The Daily Bulletin Archive

From the Senior Adviser to the President for Equity and Campus Diversity

Buffalo State College is committed to the need for proper treatment of all members of the college community. The college can achieve its educational mission only in an atmosphere of mutual respect that is free from intolerance and that offers equal opportunity to all. Every member of the college community shares the responsibility for addressing incidents of disrespect for dignity of others, acts of discrimination, racism, bigotry, harassment, exclusion, abusive language, or mistreatment of individuals or groups.

Among the goals of the college is the empowerment of a diverse population of students to succeed as citizens of a challenging world. The college is dedicated to maintaining an atmosphere of intellectual vitality, collegiality, and collaboration. It will not have attained its goal until and unless all in its midst obtain fair and equitable treatment in employment and education. For this reason, Buffalo State College condemns and pledges itself to fight against all acts of invidious discrimination, bias, intolerance, or harassment.

Racial discrimination is a particularly serious problem. The goals of the college are undermined and human dignity is offended where employment or educational benefits, opportunities, or privileges are denied or restricted on the basis of race, religion, color, or national origin, or where a racially hostile environment exists. Racial discrimination and illegal discrimination of any sort limit the opportunity for individuals to realize their potential and deny them the rigors, joys, and fulfillment of intellectual curiosity.

Therefore:

It is the policy of Buffalo State College to provide an employment and educational environment free from invidious discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or marital or veteran status. It shall be a violation of this policy for any agent, student, or employee of Buffalo State College to discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or marital or veteran status against any individual with respect to the terms of employment, education, or benefits of any program or activity at Buffalo State College.

To implement this policy:

>> All college faculty, staff, and students are expected to comport themselves in a manner that does not convey to others in the college community any disrespect, intolerance, or rude behavior based on age; race; religion; color; national origin; gender; sexual orientation; disability; or marital, veteran, or socioeconomic status.

>> All members of the college community are expected to contribute to the college environment to move the college community in the direction of respect for all.

>> All persons within the college community who perceive that they have been subjected to discrimination or harassment based on age, race, religion, color, national origin, gender, disability, marital or veteran status, or sexual orientation are urged to present their concerns to the Equity and Campus Diversity Office.

>> All faculty, staff, and students who know of a member of the community who believes that he or she has been subjected to discrimination or harassment are expected to encourage that person to go to the Equity and Campus Diversity Office and, if need be, to offer personal assistance to that person in making the visit to the Equity and Campus Diversity Office.

>> All supervisory and management staff have a responsibility to educate faculty, staff, and students about the value of diversity to the institution. To meet this responsibility supervisors, department heads, and management staff are expected to:

• Regularly communicate with employees and students under their supervision about the college's policy against discrimination, its commitment to diversity, and the need for civility in the community.
• Monitor their behavior to ensure that their behavior offers an appropriate model regarding the policy for employees and students under their supervision.
• Promptly and thoroughly respond to all reports or incidents of invidious discrimination or harassment in their area of responsibility.
• Identify and respect the needs of the victims of discrimination and attempt to restore collegiality and equity following reported incidents of discrimination.
• Confer directly with the Equity and Campus Diversity Office whenever reports or complaints of discrimination or harassment are brought to their attention in their area of responsibility or if they have concerns about an appropriate response to a concern or complaint.