Affirmative Action/Title IX

SUNY Oneonta continues a full commitment to the policy of affirmative action and equal opportunity. It is the policy of SUNY Oneonta to provide equal employment and educational opportunity for all qualified people without regard to age, disability, marital or parental status, national or ethnic origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity or veteran status. It is also the policy of SUNY Oneonta to foster a welcoming and safe learning, working, and living environment where employees, students, and guests are free from harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence.

The Affirmative Action Officer and Title IX Coordinator (AAO) is charged with assuring compliance with state and federal requirements for equal employment opportunity, as well as for equal educational opportunity and compliance with Title IX. This includes acting as a resource for students and employees who have experienced sexual harassment, sexual violence, domestic violence, or stalking.

You are welcome to contact or visit the Affirmative Action Office to speak with the AAO about any questions or concerns you have regarding these issues. If this is an emergency, immediately contact University Police at x3550.

2023 Sexual and Interpersonal Violence Climate Survey

Executive Summary

At SUNY Oneonta, our campus utilized an online administration of the Sexual Violence Prevalence (SVP) Campus Climate Survey. This survey was administered to students and employees and was required to address, at minimum, student and employee knowledge about:

• The Title IX Coordinator’s role;
• Campus policies and procedures addressing sexual assault;
• How and where to report sexual violence as a victim/survivor or witness;
• The availability of resources on and off campus, such as counseling, health, academic assistance;
• The prevalence of victimization and perpetration of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking on and off campus during a set time period (for example, the last two years);
• Bystander attitudes and behavior;
• Whether victims/survivors reported to the College/University and/or police, and reasons why they did or did not report.
• The general awareness of the difference, if any, between the institution’s policies and the penal law; and
• The general awareness of the definition of affirmative consent.

In reviewing the results, we highlight that the survey indicated that students are generally aware of relevant support services available to them. Students are aware of what the Title IX Coordinator does but more information about how to contact the Title IX Coordinator is needed. The survey indicated that students are aware of the different offices on campus they can report sexual assault to but don't necessarily know how to report an incident. The survey that was given to employees indicated that employees are generally aware of the policies and laws. However, more information, outreach, and follow-up are needed to provide information to employees regarding available resources. Faculty are less aware of SUNY's alcohol and/or drug use amnesty policy in reporting sexual violence.

The survey results are assessed by the Title IX Coordinator and others, which leads to continuous improvement in processes and education in this area.

If you have any questions about the survey or the results included in this report, please contact Jennifer Westmoreland, Interim Title IX Coordinator (607-436-2835; Jennifer.Westmoreland@Oneonta.edu).

Background

The SVP survey is administered every other year by all SUNY campuses, who work closely with SUNY System Administration to coordinate the survey administration itself. An effort is made to keep the questions from one administration to the next as consistent as possible to allow for reliable and meaningful longitudinal data. System-wide IRB review takes place for each survey administration.

Our campus administered the student and employee survey between April 7, 2023, and April 28, 2023. Excluded survey populations were individuals under 18 years of age, all incarcerated individuals regardless of age, and all students concurrently enrolled in high school regardless of age. Both surveys were sent to a sampling of eligible participants and no incentives were given.

Employees and students understand the role of a Title IX coordinator, that they receive reports, coordinate campus response, provide accommodations to reporting individuals and ensure training and education. However, only 34% of students know how to contact the Title IX coordinator compared to 65% of employees. The areas on campus that most students and employees state that a sexual assault can be reported to are University Police, Title IX coordinator, counseling center, and health center. Students and employees are aware of the policies and procedures that address sexual assault and 50% of students and 60% of employees state receiving written and/or verbal information about the definition of sexual assault, how, where and to whom to report and the policies themselves. Many employees know how to report an assault and harassment and have disclosed the most recent student incidents to the Title IX coordinator.

Half of the students who completed the survey stated that during the last year they have experienced unwanted sexual comments, sexual slurs, or demeaning jokes. While a quarter of the students who responded stated receiving unwanted sexual digital communications. Most of the students stated that they didn’t know the perpetrator (41%) and 45% stated they were not affiliated with SUNY Oneonta. Unfortunately, 61% of the students stated they did not tell anyone about the incidents, and if they did tell someone it was a friend. Domestic and dating violence is not as prevalent on campus, 16% stated that they were controlled by an intimate partner in the last year and 8% stated they were threatened. Stalking is also not as prevalent on campus, 15% of students stated they had been stalked in the past year.

A small percentage of employees stated that a student had disclosed that they were a victim of an unwanted sexual experience, 10%. Of those 40% stated they reported the incident, and all reported them to the Title IX coordinator. Sexual harassment is less prevalent among employees than students, with 11% of employees stating that they have experienced unwanted sexual comments, sexual slurs, or demeaning jokes in the last year. These incidents tend to occur at an off-campus location, or in an office on campus. Most employees who experienced an incident did confront the person who made the comments. Digital harassment is also less prevalent for employees than students with 6% of employees stating they received unwanted sexually suggestive digital communications in the last year.

Nondiscrimination Policy

Pursuant to University policy, the University is committed to fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff, and students, as well as ensuring equal educational opportunity, employment, and access to services, programs, and activities, without regard to an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, or criminal conviction. Employees, students, applicants or other members of the University community (including but not limited to vendors, visitors, and guests) may not be subjected to harassment that is prohibited by law, or treated adversely or retaliated against based upon a protected characteristic.

The University’s policy is in accordance with federal and state laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination and harassment. These laws include the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as Amended by the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972, and the New York State Human Rights Law.

These laws prohibit discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment and sexual violence. Inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and other laws, regulations and policies prohibiting discrimination may be directed to SUNY Oneonta’s Jennifer Westmoreland, Interim Title IX Coordinator, at 119 Netzer Administration Building; 607-436-2835; Jennifer.Westmoreland@oneonta.edu. Inquiries may also be directed to the United States Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, 32 Old Slip 26th Floor, New York, NY 10005-2500; Tel. (646) 428-3800; Email OCR.NewYork@ed.gov.

Diversity Education Program Request

Please use this form to request a diversity education program/session/workshop. The Office of Equity and Inclusion responds to all requests and will get back to you in a reasonable time frame to discuss additional details related to your request. Sessions are tailored to your group's needs so requests should be submitted at least two weeks in advance to allow for adequate consultation and planning. Thank you.