What is Title IX?

Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. section 1681 is a federal civil rights law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex, including gender identity and gender expression, in education programs and activities. It provides that “[n]o person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” In particular, Title IX prohibits forms of discrimination based on sex, including gender identity and gender expression, such as harassment, sexual assault, or sexual violence.

Because Empire State University receives federal financial assistance, all students and employees are covered by Title IX.

University Policy

Consistent with federal and state guidelines, Empire State University does not discriminate on the basis of age, carrier status, color, disability, domestic violence victim, gender, gender identity, genetic predisposition, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation or veteran status in its educational programs or employment.

Title IX also prohibits other forms of sex discrimination such as harassment or sexual violence.

For further resources please visit SUNY's Sexual Assault & Violence Response (SAVR) Resources.

Role of the Title IX Coordinator

The Title IX Coordinator is responsible for the oversight of:

  • Employee and student notification and education about their rights under Title IX
  • Grievance procedures of alleged discriminatory behaviors in violation of Title IX
  • Monitoring university compliance related to all aspects of Title IX.

Contact the Title IX Coordinator

Lindsay Holcomb, Director of Human Resources
Phone: 518-587-2100, ext. 2240
Email: TitleIX@sunyempire.edu

Policies and procedures for reporting concerns and complaints:

Resource for victims and survivors Response.suny.edu

 

Title IX training materials may be found by clicking the Student Conduct Institute button below.

SCI Member Badge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Executive Summary

On March 20, 2023, Empire State University began an online administration of the Sexual Violence Prevalence (SVP) Campus Climate Survey. This survey was administered to students and employees and is required to address, at minimum, student and employee knowledge about:

  • The Title IX Coordinator’s role;
  • Campus policies and procedures addressing sexual assault;
  • How and where to report sexual violence as a victim/survivor or witness;
  • The availability of resources on and off campus, such as counseling, health, and academic assistance;
  • The prevalence of victimization and perpetration of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking on and off campus during a set time period (for example, the last two years);
  • Bystander attitudes and behavior;
  • Whether victims/survivors reported to the College/University and/or police, and reasons why they did or did not report;
  • The general awareness of the difference, if any, between the institution’s policies and the penal law; and
  • The general awareness of the definition of affirmative consent.

Empire State University is a nonresidential institution with locations across New York State with students who study almost exclusively via distance education. The survey results show that employees are more likely than students to be aware of various campus resources (e.g., the office of student conduct, university police/public safety, human resources, local police/sheriff, local health services). Most employees (90%) are aware of Empire’s policies and procedures specifically addressing sexual assault, while 65% of students are aware and 35% are not sure. About two-thirds (67.1%) of employees know how to contact the Title IX Coordinator, while 22.4% are not sure; only about a quarter (27.8%) of students know how to contact the Title IX Coordinator, while 34.1% are not sure. About 40% of employees are aware of SUNY’s alcohol and/or drug use amnesty policy in reporting sexual violence, while 33% of students are aware of the policy.

About ten percent of student respondents and six percent of employee respondents indicated experiencing unwanted sexual comments, sexual slurs, or demeaning jokes during the last year. About seven percent of student respondents and four percent of employee respondents indicated experiencing unwanted sexually suggestive digital or written communications during the last year.

Of the 41 student respondents that indicated experiencing sexual harassment or sexual assault during the last year, approximately one in ten (n=5, 12.2%) reported that someone affiliated with the campus community was involved.

The majority of student respondents agreed that if they or a friend filed a formal complaint of sexual violence on campus, the university would take the report seriously, conduct a fair investigation, and provide the student with necessary support during the process. The majority of employee respondents agreed that if they reported a student complaint of sexual violence on campus, the university would take the report seriously, conduct a fair investigation, and provide the student with necessary support during the process.

The survey results were reviewed by the Title IX Coordinator and the Director of Human Resources and will be shared with Public Safety, members of the Cabinet and Student Success. In the past, results have been used to refine Title IX trainings, a practice that will continue. Specifically, in addition to delivering Title IX training to new students, the 2023 data has alerted the University to the importance of delivering refresher courses to continuing students and to consider administering pulse surveys throughout the academic year. Enhancing the Title IX education of all students and employees aligns with the University’s Strategic Priority of Student Success by fostering a climate and culture of safety, inclusion, civility, and support.  

If you have any questions about the survey or the results included in this report, please contact the Title IX Coordinator, TitleIX@sunyempire.edu.

Background

The SVP survey is administered every other year by all SUNY campuses, who work closely with SUNY System Administration to coordinate the survey administration. An effort is made to keep the questions from one administration to the next as consistent as possible to allow for reliable and meaningful longitudinal comparisons. System-wide IRB review takes place for each survey administration.

Empire State University administered the student and employee surveys between March 20, 2023, and April 9, 2023. The survey was sent to all employees and all students. Excluded in survey populations were individuals under 18 years of age, all incarcerated individuals regardless of age, all students concurrently enrolled in high school regardless of age, and all students living abroad.

