October 15, 2024 – Nondiscrimination Resources and Reminder of Reporting Obligations — Chico State Skip to Main Content
California State University, Chico

October 15, 2024 – Nondiscrimination Resources and Reminder of Reporting Obligations

Dear Campus Community,

As part of Chico State's efforts to consistently move toward a more inclusive, welcoming, and safe environment, we are sending this announcement to highlight policies, programs, and resources the University has in place to combat discrimination in all its forms.

CSU Nondiscrimination Policy

There are a number of civil rights laws that prohibit various forms of illegal discrimination, harassment and retaliation (DHR), and the Interim CSU Nondiscrimination Policy (Nondiscrimination Policy) helps guide our campus community and comply with these laws. The Nondiscrimination Policy prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of Age, Disability, Gender, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, Genetic Information, Nationality, Marital Status, Medical Condition, Pregnancy, Race or Ethnicity, Religion or Religious Creed, Sex, Sexual Orientation, and Veteran or Military Status. The Nondiscrimination Policy also prohibits Prohibited Consensual Relationships, Retaliation, and Sex-based Harassment, including, Sexual Harassment, Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, Sexual Exploitation, and Stalking.

Responsible Employee Reporting Requirement

Most students, staff, and faculty are aware that, with few exceptions, all employees (including student employees) are obligated to report certain known or suspected policy violations, including instances of sexual misconduct and other forms of interpersonal violence. This message serves as a reminder of the vital bridge reporting can play in connecting our students and colleagues to the resources available to them. While students do not have a duty to report known or suspected policy violations, all are encouraged to do so so that the campus can provide outreach and support to impacted individuals. Additional information on reporting is available here.

Prohibited Relationships

Employees are prohibited from entering a consensual relationship with any Student or Employee over whom they exercise direct or otherwise significant academic, administrative, supervisory, evaluative, counseling, or extracurricular authority ( Nondiscrimination Policy, Article V.A.10.).

Pregnancy-Related Accommodations

If you or someone you know is pregnant or needs pregnancy-related support, the Title IX Coordinator is available as a resource to discuss available accommodations. As of August 1, 2024, if a student discloses pregnancy or related conditions to any employee, the employee must promptly provide the student with the Title IX Coordinator's information (listed below). This obligation does not require the employee to report such a disclosure to the Title IX Coordinator, unless there is a known or suspected policy violation involved with the disclosure. For more information on this new requirement, please contact the Title IX Coordinator.

Required Training

In an effort to keep these issues fresh in the minds of our campus community, we have annual training requirements to help ensure that everyone understands Title IX, other civil rights laws, and the reporting obligations that go along with those laws and policies. Mandatory student training provides the groundwork for our sexual assault and interpersonal violence prevention efforts, while staff and faculty training work as a complement to our student-centered training. The CSU Chancellor's Office has published “ Myths and Facts About Sexual Misconduct” which includes a breadth of information including prevention tips and strategies for support.

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries and complaints regarding Nondiscrimination Policy for Chico State:

Erika Romo
Title IX Coordinator and Discrimination, Harassment & Retaliation Administrator
Kendall Hall, Room 222
titleix@csuchico.edu
530-898-4949
Website - Equal Opportunity and Dispute Resolution

Her information also is included in our Notice of Nondiscrimination. And the Equal Opportunity and Dispute Resolution website continues to be a great resource for questions related to what processes Chico State has in place to investigate claims under the Nondiscrimination Policy.

Additional Confidential Campus Resources include:

If you or someone you know has been impacted by any conduct prohibited by the Nondiscrimination Policy, contact the Title IX Coordinator/DHR Administrator at the contact listed above, or use the Campus Reporting Tool.

Remember, everyone has a role to play in preventing discrimination and violence.

Thank you, and I hope you have a wonderful rest of the year ahead.
Steve Perez