Office of Diversity and Affirmative Action stonybrook/diversity

1. Diversity in the Workplace: Policies, Practices and Guidelines Dimensions of Diversity Office of Diversity and Affirmative Action www.stonybrook.edu/diversity

2. Mission To uphold, reaffirm, and ensure compliance with University’s position and commitment to equal employment opportunity, affirmative action, and the creation of an inclusive campus climate. • Ensure that Stony Brook offers a working, learning and living environment that promotes equity and opportunity and is free from harassment and discrimination. • Conduct internal investigations and resolve complaints of discrimination and/or harassment for protected groups. • Provide education and training, plan diversity initiatives, provide outreach, develop and communicate policies, conduct strategic planning, and sponsor activities that support diversity, inclusion and equity in our workplace.

3. Where can I find out more? • Department Website • www.stonybrook.edu/diversity • Policy on non-discrimination and on sexual harassment • http://www.stonybrook.edu/diversity/policies/university.html • Title IX • www.stonybrook.edu/titleix • How to file a complaint/initiate a review of allegations of unlawful discrimination/harassment • http://www.stonybrook.edu/diversity/services/investigation/index.html • Sexual Harassment Prevention – online training • http://www.goer.state.ny.us/training_development/online_learning/sh/intro.html • Policies on line - P105, P106, P208 Where is ODAA located? West Campus Office, Administration Building , Room 201 632-6280 Phone 632-9428 Fax East Campus Office, University Hospital, Level 5, room 556 Hospital lobby next the Admitting Dept. - by appointment

4. Rights Stony Brook must comply with Federal and State laws protecting you from discrimination, harassment and bias. Policies apply to all students, faculty and staff. A network of professionals and offices are available to support you. Retaliation for reporting an incident or filing a complaint is prohibited. • Disability • Age • Equal Pay/Compensation - sex • Sexual Orientation • Gender Identity • Military & Veteran’s status • Marital status • Arrest record/Conviction • Domestic Violence • Genetic Information • Retaliation • Race • Color • Religion • Religious accommodation • Sex • Sexual harassment • Sexual Assault • Sexual Violence • Pregnancy • National origin • Includes ancestry, birthplace, culture, language http://www.stonybrook.edu/diversity/policies/university.html

5. Gender discrimination is unlawful • Equal Opportunity • Appropriate Treatment for all • Prevent Hostile environment • All areas and levels of study • Equity in providing Programs & Services (i.e. Athletics, Scholarships) Title IX is broad in scope and applies to all of us

6. Discriminatory practices under federal and state law also include: • harassment based on protected categories • retaliation against an individual for filing a charge of discrimination, participating in an investigation, serving as a witness or opposing discriminatory practices; • employment decisions based on stereotypes or assumptions about the abilities, traits, or performance of individuals of a certain sex, race, age, religion, or ethnic group, or individuals with disabilities; and • denying employment opportunities to a person because of marriage to, or association with, an individual of a particular race, religion, national origin, or an individual with a disability. Title VII also prohibits discrimination because of participation in schools or places of worship associated with a particular racial, ethnic, or religious group Individuals who are affected by or are aware of suspected cases of harassment or discrimination are urged to bring such situations to the University’s attention by contacting the Office of Diversity and Affirmative Action. The Office of Diversity and Affirmative Action has professional staff trained to investigate and provide assistance to all.

7. Sexual Harassment Prevention • Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment when: • submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment or academic advancement; (Quid pro Quo) • submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment or academic decisions affecting such individual; (Quid pro Quo) • such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work or academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working, living, or academic environment. (Hostile Environment) • Types of behavior include: • Inappropriate gift giving, (flowers, jewelry, clothing, etc.) • Inappropriate touching, kissing, giving massages • Talking about personal sexual experiences in the presence of another individual, two employees having a conversation about their sexual exploits that happened over the weekend-- co-workers overhear the conversation and it is unwelcome. • Sending sexually suggestive jokes, comments or visuals via email at work • Displaying sexually suggestive art pieces, screen savers, posters, photos, etc. • Targets of sexual harassment can be of any gender – alleged incidents can happened across gender lines with either gender being the target or the harasser.

8. Rights and Responsibilities University (Mine) Community (Ours) Yours • Engage in behavior that is respectful and professional. • Report violations of University Policy to the appropriate authority. • Provide training and resources to reduce, resolve and eliminate discrimination and harassment on our campus • Provide an atmosphere that is inclusive and respectful for all: employees, students, patients and the community. • Take all complaints seriously. • Resolve violations of University & University Hospital policy promptly and professionally. • Provide training to reduce instances of discrimination and/or harassment. • Provide resources to support you during the process. • Assist you in getting to the right place to solve the problem if the problem is not one of unlawful discrimination or harassment. • Use discretion in resolving complaints and explain confidentiality boundaries. You have the right not to be harassed. You have the right to report an incident of harassment without fear of retaliation. You have the responsibility not to harass others. Be knowledgeable about your rights and responsibilities in the areas of discrimination and harassment.

