Discrimination and Harassment Policy Revised

The University at Buffalo is committed to ensuring equal employment, educational opportunity, and equal access to services, programs, and activities without regard to an individual's race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, gender, pregnancy, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, predisposing genetic characteristics, marital status, familial status, veteran status, military status, domestic violence victim status, or criminal conviction status. This includes, but is not limited to, recruitment, the application process, examination and testing, hiring, training, grading, disciplinary actions, rates of pay or other compensation, advancement, classification, transfer and reassignment, discharge, and all other terms and conditions of employment, educational status, and access to university programs and activities. 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 based upon a protected characteristic.

The policy was revised to:

• Add transgender and sexual violence victim status to the reasons for an accommodation
• Revise the definition of Retaliation to include opposing discriminatory practices or harassment and assisting a complaint investigation
• Include a responsibility for supervisors, instructors, and others with authority to make decisions on behalf of the university to consider requests for accommodation based on disability, religion, pregnancy, maternity, breastfeeding, transgender status, or sexual violence victim status
• Clarify that contractors, guests, and visitors are considered part of the UB community and that they may file a discrimination complaint
• Refer allegations of serious misconduct that could warrant disciplinary action to the applicable disciplinary offices
• Incorporate new requirements of funding agencies for reporting findings or determinations of sexual harassment, other forms of harassment, or sexual assault, or when the university places employees on administrative leave including suspension
• Clarify that sexual harassment is a form of misconduct with enforceable sanctions (Appendix A)
• Add Appendix C, SUNY Sexual Harassment Response and Prevention Policy Statement

This policy:

• Applies to all persons without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, gender, pregnancy, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, predisposing genetic characteristics, marital status, familial status, veteran status, military status, domestic violence victim status, and criminal conviction status
• Applies to all members of the university community, including students, faculty, staff, volunteers, vendors, visitors, and guests
• Applies to all employment and educational practices and actions
• Applies to all job classifications and titles in the university and to all types of appointments under university jurisdiction, whether full time, part time, or volunteer
• Governs all university policies, practices, and actions including but not limited to recruitment, hire, rate of pay or other compensation, advancement, upgrading, promotion, demotion, renewal, non-renewal, termination, transfer, layoff, leave, training, grading, housing, and employee and student benefits of whatever nature
• Applies to all university organizational units
• Expects that each contractor, supplier, union, public agency, or cooperative agent will support this policy by complying with applicable state and federal equal employment opportunity laws and regulations

Questions can be directed to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at 716-645-2266 or diversity@buffalo.edu.