Dear York College Community:
I am writing to notify you that CUNY’s Board of Trustees adopted a revised
Policy on Sex-Based Misconduct (“the Policy”), effective August 1, 2024, based on the newly revised Title IX regulations issued by the United States Department of Education earlier this year.
Title IX is a federal civil rights law that was passed as part of the Education Amendments of 1972 and has been central in addressing sex-based discrimination in higher education institutions. It prohibits discrimination based on sex in any education program or activity that receives federal funding and is critical to ensuring that all members of our community have equal access to educational opportunities and resources, free from discrimination, harassment, or violence.
Key revisions in this new Title IX Policy include but are not limited to:
Adding revised categories of discrimination based on gender identity; past, present, or potential pregnancy or related conditions; sex characteristics; sex stereotypes; and sexual orientation as possible bases for a finding of Sex-Based Misconduct (Section IV(B) (1-5));
expanding the definition of Mandatory Reporters – formerly known as Responsible Employees – i.e., those employees with a duty to report allegations of Sex-Based Misconduct to the Title IX Officer. This group has been expanded to include, with the exception of employees designated as “Confidential Employees,” every employee who has the authority to institute corrective measures on behalf of CUNY, as well as all employees who have a responsibility for administrative leadership, teaching (new), or advising within CUNY (Section VI(B));
addressing specific actions an employee (revised to include all faculty and staff) must take if a student informs them that they are pregnant (Section VI - G), as well as explicitly detailing the accommodations available to students and employees who are seeking an accommodation due to pregnancy or a related condition (Section VII - D4); and
providing that supervisory employees are prohibited from engaging in an intimate relationship with an employee they supervise, unless they notify their supervisor, the Executive Director of Human Resources for their school, college, or unit, or the Labor Designee for their school, college, or unit, such that they will have an opportunity to neutralize any conflict of interest created by the relationship (Section IV(B)(7)(¶2)).
We remain committed to providing robust and comprehensive services to our community. The Policy details, in Section VII(D), the supportive measures available to all community members affected by sex-based misconduct, regardless of whether or not an individual chooses to move forward with a complaint. Moreover, in Section X, the Policy details a robust list of external resources available to individuals who may be in need of their services.
We strongly encourage all members of our community to familiarize themselves with the
new Policy. If you have any questions or need further clarification about the new Policy, please review York/ CUNY’s
Title IX webpage and the York College Diversity & Compliance website at Diversity and Compliance - York College (cuny.edu) and review the full policy here:
Sexual-Misconduct-Policy.pdf (cuny.edu).
York College is dedicated to upholding the principles of equity, safety, and respect. We believe that this revised Policy will strengthen our commitment to these values and ensure that our campus remains a place where everyone can thrive.
Thank you for your attention to the revised Policy and ensuring that we remain in compliance.
Kind Regards,
Arlene Peterson
Interim Chief Diversity Officer/
Title IX Coordinator/ 504/ADA Coordinator
Office of Diversity & Compliance
York College/CUNY
apeterson1@PROTECTED