9. Diversity Defined Refers to all differences among any characteristic or attribute that differentiates or make a distinction between people. Examples include: Race, gender, age, language, physical characteristics, disability, sexual orientation, economic status, parental status, education, geographic origin, profession, lifestyle, religion, position in the hierarchy and any other difference. Diversity is very broad in scope. It is not just about race and ethnicity or visible differences. Gardenswartz and Rowe, Diverse Teams at Work: Capitalizing on the Power of Diversity

10. Multicultural refers to many cultures. It means valuing the differences of others and creating an environment that does not require leaving the culture of origin behind. In diversity work, it means valuing the differences of others and creating an environment that does not require assimilation. Stereotypes are fixed or conventional notions that deny individuality and are based on limited information and interactions. They are inflexible views directed at a group of people. Stereotypes can prevent us from examining our learning and seeing reality. Prejudice is a bias for or against something that is formed without a basis. It is an act of prejudging before evidence is considered. A set of attitudes in which misjudgment is generalized to a cultural group of people and is coupled with avoidance, stereotyping or fear of the group. Culture is the way of life of a given society that is passed down from one generation to the next through learning and experience. It is the shared values, traditions, norms, customs, religion, arts, history, folklore, language and/or institutions of a specific group of people. Cultural competence is “the state of being capable of functioning effectively in the context of cultural differences” (Cross, Bazron, Dennis, & Issacs, 1989) or when “An individual or agency continuously strives to achieve the ability to effectively work within the cultural context of an individual, family or community from a diverse cultural/ethnic background” (Campinha-Bacote)

11. What are the responsibilities of supervisors? • Department chairs, directors, administrators, managers and supervisors are responsible for promoting an atmosphere that prohibits such unacceptable behavior. • Evaluate the workplace to ensure harassment prevention and continually look for signs of trouble and monitor your • Be a supportive fact finder, remain neutral. • Ensure that harassment stops and that action will be taken to stop inappropriate behavior. These include any incidents that occur at the workplace or in work related activities or events off site. • Emphasize the policy against retaliation with all employees. • Remember that you represent our institution, and if Stony Brook knew about a hostile environment or should have known that harassment was happening and did not try to stop it, the institution could be held liable.

12. Policy against Retaliation • What is the number one reason individuals don’t come forward with concerns or avoid confronting behavior – fear of retaliation. • Why? Belief that the behavior will stop if ignored; it’s too embarrassing to discuss; feel it is better to avoid conflict; believes supervisors won’t take complaint seriously, fears career could be hurt, fears reputation will be affected, person is in a position of authority or can have influence on their work life, fears being labeled (as a troublemaker, a prude, or not part of the team), believes “everyone knows that is just how the person is” and isn’t sure they will receive support if they confront them. • Retaliation against anyone is strictly prohibited by University policy and federal law. Claims of retaliation can include termination, refusal to hire, denial of promotion, unjustified negative evaluations, unjustified negative references, or increased surveillance. • Employees who have opposed unlawful practices, filed discrimination or harassment claims, participated in proceedings or requested accommodations related to employment discrimination based on protected categories are all covered under this policy. Protected activity includes: • Opposition to a practice believed to be unlawful discrimination • Complaining about alleged discrimination against oneself or others • Threatening to file • Refusing to obey an order reasonably believed to be discriminatory • Serving as a witness • The University takes claims of retaliation seriously, and strongly encourages reporting any incidents.

13. Additional Guidelines • Remember that when you are at work, your focus should be on work related issues. Sometimes the boundaries between our social and work lives seem blurry, however the workplace relationships prevail over our social interactions in most cases. When in doubt stay professional! Because we spend much of our time at work, it is understandable that we build strong and personal relationships with our co-workers. However, the need to remain professional is essential. • The policies explained here also may apply off the work site. Work related events, conferences, meetings and off-site activities may be considered an extension of the workplace in relation to these policies. • Remember that the intent of your behavior may be harmless, but the impact of certain behavior (like jokes or stereotypical comments) may be harassment. Inappropriate, demeaning or derogatory comments may make someone feel uncomfortable working with you and may result in allegations of creating a hostile environment. • For example, your intent may be to be funny and lighten up the workplace atmosphere by telling jokes but the impact that you have on your co-workers or subordinates may be very offensive and negatively affect an individual’s ability to do his/her job. • If the harassment is out in the open and many people knew about it, it can reasonably be assumed that the institution should have been aware of it and thus liable even if no one mentioned it to the people in authority.

14. Improving Communication • How can you avoid making judgments about patient’s beliefs and practices ? • Examine aspects of communication: • Directness • Gestures and facial expression • Distance • Touch • Topics appropriate for discussion • Pace • Language • Understand your own responses to these behaviors and the emotions that they can trigger From Managing Diversity in Health Care, Gardenswartz & Rowe, 1998

15. Communicating across language barriers Use the other person’s language. Access language interpreter services. If you have learned some basic words and phrases, incorporate them into your communication. Make it visual. Use visual tools such as pictures, signs, diagrams and symbols to get your point across and make yourself clear. Demonstrate. Give a chance to have the patient perform the task with you observing Go slowly. Processing information in a nonnative language takes longer Keep it simple. Avoid jargon, acronyms and idiomatic expressions. Do not expect an individual who is your cultural interpreter to be a spokesperson for the entire group, or your only teacher whether formal or informal, about a particular culture. From Managing Diversity in Health Care, Gardenswartz & Rowe, 1998

16. Best Practices • It’s all about respect! Respect is one of the hospital’s values and is essential in providing excellent care. • Communicate ongoing commitment to the values of diversity and non-discrimination. • Use inclusive language to remove perceived barriers. • Avoid disparate treatment – apply policies fairly and consistently. • Avoid stereotyping and question your own assumptions. • Provide reasonable accommodations – and consult with Disability Support Services for assistance if you need an accommodation. • When in doubt – Call! Consult with Diversity and Affirmative Action, HR, and other departments that are designed to provide assistance.

17. If you have additional questions Contact Office of Diversity and Affirmative Action at www.stonybrook.edu/diversity odaa@stonybrook.edu