Office of Civil Rights: Prohibited Bias, Discrimination & Harassment- FAQs

Relevant Excerpt

How does Cornell address bias, discrimination, and harassment?

• Cornell University is committed to creating and maintaining an educational, working, and living environment free from discrimination and harassment. The University will address acts of protected status bias, discrimination or harassment in accordance with its policies and appropriate educational or disciplinary actions.

Are acts of bias illegal or prohibited by University policy?

• Some forms of bias, including hate crimes, discrimination, and harassment are prohibited under law and/or University policy. Not all acts of bias are a crime or violate University policy, but they may contribute to creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment for the individuals and groups affected. You are encouraged to report all acts of bias, discrimination and harassment so that the University can take appropriate action to remedy the effects of such acts and help improve the campus climate. The course of action taken by the University, including any resulting disciplinary penalty, will depend on the particular facts and circumstances involved.

How are bias, discrimination, and harassment defined by University policy?

• Descriptions of bias, discrimination, harassment, hostile environment, protected statuses and other key concepts are defined in Policy 6.4 and the accompanying procedures.

What is the difference between discrimination and bias-related incidents?

• Unlawful discrimination refers to specific conduct prohibited by law that unfairly treats people differently because of their characteristic or perceived characteristics that the law deems to be unrelated to merit. An example of unlawful discrimination would be to deny membership into a group because a person is Muslim.
• Bias is a preconceived negative opinion or attitude about a group of people who possess common physical characteristic or cultural experiences.
• Unlawful discrimination often results from bias. Bias-related incidents, however, do not always result in unfair treatment that violates nondiscrimination laws.