Nondiscrimination Policy

D’Youville University provides equality of opportunity to all persons in respect to employment and to admission of students.

D'Youville University does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender, gender identity, age, creed, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, ethnicity, national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, hiring policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs. It continues to be the policy of D’Youville not to discriminate on the basis of disability.

No person is denied admission, employment, or access solely because of any physical, mental, or medical impairment, which is unrelated to the ability to engage in activities involved in the education requirements or occupation for which applications have been made.

D’Youville University is committed to compliance with its obligations under Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Executive Orders, the New York State Human Rights Law, and other applicable anti-discrimination laws.

Any questions concerning this policy and any complaints of discrimination should be communicated to the Vice President for Student Affairs.

A student also has the right to file a complaint of discrimination with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the U.S. Department of Education. Complaints are to be filed within 180 calendar days of the alleged act of discrimination and may be made to the regional office of OCR:

New York Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education 32 Old Slip, 26th Floor New York, NY 10005-2500 Telephone: 646.428.3900 FAX: 646.428.3843
TDD: 877.521.2172
Email: OCR.NewYork@ed.gov

D'Youville University utilizes a review board style review process for the adjudication of bias-related incidents. A bias-related incident is a verbal, written, or physical act of intolerance or prejudice that does not involve a criminal act or violence and lacks a reasonable relationship to an educational, political, and/or artistic end. Examples of bias incidents include but are not limited to hate speech, microaggressions, stereotyping, homophobic or sexist jokes, racist epithets, religious slurs, demeaning remarks on social media, or discrimination.

Bias-related incidents may or may not be intended to cause harm.

Responses to bias-related incidents may include educational opportunities for the individuals and groups involved, as well as for members of the campus community as a whole when reporting patterns suggest broader issues that move beyond the immediate incident. This policy therefore seeks to enhance understanding, provide a forum for expression of multiple viewpoints, mediate conflict, and pursue restoration. If you observe or are confronted with what you feel might be a “bias-related incident,” you are encouraged to file a report through the official University reporting system, Maxient, located on the main University website and within SharePoint under HELP!

The opportunities for intellectual, social, cultural, and spiritual growth encourage all members of the D’Youville community to develop a respectful attitude toward learning, a reverence toward persons and things, and a desire to fashion their lives and their communities for the better. Toward this end, discussions, courses, workshops, and programs throughout the academic year address the topic of multiculturalism. Through these events and presentations, the University works to eliminate bias-related incidents; however, should an incident occur, assistance and cooperation of witnesses is needed to ensure proper action is taken.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”), 20 U.S.C. §1681 et seq., is a Federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities. All public and private elementary and secondary schools, school districts, colleges, and universities (hereinafter “schools”) receiving any Federal funds must comply with Title IX. Under Title IX, discrimination on the basis of sex can include sexual harassment or sexual violence, such as rape, sexual assault, sexual battery and sexual coercion. View the complete D'Youville Title IX Sexual Misconduct Policy.

Inquiries concerning the application of Title IX may be referred to the University’s Title IX coordinator, located in the Koessler Administration Building, by submitting a report through Maxient, the University’s official reporting software, by calling 716-829-7812, or through email at nesselbd@dyc.edu; or by visiting the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights website or calling 800-872-5327.