Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment

Thomas Edison State University is committed to maintaining an academic environment free from discrimination and harassment. The University prohibits sexual harassment and discrimination based on race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, civil union status, domestic partnership status, sex, gender identity or expression, or affectional or sexual orientation, disability, or nationality.

Hostile environment harassment based on any of these protected categories is also prohibited. Sexual harassment refers to unwelcome conduct based on a person’s sex, including sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:

Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a condition of an individual’s academic success.
Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for academic decisions affecting an individual.
Such conduct interferes with an individual’s academic performance or creates a hostile academic environment.

Any student who believes that he or she has been sexually harassed or discriminated against by a mentor or University staff member should file a complaint with the University’s Title IX Coordinator and Equity/Diversity Officer Heather Brooks, hbrooks@tesu.edu. If a student believes that another student has harassed or discriminated against him or her, the student should file a complaint with the associate vice president and University registrar, Office of the Registrar at (609) 984-1180 or registrar@tesu.edu. Students are encouraged to make timely reports so that a satisfactory resolution is more likely.

If a student believes that the University is violating federal discrimination law or wishes to learn more about civil rights, a student may contact the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights at (800) 421-3481 or ocr@ed.gov