Policy on Sexual Harassment

Harassment harms the learning community
Academic freedom, creativity, professional achievement and personal development flourish in a healthy environment. Such an environment must be one in which all employees and students can pursue their work free from coercion, intimidation, and exploitation. Harassment is antithetical to the mission of the College and violations of this policy will result in disciplinary action up to and including expulsion or termination.

By law and SUNY policy, sexual harassment is defined as:
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:

1. submission to such contact is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment or education
2. submission or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment or educational decisions affecting the individuals
3. such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s welfare, academic or work performance, or creating an intimidating, hostile or demeaning learning or work environment.

NOTE: The law and this policy applies equally to employees and students, regardless of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Those who feel they have been victims of such discrimination should contact the Affirmative Action Officer or the Chief Human Resources Officer. Pursuing a complaint on the campus does not rescind the right to file with an outside enforcement agency such as the State Division of Human Rights.

Sexual harassment may include:

1. subtle persistent pressure for sexual activity
2. unnecessary touching, pinching, and/or brushing against a person
3. sexual coercion or assault
4. demanding sexual favors with implied or overt threats concerning work or academic decision or preferential treatment
5. unwelcome verbal/expressive behavior of a sexual nature (e.g., jokes, sounds, obscene phone calls, demeaning graphic portrayals)
6. stalking, cyberstalking, and failure to accept the termination of a consensual relationship with repeated overtures or other aberrant or negative behavior

Sexual harassment is a violation of the law and of SUNY policy
Harassment on the basis of sex is a violation of New York State law and the Federal Civil Rights Act. The Governor’s Office has reaffirmed the law for State employees, and the SUNY Board of Trustees has affirmed the right of all students to be free from sexual harassment.

What to Do if you Believe you have been Harassed at Work[1]

1) If you feel comfortable doing so, tell the person who is harassing you to stop.

2) If you do not feel comfortable confronting the harasser directly, or if the behavior does not stop, follow the steps below:

1. Report it to your supervisor .You can talk with your own supervisor, the supervisor of the person who is harassing you, any supervisor in the organization and with Human Resources.
2. The law protects you from retaliation (punishment) for complaining about harassment. You have a right to report harassment, participate in a harassment investigation or lawsuit, or oppose harassment, without being retaliated against for doing so.
3. You always have an option of filing a charge of discrimination with the EEOC to complain about the harassment. There are specific time limits for filing a charge (180 or 300 days, depending on where you work), so contact EEOC promptly. See EEOC’s How to File a Charge of Employment Discrimination. You can also meet with EEOC to discuss your situation and your options. This conversation is confidential. Note: federal employees and job applicants have a different complaint process and different time limits.

[1] (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, n.d.)

Relationships with Students
One of the hallmarks of the Purchase experience for students is the opportunity to establish relationships with faculty and staff that extend beyond the classroom and office. These relationships help to provide an environment in which faculty and staff serve as role models and mentors, facilitating students’ intellectual and personal growth.

Trust and respect are diminished when those in positions of authority abuse, or appear to abuse their power. It is ethically wrong for faculty or staff to use their positions to exploit students. Voluntary consent by a student to a sexual relationship with faculty or staff is suspect, given the imbalance of power in such a relationship. Students involved in such relationships are at risk of exploitation. Faculty or staff involved in such relationships are creating potential conflicts of interest, personal liability to charges of sexual harassment, and interference with the welfare, academic, or work performance of others.

Sexual Orientation
The definition of “sexual orientation[2]” added by SONDA to Section 292 of the Human Rights Law, New York’s anti-discrimination statute, reads: “The term `sexual orientation’ means heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality or asexuality, whether actual or perceived.”

[2] (The New York State Senate, 2023-2024)

Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act (SONDA)

The Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act, typically known by its acronym “SONDA,” prohibits discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, credit, and the exercise of civil rights. New York has long prohibited discrimination on the basis of certain characteristics, such as race, sex, and religion. SONDA added the term “sexual orientation” to the list of specifically protected characteristics in various State laws, including the Human Rights Law, the Civil Rights Law, and the Education Law.

GENDA Act

The Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) prohibits discrimination gender identity or expression. The law defines gender identity or expression as “a person’s actual or perceived gender-related identity, appearance, behavior, expression, or other gender-related characteristic regardless of the sex assigned to that person at birth, including, but not limited to, the status of bring transgender. GENDA also includes offenses regarding gender identity or expression within the list of offenses which may be treated as hate crimes by the State. To view the full text of The Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) (Senate Bill S1047), please visit the following New York State Senate Website.  

1. Complaints may be made to the Affirmative Action Officer or the Chief Human Resources Officer. This does not rescind a person’s right to file a complaint with the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations.

The following people on campus are available to help you:

Sapna Raj
Interim Title IX Coordinator
Purchase College
735 Anderson Hill Road
Purchase, NY 10577
TIX-AA@purchase.edu

Patricia Bice
Interim Chief Diversity Officer
Purchase College
735 Anderson Hill Road
Purchase, NY 10577
CDO.chief.diversity.officer@purchase.edu

Director of Counseling— (914) 251-6390

Employee Assistance Program Coordinator— (914) 251-6098
Humanities Building, Room 1002

Ombudsman— (914) 251-6520
Student Services Building, Room 217

You also have the right to contact off-campus agencies that have the responsibility of enforcing laws related to sexual harassment:

NYS Division of Human Rights—(914) 788-8050
8 John Walsh Blvd., Suite 204
Peekskill, NY 10566

Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission—(212) 366-3620
201 Varick Street, Room 1009
New York, NY 10014

SUNY Sexual Assault & Violence Response (SAVR) Resources:

SUNY’s Sexual Assault & Violence Response (SUNY SAVR) resource website provides SUNY community members with information that can be used to seek resources and support, and to report crimes to law enforcement and the appropriate campus resources. For more information on SUNY SAVR, the Sexual Harassment Policy or the Sexual Harassment Complaint Procedure please visit the SUNY SAVR website.

 

Updated 10/09/2025