Q&A
Process of handling discrimination complaints at CUNY
1:00:49
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121 sec
Derek Davis, CUNY's General Counsel, explains the process of handling discrimination complaints within the CUNY system. He outlines various ways individuals can report discrimination and how these complaints are addressed.
- Complaints can be filed through multiple channels, including campus offices and the central CUNY office.
- CUNY has a complaint portal, but individuals are not required to use it.
- External bodies like the Human Rights Commission may require exhaustion of internal administrative remedies before engaging.
- Davis mentions a recent voluntary resolution agreement with the federal government, which found no widespread discrimination but requested review of specific cases.
Derek Davis
1:00:49
Well, Commissioner Marte, thank you for your question.
1:00:51
Let me try to answer your question with a process.
1:00:55
Depending upon how a discrimination matter arises, someone can say they were discriminated against, they can claim that they were harmed in some way, they can begin by filing a simple complaint with their campus, or they can write the central office and we might make a referral back to the campus to conduct an investigation.
1:01:13
They need not go through the portal as the chancellor referred to earlier.
1:01:17
They are free to not do that.
1:01:19
They're free to go to the commission.
1:01:20
If it's that serious and they feel that their rights might not otherwise be addressed by the university, they often do go outside to a third party.
1:01:29
Sometimes those third parties will ask whether all administrative remedy has been exhausted at your campus before you engage us.
1:01:37
And let's be clear, coming back to Title 6, it's a federal regulatory scheme.
1:01:43
It addresses impact.
1:01:45
And if you look at the voluntary resolution agreement that was signed by this university on June 10, 2024, there was no finding of widespread discrimination.
1:01:54
There were 9 cases that they would like us, and they have asked us to review again.
1:01:59
We have reviewed more than 50% of those cases, and they have asked us to consider, whether or not there should be additional programs and remedies to address the concerns of individuals impacted by those situations.
1:02:13
But, fundamentally, not everything, is addressed by an outside commission, by the DH, or for that matter, the city or state.
Christopher Marte
1:02:20
I do think it's important to be able to share the data, whether it's initial allegations or at the end, once a case is investigated, what's the determination of that case, because the data that's given to the Human Rights Commission, we create policy based off that data.
1:02:37
And if there's a miscommunication or not even a direct communication from CUNY, to the city of New York, then we're not we don't have accurate information on what steps we should take next.