Results

There were 383 responses out of 8,874 invited students, yielding a response rate of 4.3% and a margin of error +/- 5%. There were 396 responses out of 1,213 invited employees, yielding a response rate of 32.6% and a margin of error of +/-4%. Employee respondents consisted of 44% faculty and about 55% staff/administrators.

Campus policies, procedures, and resources related to sexual assault
  • Most employees (90%) are aware of Empire’s policies and procedures specifically addressing sexual assault, while 65% of students are aware and 35% of students are not sure.
  • The majority of employees indicated that they have received written (e.g., brochures, emails) and/or verbal information (e.g., presentations, training) from the campus concerning the definition of sexual assault, how to report sexual assault, where to get help if someone is sexually assaulted, to whom you can speak confidentially about a sexual assault, and policies prohibiting sexual assault (16.1% indicated that, to their knowledge, they have not received any information regarding any of the above). Students showed an opposite trend, where 57.2% indicated that they have not received any of that information.
  • About two-thirds (67.1%) of employees know how to contact the Title IX Coordinator, while 22.4% are not sure. Only about a quarter (27.8%) of students know how to contact the Title IX Coordinator, while 34.1% are not sure.
  • Employees are more likely to be aware of various campus resources (e.g., the office of student conduct, university police/public safety, human resources, local police/sheriff, local health services) compared to students.
  • About 40% of employees are aware of SUNY’s alcohol and/or drug use amnesty policy in reporting sexual violence, while 33% of students are aware of the policy.
Reporting sexual violence
  • When asked how the university would respond if a student or their friend filed a formal complaint of sexual violence on campus, students indicated that the university would be supportive and take the report seriously. Less than 4% of the 383 student respondents thought that the university would not:
    • take the report seriously (2.8%)
    • conduct a fair investigation (2.8%)
    • provide the student with necessary support during the process (3.5%)
  • When asked how the university would respond if an employee reported a student complaint of sexual violence on campus, employees indicated that the university would be supportive and take the report seriously. Less than 4% of the 396 employee respondents thought that the university would not:
    • take the report seriously (2.4%)
    • conduct a fair investigation (3.9%)
    • provide the student with necessary support during the process (3.9%)
  • When asked whether they know how to report certain incidents to the university (sexual assault, sexual harassment, domestic violence/dating violence and stalking), the majority of employee respondents indicated that they do know how to report these types of incidents; 14.3% indicated that they do not know how to report any of these incidents.
  • Over half (53.1%) of the student respondents indicated that they do not know how to report any of these types of incidents.
  • One in ten employees (12% of respondents) indicated that they would not know how to advise a student to get help at the university if they experienced sexual assault.
  • About one in five employees (18.8% of respondents) indicated that they do not understand what happens when a student reports sexual assault to the university.
  • Fourteen employees (4.3% of respondents) reported that, during the last year, a student disclosed that they were a victim of an unwanted sexual experience, regardless of where such incident was reported to have occurred. Half of these incidents (n=7) were reported to the Title IX Coordinator, Students Affairs, and/or Human Resources at the university.
Prevalence of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking on and off campus
  • About one in ten student respondents (11.1%) indicated experiencing unwanted sexual comments, sexual slurs, or demeaning jokes during the last year. Twenty-eight out of 33 affirmative respondents identified as women.
  • About six percent of employee respondents (5.5%) indicated experiencing unwanted sexual comments, sexual slurs, or demeaning jokes during the last year. Thirteen out of 18 affirmative respondents identified as women. Nine of these events were reported to have occurred on campus.
  • About seven percent (7.1%) of student respondents indicated experiencing unwanted sexually suggestive digital or written communications during the last year. Sixteen out of 21 affirmative respondents identified as women.
  • About four percent (4.4%) of employee respondents indicated experiencing unwanted sexually suggestive digital or written communications during the last year. Thirteen out of 14 affirmative respondents identified as women.
  • Of the 41 student respondents that indicated experiencing sexual harassment or sexual assault during the last year, approximately one in ten (n=5, 12.2%) reported that someone affiliated with the campus community was involved. Results indicated that three incidents were disclosed to the university, and one was filed with a formal complaint.
  • Of the 26 student respondents that indicated experiencing intimate partner violence during the last year, results indicated that four incidents were disclosed to the university, and one was filed with a formal complaint.
  • Of the 20 student respondents indicating that they experienced stalking during the past year, seven were reported as being disclosed to the university, and two were filed with a formal complaint.

Discussion and next steps

  1. The Title IX Coordinator, in partnership with the Chief Diversity Officer, and Student Success will develop and administer a refresher course to all continuing students within an academic year.
  2. Targeted Title IX training will be delivered to We will engage in targeted training for specific roles articulated in the Title IX process.
  3. Bystander training will be mandated for all employees.