don't see why universities would be any different.

[Benny B]

I am responsible for some of the ethics and compliance training at my (non-university) workplace. I can confirm that our vendor works with many, many, other companies. There are not a huge amount of players in this space, for the simple reason that a lot of ethics training has specific requirements about what needs to be covered, so it makes sense from a cost perspective to make your training as uniform as possible. It is dull, but it meets the requirements.

I don't see why universities would be any different.

The training may not come from the same company/vendor, but put it this way... as soon as one company comes up with a training course that is used to successfully defend against an allegation, every other company providing training begins duplicating their material. 

This is just another example of industry "best practices"... you might have a bunch of independent consultants out there, but they're all sharing the same materials/methods because if any one of them were to fail and it goes viral, it makes their whole industry look bad... not to mention the calls of "why the hell are we paying $X for this when it didn't do a whole lot of good for that other company."

[WellsstreetWanderer]

Been a while since I had to suffer through one of those sessions so I can't comment on them now. But things are so touchy about what can and can't be done I am glad I just retired..
Can't help but think back to the 90's when a nurse's surgery dept had a sign that read

     Sexual Harassment in this department
     Will not be reported
      But will be graded

  Sometimes a sense of humor can work better than outrage

[warriorchick]

Been a while since I had to suffer through one of those sessions so I can't comment on them now. But things are so touchy about what can and can't be done I am glad I just retired..
Can't help but think back to the 90's when a nurse's surgery dept had a sign that read

     Sexual Harassment in this department
     Will not be reported
      But will be graded

  Sometimes a sense of humor can work better than outrage

You honestly think that is funny?

[Lennys Tap]

You honestly think that is funny?

SNL did a skit on sexual harassment a while back. The gist was that an innocent nerd could be crucified by the same women in an office who viewed extremely coarse behavior by a "McDreamy" as harmless flirtation. I'd bet anything it was written by one of the female cast members. I  thought it was hilarious.

[Benny B]

You honestly think that is funny?

Considering that nurses are predominantly female, it was probably the lone male nurse in the department who was being harassed all the time.

If it was at an accounting firm, completely different story.

SNL did a skit on sexual harassment a while back. The gist was that an innocent nerd could be crucified by the same women in an office who viewed extremely coarse behavior by a "McDreamy" as harmless flirtation. I'd bet anything it was written by one of the female cast members. I  thought it was hilarious.

I saw this too; good comedy.  Unfortunately, it's probably not too far off reality.

[warriorchick]

Considering that nurses are predominantly female, it was probably the lone male nurse in the department who was being harassed all the time.

If it was at an accounting firm, completely different story.

I am sure it is funny until some male doctor rubs himself against your daughter or wife and says, "So...was I good enough to get an A?"

[Coleman]

I'm with chick on this one

[Benny B]

I am sure it is funny until some male doctor rubs himself against your daughter or wife and says, "So...was I good enough to get an A?"

I don't think it's the ladies who are the ones being harassed here.  Male nurses, especially those in rural hospitals, are more often the target of harassment than the female nurses.  It just isn't reported.  Somewhere there was a male nurse in the 90s either with a sense of humor or who was just enjoying the soap opera.  Doesn't make it funny at all.  It's actually pretty sad to think that a) it occurs at all, and b) it's passively condoned by some.