Here at UB’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, we strive to provide an atmosphere in which our students, faculty and staff can work and thrive. Every person in SEAS has the right to be able to work or study in an environment that is free of discrimination, harassment, hostility and retaliation.
We foster a culture where reporting professional misconduct is encouraged. If you find yourself a situation that makes you uncomfortable, please reach out and tell someone. We will work with you to resolve your situation while making sure that you are not exposed to any possible retaliation.
The first step is to share your concerns with someone in authority. Within SEAS, please come forward and report anything you believe is inappropriate behavior. Here is a list of people who you can safely contact:
We will promptly investigate and address your concerns, while maintaining your confidence to the full extent that the law permits it, and actively protecting you from potential retaliation.
You can also contact the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). UB will promptly and effectively investigate any situation involving sex discrimination and sexual harassment, and provide support to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking. See how the investigative process works.
If you are not ready to share your concerns with someone immediately, for any reason, then at least create a written record of what is worrying you. A good way to do this is to email your recollection of the specific interactions or behaviors to yourself, thereby creating a timely record while it is still fresh in your memory.
You can contact the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) anonymously at (716) 645-2266 to talk about the situation and find out information about your options. Simply tell the receptionist that you would prefer not to give your name. You can talk confidentially with EDI, and disclose as much or as little information as you would like to. You can also complete a Sexual Assault Anonymous Report.
You may also call the New York State Hotline for Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence: 1-800-942-6906. The Hotline is for crisis intervention, resources and referrals and is not a reporting mechanism.
It is unlawful and against UB policy to harass anyone because of that person's gender. UB acts promptly to remedy sexual harassment and prevent its recurrence. The University’s policy defines sexual harassment as follows:
Sexual harassment is unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature that is severe, pervasive or persistent enough to create a hostile or intimidating work environment. It can include physical touching, verbal comments, non-verbal conduct such as leering or emails, or a combination of these things.
The UB Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion describes reporting rights and options for victims of sexual assault, including resources for support, protection and accommodations, and the rights of the parties to the student conduct process.
Different treatment of an individual or group based upon a factor prohibited by law, including race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, gender, pregnancy, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, predisposing genetic characteristics, marital status, familial status, veteran status, military status, domestic violence victim status, or criminal conviction status, that adversely affects the individual’s or group's employment or academic status. Policies or practices that adversely impact a protected group may also constitute discrimination, even when applied in a consistent manner.
Harassment is a form of discrimination. Sex discrimination also includes, but is not limited to sexual harassment, sexual assault, and sexual violence.
Discrimination may also result from failure of the university to provide accommodations to individuals when required due to the individual's disability, religion, pregnancy status, maternity, or breastfeeding status.
UB SEAS works to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) members of our community from discrimination through support from the UB Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, SUNY, and New York State Law. See our website for additional LGBT resources.