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Affirmative Action Policies
Equal Employment Opportunity
SUNY Canton, as a constituent unit of the State University of New York system, endorses and adheres to the State University Board of Trustees' policy on Equal Employment Opportunity adopted on June 30, 1971.
It is the policy of SUNY Canton to provide equal opportunity in all aspects of employment and personnel administration and to prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, marital status, sexual preference, veteran status, or disability. This policy governs all campus employment policies and practices including, but not limited to, recruitment, selection, compensation, promotions, appointments, terminations, layoffs, retrenchments, leaves of absence, training and all other employee benefits. This policy also extends the protection of equal opportunity to student employees.
It is the college's policy to take affirmative action to recruit, employ and promote qualified members of protected groups and to find and correct any discriminatory policies, practices or conditions within the college community. In support of this policy, SUNY Canton affirms the intent to take appropriate action in the event that any applicable federal or state law or regulation is violated, or the implementation of this policy is willfully or habitually impeded.
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is not treated lightly. It is a serious offense. It is the college's intent to eliminate any such degrading treatment of employees or students whether thoughtless or deliberate, general or specific. Such activities will not be condoned or tolerated by the college. Supervisors and managers at all organizational levels are to take strong corrective action to end any questionable activities which come to their attention. Substantiated charges against any employee for sexual harassment will result in appropriate disciplinary action, including possible termination.
Sexual harassment is an unlawful employment practice under Section 703, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bans job discrimination on the basis of sex. These regulations protect all employees. Sexual harassment is also an abuse of authority and a violation of the Code of Ethics subscribed to by all employees. The University extends protection to any students, applicants or other non-employees subjected to treatment by its faculty or staff.
Sexual harassment is defined in the regulations as:
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature...when
- submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment,
- submission or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for employment decisions affecting such individual, or,
- such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.
Although the regulations clearly apply to the treatment of employees by their supervisors or others in positions of authority, similar conduct by fellow workers can also create an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment for an employee, requiring immediate and appropriate corrective action if discovered.
Any employees who feel that they have been sexually harassed can file a complaint under the appropriate grievance procedure. Sexual harassment complaints may also be filed externally with state or federal agencies. Should an aggrieved employee decide to file a grievance or formal complaint, there is legal protection against retaliation. However, if a way can be found to resolve the problem short of such adversary measures, that is generally the best option.
Discrimination
The State University of New York (University), in its continuing effort to seek equity in education and employment and in support of federal and state anti-discrimination legislation, has adopted a complaint procedure for the prompt and equitable investigation and resolution of allegations of unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or marital status. Harassment is one form of unlawful discrimination on the basis of the above protected categories. Conduct that may constitute harassment is described in the Definitions section.
This procedure may be used by any student or employee of a state-operated campus of the University. Employee grievance procedures established through negotiated contracts, academic grievance review committees, student disciplinary grievance boards and any other procedures defined by contract will continue to operate as before. Furthermore, this procedure does not in any way deprive a complainant of the right to file with outside enforcement agencies, such as the New York State Division of Human Rights, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Office for Civil Rights of the United States Department of Education and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance of the United States Department of Labor. However, after filing with one of these outside enforcement agencies, or upon the initiation of litigation, the complaint will be referred to University's office of University counsel for review. Contact information for these agencies is listed in the Other Related Information section below. More detailed information may be obtained from the campus affirmative action officer.
This procedure provides a mechanism through which the University may identify, respond to, and prevent incidents of illegal discrimination. The University recognizes and accepts its responsibility in this regard and believes that the establishment of this internal, non-adversarial grievance process will benefit student, faculty, staff, and administration, permitting investigation and resolution of problems without resorting to the frequently expensive and time-consuming procedures of state and federal enforcement agencies or courts.
All campuses must use this procedure unless the campus has made application for an exception. Requests for an exception, along with a copy of the requesting campus's discrimination complaint procedure must be filed with the office of the University counsel. The request for an exception will be acted upon by the office of University counsel after a review of the campus's complaint procedure. The affirmative action officer on each University campus shall receive any complaint of alleged discrimination, assist the complainant in the use of the complaint form, and provide the complainant with information about various internal and external mechanisms through which the complaint may be filed, including applicable time limits for filing with each agency.
The complainant is not required to pursue the University internal procedures before filing a complaint with a state or federal agency. In addition, if the complainant chooses to pursue the University internal procedure, the complainant is free to file a complaint with the appropriate state or federal agency at any point during the process. Upon filing with an external agency, however, the University internal complaint procedure will be terminated and the matter referred to the office of University counsel for review, defense, or if deemed appropriate by counsel, involvement in mediation, conciliation or settlement with the external agency where the complaint was filed, or such other actions as may be in the interests of the University.
During any portion of the procedures detailed hereafter, the parties shall not employ audio or video taping devices.
Form A - State University of New York Charge of Discrimination
Form B - Memorandum: Status - Resolved
Human Resources
SUNY Canton
34 Cornell Drive
Canton, NY 13617
(315) 386-7325
Fax: (315) 386-7064
