September 24, 2020 - Non-Discrimination Resources and Reminder of Reporting Obligations

To: Campus Community
From: President Gayle Hutchinson

As part of CSU, Chico’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.

There are a number of civil rights laws that prohibit various forms of illegal discrimination, harassment and retaliation (DHR), and the CSU system has published policies in the form of Executive Orders (EO’s) to help guide our campus community. Not only do these EO’s prohibit discrimination under Title IX (gender- and sex-based discrimination), they also prohibit discrimination on the basis of Age, Disability, Genetic Information, Nationality, Marital Status, Race or Ethnicity, Religion, Sexual Orientation, and Veteran or Military Status  EO’s 1096 and 1097 specifically address the application of these rights to employees and students, respectively. These policies were recently updated to comply with new Title IX regulations issued by the Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights. The changes are found primarily in Addendum B to the Executive Order. 

Despite the changes implemented, the CSU has not modified the reporting obligations around reported or suspected policy violations. Most staff and faculty are aware that, with few exceptions (PDF), all 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 what a vital bridge this reporting can play in connecting our students and colleagues to the resources available to them. In this virtual world, without the in-person opportunity to share personal hardships with trusted faculty and staff, there is a real concern that student reporting will go down. Please make the extra efforts to connect with students, as this type of outreach might make the difference in whether a student in need gets connected to appropriate resources and support.

The Chancellor’s Office has published “Myths and Facts About Sexual Misconduct (PDF)” and it includes a breadth of information including prevention tips and strategies for support. Additional information on reporting is available here.

In an effort to keep these issues fresh in the minds of our campus community, we have annual training requirements in place to help everyone understand Title IX, other civil rights laws, and the reporting obligations that go along with those laws and policies. We expect an updated version of these training to launch soon. Staff and faculty trainings work as a complement to Not Anymore, the mandatory training provided to students that lays the groundwork for our sexual assault and interpersonal violence prevention efforts. A sample of the videos used in the student training is available to preview at title9.studentsuccess.org. This year, our returning students will receive a program titled Rethinking Relationships, which focuses on understanding healthy relationships and offers tools on how to navigate many different types of relationships. Our newly enrolled students will continue to receive a broad-based training. For all students, the courses offer tips and concrete steps that each student can learn so that they can better recognize and respond to problematic behaviors. 

The Title IX/DHR (Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation) unit is operating virtually this semester.  The contact information for these individuals is included in our Notice of Non-Discrimination (PDF). 

For more information, the Title IX webpage is a great resource for questions related to what processes Chico State has in place to investigate claims under the EO’s.  

Remember that discrimination and violence have no place at Chico State, and everyone has a role to play in prevention.