With more than 32,000 students, staff and faculty from across the nation and around the globe, Emory University gathers together a vibrantly diverse community to learn, teach, serve and exchange ideas — and is committed to ensuring that every one of them can do so in a welcoming, supportive environment.
Emory’s Equal Opportunity and Discriminatory Harassment Policy 1.3 plays an important role in supporting that commitment by outlining the Emory community’s responsibility to actively maintain a learning and working environment free from unlawful discrimination and harassment.
Policy 1.3 is deeply rooted in Titles VI and VII of the U.S. Civil Rights Act and various laws which prohibit discrimination based on personal characteristics such as race, color, religion, or national origin and disability. But the policy components aren’t just about compliance with federal law, according to Niger Thomas, who directs Emory’s Department of Equity and Civil Rights Compliance (DECRC).
“This policy is a shared agreement based on our principles and culture as One Emory,” she says. “It’s a commitment to ensuring equal opportunity for all staff and faculty to pursue career success and advancement, and for all students to freely pursue their educational goals, without being intimidated, harassed or excluded because of who they are.
“This is the way we govern ourselves so that each member of our community can flourish.”
What is unlawful discrimination or harassment?
As an academic institution, Emory abides by the values of academic freedom and open expression, sees contention among different views as positive and necessary for expanding knowledge, and is “committed to the widest possible scope for the free circulation of ideas,” as Policy 1.3 states. At the same time, it must actively guard against unlawful discrimination and respond promptly when reports of discriminatory harassment occur.
To help the community navigate these principles, Policy 1.3 provides explicit guidance on what constitutes discriminatory harassment. This includes:
- Unwelcome conduct on the basis of a protected class characteristic(s), such as race, color and national origin, that is so severe or pervasive that it creates a hostile, offensive or intimidating work or academic environment, or unreasonably interferes with a student’s academic performance.
- This conduct can be verbal or physical or expressed in a written or visual format and need not be targeted at a specific individual.
- Protected class characteristics include race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, genetic information, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran’s status or any factor that is a prohibited consideration under applicable law. They also cover shared ancestral or social characteristics from which a person descends, ethnic traits and ethnoreligious identities.
- The use of racial, ethnic or ancestral slurs or stereotypes and harassing conduct based on an individual’s skin color, physical features, style of dress, language, accent, cultural norms or social characteristics, are strictly prohibited by Policy 1.3.
Reporting concerns
Students, faculty and staff who believe they have been the target of conduct that is objectionable based on race, color, religion, sex, ethnic or national origin (including shared ancestry), age, genetic information, veteran’s status or disability status are encouraged to contact DECRC directly to report discrimination complaints.
Any member of Emory’s community may also file a complaint of discrimination or harassment via the Emory Trustline.
In addition, Emory faculty and staff are responsible for promptly reporting possible incidents of discrimination or harassment they observe or learn about. To aid them in understanding their roles in reporting, the DECRC has published guidelines on its website.
“When students, faculty or staff feel they have experienced discrimination or harassment based on their protected identity, such as their race or national origin or a disability, we want them to know that DECRC is here to help address those concerns and ensure they understand their rights and options,” says Ruth Vaughan, assistant director of investigations.
The Department of Equity and Civil Rights Compliance is part of Emory’s Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance, which advances the university’s commitment to equity and fair treatment of all members of our community. Visit the office’s website for contact information.
How to report discrimination or harassmentGuidance for students and employees, including faculty and staff, who may have experienced discrimination or harassment. Responsibilities for reportingEmory faculty and staff are responsible for promptly reporting possible incidents of discrimination or harassment they observe or learn about. Emory’s REACH guidelines offer a helpful resource. |