Non-Discrimination
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If you experience sexual assault, domestic violence, dating abuse, stalking, gender discrimination, or diversity and inclusion issues, know that we are here to support you.
Non-Discrimination Promise
No person shall be discriminated against because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, veteran status, predisposing genetic characteristics, domestic violence victim status, marital status, parental status, ancestry, source of income, or other classes protected by law. This policy includes the commitment to maintaining a campus community free from unlawful harassment.
For Immediate Help Call 315-268-6666 or 911
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Any community member, who in good faith, reports concerns that they have been discriminated against or has knowledge of discrimination in violation of this policy or cooperates in an investigation shall not be subject to reprisal or retaliation for making a report or participating in an investigation. Community members should immediately bring to the attention of the appropriate personnel.
The information listed on this page and in the links will help you determine the personnel, offices, policies and procedures that can assist you with your questions, concerns and complaints regarding non-discrimination, diversity, and inclusion at Clarkson.
Any person can report an issue of discrimination or harassment to the Chief Inclusion Officer, Jennifer Ball, jball@clarkson.edu 315/268-4208 1003 ERC 315-212- 8940
Title IX
No 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. -Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
Though most notable for advancing equity in girls and women's sports, Title IX provides federal civil rights that prohibits sex discrimination in education programs and activities such as:
- Recruitment, Admissions, and Counseling
- Financial Assistance
- Athletics
- Student Interests and Abilities
- Athletic Benefits and Opportunities
- Athletic Financial Assistance
- Sex-Based Harassment
- Pregnancy and Parenting
- Students Discipline
- Single-Sex Education
- Schools
- Classes and Extracurricular Activities Employment
- Retaliation
- Transgender
- Certain cases of harassment involving sexual orientation
Under federal law any school receiving federal funds must designate a Title IX Coordinator to review, update and implement current Title IX policies, to coordinate appropriate training and resources, and ensure effective and timely responses to complaints of sexual violence, misconduct, discrimination or harassment.
The protections of Title IX extend to sexual harassment and sexual assault or violence that impairs or interferes with access to equitable educational and employment opportunities. Title IX is applicable to all members of the campus community, individuals doing business with the campus, those utilizing campus facilities, those who engage in volunteer activities or work activities in connection with or for Clarkson University. It is also applicable to incidents involving these parties both on and off campus.
For further information, explore the links on this page or contact the Title IX Coordinator, TitleIXCoordinator@clarkson.edu.
Sexual Assault & Misconduct
If you experience sexual assault, domestic violence, dating abuse or stalking know we are here to support you.
We offer 24-hour access to confidential and non-confidential resources.
We can assist you in accessing support services such as health care, SANE Nurses, mental health counselors, on and off campus victims advocates, campus safety and law enforcement.
It is important to us that you feel in control of the process of accessing services and deciding who and when to report an incident.
We will protect your privacy and work to minimize how often you have to discuss the issue
We are trained to work with individuals who have experienced trauma.
Below are some definitions and resources related to specific issues.
Consistent with federal law, Clarkson defines sexual assault as including non-consensual sexual acts[intercourse] and non-consensual sexual contact which can be further defined as follows:
Non-Consensual Sexual Acts[Intercourse.] Any sexual penetration (anal, oral or vaginal), however slight, with any body part or object by a person upon a person, that is without affirmative consent. Non-consensual sexual acts includes the following:
Rape: penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the affirmative consent of the victim.
Statutory Rape: Non-forcible sexual intercourse with a person who is under the statutory age of consent. In New York, the statutory age of consent is 17 years old.
Non-Consensual Sexual Contact. Any intentional sexual touching, however slight, for purposes of sexual gratification or with sexual intent, of any private body part, by a person upon a person, that is without affirmative consent. This includes, but is not limited to, intentional contact for sexual or arousal reasons with the breasts, buttocks, groin, or genitals, or touching another with any of these body parts, or making another touch oneself or themselves with or on any of these body parts; any intentional bodily contact in a sexual manner, though not involving contact with/of/by breasts, buttocks, groin, genitals, mouth or other orifice, with any object.
New York State Laws can be found on the www.svfreenyc.org website.
Sexual Exploitation occurs when a person, without affirmative consent, takes sexual advantage of another for their own advantage or benefit, or to benefit or advantage anyone other than the one being exploited. Examples of sexual exploitation include, but are not limited to the following:
- invasion of sexual privacy;
- prostituting another person;
- non-consensual video or audio-taping of sexual activity;
- going beyond the boundaries of consent;
- observing unsuspecting individuals who are partly undressed, naked, or engaged in sexual acts;
- engaging in sexual activity with another person while knowingly infected with HIV or another STD without informing the other person of such infection;
- exposing one’s breasts, buttocks, groin, or genitals, in non-consensual circumstances; coercing another to expose their breasts, buttocks, groin, or genitals
Stalking is behavior means a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for her, his, or others' safety, or to suffer substantial emotional distress. Stalking may involve following or placing another under surveillance, or repeatedly contacting another person for the purpose of harassing and intimidating the other person. The term “contact” means to make or attempt to make any communication, including, but not limited to, communication in person, by telephone, by mail, by broadcast, by computer or computer network, or by any other electronic device It does not require that an overt threat of death or bodily injury be made.
