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Equal Opportunity & Compliance

The CUNY School of Medicine values a multi-pronged approach to diversity, equity and inclusion that includes best practices to:

  • attract, retain, support, and promote students, faculty, staff, and administrative leaders from broad socio-economic backgrounds historically underrepresented in medicine;
  • create programs and strategies to establish an equitable and inclusive environment/climate;
  • develop curricula to eliminate educational and health disparities;
  • recruit a talented pool of students, thereby expanding access to medical education to individuals from underserved communities. Cognizant that underrepresentation in medicine includes educational, economic, and other environmental determinants, CUNY School of Medicine considers these factors in its holistic recruitment of students.

To broaden the recruitment of talented employees in all titles, and particularly those in full-time faculty and senior administrative staff titles, the CUNY School of Medicine is committed to the implementation of initiatives and professional development to reduce bias in the recruitment, hiring and promotions processes, and to support the promotion and tenure of faculty from varied backgrounds. Our goal is to create a climate wherein each individual is valued and has an equitable right to inclusion, respect, agency, and voice, independent of age, race, ethnicity, cultural heritage or nationality, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity, religious or political affiliation; or socioeconomic, ability or veteran status.

Best practices will be used to:

  • support the development of structurally and culturally competent curricula centered upon the goal of eliminating health inequities;
  • achieve a climate of inclusion that respects and affirms diversity of backgrounds and life experiences, and;
  • evaluate and examine inequitable systems and structures requiring dismantling.

This multi-pronged approach will be supported with resources adequate to the task, under the leadership and partnership of the Human Resources and Diversity & Compliance Offices at CUNY School of Medicine.

Upon receiving notice of discrimination, harassment or retaliation, CUNY School of Medicine will take appropriate steps in accordance with University policy and applicable laws to address the report, prevent recurrence, and mitigate any impacts on affected individuals and the community.

Our Chief Diversity Officer and Title IX Coordinator is responsible for:

  • Investigating and responding to discrimination reports from students, faculty, and staff.
  • Implementing appropriate measures to restore equity within the CSOM community.
  • Overseeing and facilitating CUNY’s Formal and Informal Grievance Processes.
  • Educating the CSOM community about their rights and available resources on and off campus.
  • Supporting University procedures and fostering a welcoming and varied educational environment.

Prohibited Conduct Defined

Discrimination is treating an individual differently or less favorably because of their protected characteristics—such as race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, or any other category protected by this policy.

Harassment is a form of discrimination involving unwelcome conduct based on a protected characteristic that unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work or academic performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or abusive environment. Such conduct can be spoken, written, visual, and/or physical. This policy covers harassment based on all protected characteristics.

Retaliation includes materially adverse actions against an individual for making a discrimination complaint, opposing discrimination, or cooperating with an investigation in a manner that would deter a reasonable person from engaging in such protected activity.

How to Report Discrimination or Retaliation

Anyone – of any gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, citizenship status, race, class or educational level – can suffer from sexual harassment, including sexual violence. The goal of this website is to help you understand what sexual harassment means and let you know that there are people at CUNY and in the community who can help if you or others experience it. We want to make sure you understand your rights as a student, CUNY’s policies, and other issues related to sexual harassment, gender harassment and sexual violence.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”) is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities at universities receiving federal funds. Under Title IX, discrimination on the basis of sex can include sexual harassment or sexual violence, such as rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, and sexual coercion.

On every CUNY campus there is a person who has special training in helping students who are facing issues related to sexual harassment and sexual violence. We urge you to contact this person (who is known as the “Title IX Coordinator”) for guidance or information please reach out to Ms. Arlene Peterson, Interim Title IX & Compliance Officer at apeterson@med.cuny.edu. Our Chief Diversity Officer and Title IX Coordinator is responsible for:

How to Report Sexual Misconduct

If a Sexual Assault Occurs:

Submit a report: Use the University-Wide Discrimination and Retaliation Reporting System

View the Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation Homepage

Review the full policy: City University of New York Policy on Equal Opportunity And Non-Discrimination

  • Get to a safe place and contact the proper authorities
  • If the incident occurred on-campus, call Public Safety or 911;
  • If the incident occurred off-campus, call 911 or go to the local NYPD precinct. Contacting the police does not require you to file charges.
  • Seek medical attention as soon as possible. Campus Public Safety or the police can help you get medical care or you can go on your own (or with a friend) to an emergency room. Visit for a list of resources http://www.svfreenyc.org or contact a SAVI advocate Emergency Room Advocacy
  • Preserve evidence. You do not need to decide immediately whether to take action against the person who assaulted you. But if you might want to do this, it is important to preserve evidence of the assault. Go to an emergency room and ask for a SAFE or rape exam. (Do not bathe or brush your teeth prior to going.) For a list of hospitals in New York City with this service, go to: http://www.svfreenyc.org. Retain the clothing you were wearing in a paper (not plastic) bag. If the assault took place in your home or dorm room, do not rearrange furniture and/or clean up.
  • We also encourage you to contact the Title IX Coordinator, Emily Whearty at ewhearty@med.cuny.edu

Special thanks to Brown University for allowing CUNY to use some of their material

If you are a student at a college of CUNY and you wish to speak to someone who will keep your communications confidential, you may speak to the following employees:

  • Counselor or other staff member(s) at the CUNY School of Medicine Counseling and Wellness Office
  • Nurse, nurse practitioner or other staff member(s) in the college health office
  • Pastoral counselor (e., counselor who is also a religious leader), if one is available at your college
  • Staff member(s) in a women’s or men’s center, if one exists at your college

These professionals are available to provide you with support. They will not report any information about an incident to the college’s Title IX Coordinator or other college employees without your permission, except if the information shared demonstrates that there is an immediate danger to the community.

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