Non-Discrimination
Employment of People with Disabilities | Students with Disabilities
Sexual Discrimination and Harassment | Grievance Procedure
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Office of Affirmative ActionNon-DiscriminationEmployment of People with Disabilities | Students with Disabilities |
The State of New York at Fredonia fully subscribes to the Non-discrimination Policy of the State University of New York.
The State University of New York, in accordance with applicable federal and state laws, does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital status, and arrest and/or conviction record. Further, in accordance with the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Acts, disabled and Vietnam Era veterans are ensured of non-discriminatory treatment.
Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the provision of any services or benefits by state agencies and in any matter relating to employment is prohibited by the Governor's Executive Order No. 28. The policy of the State University of New York Board of Trustees also requires that personal preferences of individuals which are unrelated to performance such as sexual orientation shall provided no basis for judgment of such individuals.
Any violations of the university's non-discrimination policy should be reported to Sandra A. Lewis, Director, Affirmative Action Office, Room 143, Fenton Hall. Telephone number (716) 673-3358, e-mail address: aaoffice@fredonia.edu
A SUNY-wide grievance procedure is available to all students and employees in cases of discrimination. If you feel you have been a victim of discrimination for any of the above reasons, feel free to contact, Mrs. Sandra Lewis. Persons who wish to initiate such a grievance or complaint should also feel free to bring a friend or advisor with them.
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It is the policy and intent of the State University of New York College at Fredonia that no otherwise qualified disabled individual shall, solely by reason of his/her disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in college employment.
The SUNY College at Fredonia will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of physical or mental disability in regard to any position for which the employee or applicant for employment is qualified. The college will employ, advance in employment, and otherwise treat qualified disabled individuals without discrimination based upon their physical or mental disability in all employment practices including, but not limited to, employment, upgrading, demotion or transfer, recruitment or recruitment advertising, layoff or termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation, and selection for training.
Should a disabled individual file a campus complaint that the college is not complying with the requirements of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Director of Affirmative Action will investigate the complaint fully and take appropriate action to conciliate the matter by informal means. In accordance with the record keeping obligation of federal regulations, "records of complaints and actions taken thereunder" shall be maintained "for a period of not less than one year."
Should a disabled individual file a complaint with the Department of Labor alleging that the college has not complied with the requirements of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, or the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the college will (1) cooperate with the Department in its investigation of the complaint, and (2) provide all pertinent information regarding the college's employment practices with respect to the disabled.
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SUNY Fredonia also welcomes the federal law requiring colleges to make programs accessible to the otherwise qualified disabled students they admit, including learning-disabled students. It is college policy that such students fulfill the same degree and program requirements as all other students, but that they be given all reasonable help in doing so. Such help my include, but is not limited to, scheduled tutoring, special counseling, extended time for examinations, permission to tape lectures, readers or scribes for tests, and other assistance.
It is the responsibility of students to identify themselves as disabled upon entrance to the college, by notifying the Coordinator of Disabled Student Services. The coordinator and the student will meet to discuss the student's problems on the basis of the clinical diagnosis which has established the existence of a disability. It will then be the coordinator's task to decide what kinds of assistance are necessary in order to ensure that the student is able to participate fully in the academic life of the college.
With the student's permission, the coordinator will contact the appropriate instructors and academic advisors each semester with a list of those accommodations which need to be made in order for the disabled student to pursue the chosen course of study.
The coordinator will also be responsible for facilitating tutorial arrangements, expediting the acquisition of external funds such as vocational rehabilitation monies, and, where necessary, recommending appointments with the Counseling Center. It will be the disabled student's responsibility to see the coordinator on a mutually agreed upon basis.
The State University of New York at Fredonia is prepared to respond to the needs of students with disabilities. For specific information about services and facilities for the disabled, contact:
Adam Hino, Coordinator for Students
with Disabilities
4th Floor, Reed Library - (716) 673-3270
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II. Title IX:
In accordance with Title IX of the Educational Amendments 1972, it is the policy of the College at Fredonia not to discriminate on the basis of sex in any educational program or activity administered by this college. This policy extends to employment in and admission to such programs and activities.
III. Sexual Discrimination and Sexual Harassment:
The College Policy
Sexual discrimination in the form of sexual harassment, defined as the use of one's authority and power to coerce another individual into sexual acts or relations or to punish the other for his/her refusal, shall be a violation of the policy of State University of New York College at Fredonia.
What is Sexual Discrimination?
"No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance." (Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972).
What is Sexual Harassment?
Sexual harassment may include repeated unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature carried out by someone in the workplace or educational setting. Such behavior may offend the recipient, cause discomfort or humiliation and interfere with job or school performance.
Students often feel powerless in such situations but there are people on campus who are willing to talk to them about those problems without any obligation on the part of either party. Such situations as those described above are not condoned by State University of New York College at Fredonia nor the teaching profession. In some instances they occur out of ignorance and misunderstanding and need only to be brought to the attention of the professor. In other instances they can be considered unethical and subject to professional reprimand.
Actions You Can Take (in suggested order)
1. Talk to the professor or staff person.
Carefully explain why you view the particular comment, joke, course reading,
action taken, etc. as sexist. Regard the meeting as a kind of consciousness-raising session where you can help him/her understand how you feel. Sometimes people aren't aware of how their remarks or actions affect someone else, and communicating your feelings to the professor might be the most helpful to him/her in avoiding such actions in the future. Be sure to prepare for the meeting ahead of time with documentation (e.g. class notes, tapes, specific comments he/she made and a logical presentation. (Sometimes people don't understand how sexist remarks can hurt; it might help you to draw the analogy of racists or anti-ethical remarks: "Would you make fun of a person's skin color or
ethnic background? Then why do so with gender?")
To get support, consider going to see the professor with several other people from class. If you can't find others in the class (and discussing the issues with other students in itself may help raise consciousness), take friends along who aren't in the class. You might also seek help from those listed below.
2. Contact college people and groups who are concerned about sexual discrimination. These people are willing to listen to you, discuss specific incidents and provide help and advice if you want them:
3. If you have talked to the professor and staff person and sexual discrimination continues, write a letter to him/her documenting the incidents and explaining why they are offensive. State that you have not obtained results from previous discussion(s) and note the date(s) of the discussion(s). Send a carbon copy to the head of the department or unit and to one of the above-listed people. If you fail to receive a satisfactory answer from the staff members and/or department or unit head, request a meeting with the two of them and take along an objective third party (another professor or perhaps one of the people in the above list.)
4. Don't enroll in classes which are sexually discriminatory, and let the professor know why you haven't enrolled. In filling out course evaluation forms, make it known why such discriminatory comments or actions have offended you. If the professor has responded to your earlier complaints and has made efforts to change, support those efforts in your evaluation. Remember to always give fun support to professors who are fair and who treat students as human beings regardless of their gender.
5. It may be necessary to file a formal grievance or complaint. This is a very serious step and should not be undertaken without discussion and counsel with a staff member who understands established grievance procedures at the College at Fredonia. Once again consult with one of the people on the above list.
Credit for the above is readily given to the Project on the Status of Education of Women, Association of American Colleges, 1818 R St., NW, Washington, DC, and the Utah State University Committee on the Status of Women.
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Consistent with the State University of New York's policy to ensure fair treatment to all individuals, employees and students alleging discrimination because of violations of any of the above policies (Non-Discrimination, Employment of Disabled Persons, and Sexual Discrimination and Harassment) may use the State University of New York Internal Discrimination Grievance Procedure for review of their allegations. (See the Grievance Procedure in Appendix D of the Faculty Handbook, Section VIII.6)
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