Sexual harassment is a specific form of harassment. The term refers to unwelcome conduct, based on sex or on gender stereotypes that a reasonable person would find intimidating, hostile or offensive. Sexual harassment may include, for example, exposing a person to unwanted sexually graphic conversation; an attempt to coerce an unwilling person into a sexual relationship; to repeatedly subject a person to unwelcome sexual attention or advances; to punish a refusal to comply with a sexual based request; to condition a benefit on submitting to sexual advances; sexual violence or sexual assault; intimate partner violence; sexual interest-based stalking, or gender-based bullying.
There are three types of Sexual Harassment:
- QUID PRO QUO: Benefits offered or withheld as a means of coercing sexual favors.
- HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT: Conduct that unreasonably interferes with the victim’s work/academic performance or repeatedly creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment.
- RETALIATORY: retaliation against an individual or individuals for bringing a complaint or participating in a complaint
As with other forms of harassment, whether sexual harassment has occurred in violation of this policy depends on a consideration of all the circumstances, including the severity of the incident(s), whether the conduct was repeated, whether it was threatening or merely annoying, and the context in which the incident or interaction occurred.
Examples of behavior and conduct that constitute sexual harassment may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- physical assault that occurs because of sex or gender;
- direct or implied threats that submission to sexual advances will be a condition of employment, work status, compensation, promotion, grades, or letters of recommendation;
- sexual advances, physical or implied, or direct propositions of a sexual nature. This activity may include inappropriate/unnecessary touching or rubbing against another, sexually suggestive or degrading jokes or comments, remarks of a sexual nature about one's clothing and/or body, preferential treatment in exchange for sexual activity, and the inappropriate display of sexually explicit pictures, text, printed materials, or objects that do not serve an academic purpose;
- a pattern of conduct, which can be subtle in nature, that has sexual or gender overtones and is intended to create, or has the effect of creating, discomfort and/or humiliation of another; or
- remarks speculating about a person's sexual activities or sexual history, or remarks about sexual activities that do not serve a medical or academic purpose.
Sexual misconduct refers generically to the categories of sex-based behaviors prohibited by this policy, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, non-consensual sexual contact (or attempts to commit same), non-consensual sexual intercourse (or attempts to commit same), domestic violence, dating violence, stalking and sexual exploitation. Sexual misconduct can occur between strangers or acquaintances, including people involved in an intimate or sexual relationship. Sexual misconduct can be committed by persons of any gender or sex, and it can occur between people of the same or different sex.
Harassment & Sexual Misconduct Policy
The Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy applies to all employees and students of Clarkson University. In addition, it applies to all vendors, contractors, guests, patrons, and other third parties visiting campus, participating in any Clarkson-sponsored business, event or program, or interacting with Clarkson community members. This policy applies to conduct on campus and in connection with any Clarkson-sponsored program or activity, regardless of where it occurs. Additionally, off-campus conduct may violate this policy if the conduct creates a threatening or uncomfortable environment on Clarkson's campus or within a Clarkson program, or if the incident causes concern for the safety or security of Clarkson's campus.
Clarkson’s policies and procedure can be found at the following link: Student Code of Conduct
Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy addresses Harassment generally and Sexual Misconduct, including intimate partner violence and stalking, specifically in compliance with federal and state statutory obligations and Clarkson’s values.
Sexual misconduct is a particularly grievous form of harassing behavior and is intolerable to Clarkson University.
This policy prohibits sexual misconduct generally and, non-consensual sexual contact (or attempts to commit the same), non-consensual sexual acts (or attempts to commit same), intimate partner violence[domestic violence, dating violence], stalking, and sexual exploitation.
This policy is designed to:
- affirm the University's commitment to providing a positive, humane environment for study and work for all free from sex discrimination, harassment and sexual misconduct;
- inform reporting parties and responding parties of their options and rights;
- inform all members of the University community and associated third parties about the procedures available for addressing, investigating, and resolving harassment complaints, including sexual harassment and misconduct complaints;
- protect the rights, confidentiality, and privacy of all parties to complaints to the extent possible; and
- prevent retaliation against persons making complaints or participating in an investigation or disciplinary procedure
- affirm these protections apply regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, or criminal conviction.
- affirm the policy applies regardless of whether the violation occurs on campus, off campus, or while abroad as explained above.
- affirm the New York State Students’ Bill of Rights pertaining to sexual assault, dating violence, domestic which is listed in the appendix enact an affirmative consent standard
- assure amnesty in certain instances when making a good faith report