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Policy On Sexual Harassment

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University (Downstate), as employer and as educator, remains committed to providing an environment free from sexual harassment for its employees and students. In addition, as academic medical center Downstate provides protection from and access to redress sexual harassment allegations of students, as recommended in Title IX of the 1972 Educational Amendments.

It is the policy of Downstate, in keeping with efforts to establish an environment in which the dignity and worth of all members of our community are respected, that sexual harassment of employees and students is unacceptable conduct and will not be tolerated and appropriate corrective action will be taken promptly. Sexual Harassment may involve the behavior of a person of the opposite or same sex, when that behavior falls within the definition outlined below.

Definition

Sexual harassment of employees and students at Downstate is defined as any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, as well as gender-based harassment that need not include sexual advances, when:

  • submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment or status as a student; or
  • submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for decisions affecting the employment or academic status of that individual; or
  • such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or educational experience, or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work or educational environment. A hostile environment is created by, but not limited to, discriminatory intimidation, ridicule or insult. It need not result in an economic loss to the affected person.

These guidelines define sexual harassment and recognize it as a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. There are many types of conduct that could constitute sexual harassment. Some examples include, but are not limited to, demanding sexual favors in exchange for a promotion or raise, changing performance expectations after a subordinate refuses repeated requests for a date, comments about body parts or sex life, leering, offensive e-mail, off-color jokes, touching inappropriately, gestures, suggestive pictures, and/or personal gifts.

 

Complaint Process

Persons who feel that they have been sexually harassed or a victim of sexual misconduct under the definition described above and would like further information, or assistance in filing a complaint, should contact Downstate's Office of Diversity & Inclusion (ODI), at extension 1738 or by email: AskODI@Downstate.edu. Sexual misconduct complaints filed with ODI will be handled in compliance with SUNY Downstate's Complaint Procedure Process. 

Threats of Sexual Violence

Those persons who feel physically threatened or are the victims of a crime must contact University Police/Public Safety at extension 2626. Complaints will be kept confidential to the extent possible.

Filing a complaint internally does not preclude an employee or student from filing a complaint with the appropriate external agency. For more information, please contact ODI at: AskODI@Downstate.edu or call: (718) 270-1738.

Filing a Complaint After 5pm

For those who have a complaint concerning sexual harassment that they wish to make during off- hours (5:00 p.m. - 9:00 a.m.), the following procedures are available:

  1. For incidents that take place within University Hospital, employees or students or members of the public may contact University Police/Public Safety at extension 2626 to notify them of the complaint. A University Police/Public Safety Supervisor will arrange to take the complaint and will simultaneously notify the Hospital Administrator on Duty (AOD) or the Nursing Supervisor on Duty. The AOD or the Nursing Supervisor will have the responsibility to take any immediate steps that may be necessary to protect the complainant until the next business day, when the ODI initiates contact with the complainant. University Police/Public Safety and the AOD will transmit the information to ODI by hand by 9:00 a.m. the next business day.
  2. If, for any reason, the complainant chooses not to report the incident(s) to University Police/Public Safety (if, for example, the alleged harasser may be a member of that Department), then the complainant should call extension 2121, the Page Operator, and page the Hospital Administrator on Duty (AOD), or, in the AOD's absence, the Nursing Supervisor on Duty. The AOD or the Nursing Supervisor will respond by contacting the complainant, meeting with her/him and taking a brief statement. In this instance, the AOD or the Nursing Supervisor will be solely responsible for an administrative response that protects the complainant until the ODI initiates contact with the complainant and has an opportunity to investigate. The AOD or the Nursing Supervisor will transmit the report to ODI at 9:00 a.m. the next business day.
  3. For incidents that occur outside University Hospital proper [for example, in the Basic Science Building or the Health Science Education Building, or a satellite clinic], persons should contact University Police/Public Safety at extension 2626 to report any complaint of sexual harassment. A University Police/Public Safety Supervisor will respond, take the complaint and have the responsibility to take any immediate steps that may be necessary to protect the complainant until the next business day, when ODI initiates contact with the complainant and has an opportunity to investigate. University Police/Public Safety will transmit the report to ODI at 9:00 a.m. the next business day.
  4. If the person who believes that she/he has experienced sexual harassment believes an administrative response to the report can wait until the next day, that person may also leave a telephone message at extension 1738 or email: AskODI@Downstate.edu. The individual should leave a clear message as to how to contact her/him the next morning. ODI will respond to the complaint during the next business day.

Any individual who believes she/he has experienced sexual harassment is strongly encouraged to promptly give a written statement to ODI. This procedure provides a better opportunity to investigate and expeditiously remedy any misconduct.

Retaliation of any kind will not be tolerated. This prohibition includes any retaliation against a person who files a complaint of discrimination/sexual misconduct, participates in an ODI investigation or objects to discrimination/sexual misconduct.

Downstate strongly encourages students and employees to offer support to anyone who believes he or she is the subject of sexual misconduct or discrimination.