Annual Reaffirmation of the College of Staten Island's Commitment to Diversity, Equal Opportunity, and Affirmative Action
Date: September 12, 2024
To: College Faculty and Staff
From: President Timothy G. Lynch, Ph.D.
Re: Commitment to Diversity, Equal Opportunity, and Affirmative Action in Employment
The City University of New York (CUNY) and the College of Staten Island (CSI) have a long-standing commitment to diversity and equal opportunity in all aspects of employment. CSI’s senior management fully supports policies and practices to foster non-discrimination, affirmative action, and diversity and inclusion, in the workplace and our campus community overall. CSI, and CUNY as a whole, is enriched by the strengths of the people and perspectives in our institution. Accordingly, I continue to be committed to our compliance with the CUNY Policies and Procedures on Equal Opportunity, Non-Discrimination, and on Sexual Misconduct.
CUNY’s Policy on Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination states CUNY's commitment to recruit, employ, retain, promote, and provide benefits to employees without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, marital status, partnership status, disability, genetic information, alienage, citizenship, military or veteran status, unemployment status, status as a victim of domestic violence/stalking/sex offenses, or any other legally prohibited basis in accordance with federal, state and city laws. Additionally, CUNY practices affirmative action for women, protected ethnicities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans consistent with federal requirements for employees in all title groups. Italian Americans are included among CUNY's protected groups. CSI operates according to the aforementioned policy and is committed to ensuring the practices and principles therein are adhered to.
Further, CUNY and CSI do not tolerate acts of hate or bigotry. This includes discrimination or harassment based on national origin or heritage – including shared Jewish, Israeli, Palestinian, Arab, Muslim or South Asian ancestry – and/or the association with these national origins and ancestries. CSI will promptly take all necessary and appropriate actions to address any such discrimination and remedy its effects. We encourage students and employees who believe they have been subjected to such discrimination, or who have information about an incident or situation, to report it. Anyone who believes they have been a victim of harassment, discrimination or retaliation should use the University-wide Discrimination and Retaliation Reporting Portal.
CUNY and CSI desire to expand its inclusivity and accessibility to both students and employees with disabilities. As per Governor Hochul’s Executive Order 31, CUNY is developing a Strategic Plan to enhance recruitment, advancement, and support of individuals with disabilities. Any CSI employee requiring one or more accommodations to perform their job duties should contact Employee Accommodation Specialist Anjail Ameen-Rice in Building 1P Room 101, by telephone at (718) 982-2510, or via email at AcessEmployee@csi.cuny.edu per our policy on Reasonable Accommodations and Academic Adjustments.
I invite you to visit the CSI website to view the Non-Discrimination Policy in its entirety as well as the polices on Reasonable Accommodations and Academic Adjustments and Reporting of Alleged Misconduct.
CSI’s executives and administrators are responsible for maintaining a work environment free from discrimination and harassment, and for promoting diversity and inclusion in their units. Tara Mastrangelo is the responsible official charged with assuring Equal Employment Opportunity compliance. I encourage all managers to contact her to discuss diversity and inclusion strategies that would advance unit goals. Additionally, any individual who believes they have experienced discrimination should contact the Office of Diversity Equity & Inclusion in-person in Building 1A Room 205, by telephone at (718) 982-2250 or via email at Tara.Mastrangelo@csi.cuny.edu. They may also utilize the University-wide HR Discrimination and Retaliation Report Portal on the CUNY website.
I ask for your continued support to ensure equal opportunity, affirmative action, diversity and inclusion in all our employment practices.
Sincerely,
Timothy G. Lynch, Ph.D.
President