Cornell Office of Civil Rights
Dear Cornell community,
We are writing to share an important update that strengthens Cornell’s commitment to equity, inclusion, and civil rights. Beginning this month, all reports of bias, discrimination, and harassment on the Ithaca, Geneva, and Cornell Tech campuses – whether involving students, staff, or faculty – will be reviewed by a single, centralized office: the Cornell Office of Civil Rights (COCR).
Formerly known as the Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX, COCR deepens the university’s commitment to fostering an environment of equal opportunity, fairness, and accessibility for learning, living, and working at Cornell.
Going forward, COCR will handle complaints of protected-status bias, discrimination, and harassment against faculty, staff, and students, including conduct that violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Previously, complaints of protected-status bias, discrimination, and harassment involving student respondents (except for those implicating Title IX or other sexual misconduct) were managed exclusively by the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (OSCCS) under the Student Code of Conduct’s prohibition against harassment. The Student Code of Conduct, however, does not allow for investigations or intervention if there is no named complainant or the respondent is unknown.
COCR will maintain oversight for all reports of sexual and related misconduct under Title IX. This expanded office also supports faculty and staff in the areas of prohibited bias, discrimination, harassment, equal employment opportunity, and reasonable accommodations.
Moving complaints involving students as either the complainant or respondent for alleged protected-status bias, discrimination, and harassment from OSCCS to COCR ensures the same office addresses all Policy 6.4 concerns. COCR will review all reports, provide support, and advise the university on appropriate responses in the case of substantiated policy violations, including partnering with OSCCS, which will continue to administer the Student Code of Conduct. Individual students’ rights and responsibilities under the Student Code of Conduct are not affected by the current shift of protected-status complaint response to COCR.
The enhancement of complaint response in COCR is part of a broader initiative to review and update university policies that support our goal of eliminating bias, discrimination, and unlawful harassment. It also strengthens our ability to meet legal compliance obligations and track community trends to continue to foster a respectful and inclusive campus climate.
Learn more about this update in the Cornell Chronicle. To connect with COCR, visit officeofcivilrights.cornell.edu or contact civilrights@cornell.edu, 607-255-2242.
Sincerely,
Michael I. Kotlikoff
President
Christine Lovely
Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer
Ryan Lombardi
Vice President for Student and Campus Life