Update on new Title IX regulations, and our commitment to support survivors

Dear Campus Community,

As you may know, new federal Title IX regulations were announced by the U.S. Department of Education and went into effect on Aug. 14, 2020.

Although these new regulations infer that colleges no longer have an obligation to respond to certain types of Title IX infractions, our state regulations ensure that we are responding to and supporting all students who come forward, no matter what the reported behavior. SUNY New Paltz is governed by both Title IX and NYS Education Law 129B, which is one of the most comprehensive sexual response legislations in the country.

We want to take this opportunity to assure all faculty, staff and students that we will continue to support survivors of all types of sexual violence, regardless of where or when the incident occurred. SUNY New Paltz will continue to support, meet with and provide options to all students, faculty and staff who come forward to report sexual violence. Any individual who wishes to report can reach out to the Title IX Office, which is part of the Office of Human Resources, Diversity & Inclusion, at any time.

In addition, the SUNY Office of General Counsel, in partnership with the Student Conduct Institute, has provided all 64 campuses with resources to continue providing a survivor-centered approach when responding to and adjudicating cases of sexual assault and misconduct.

Our Title IX Website provides information on resources for members of our community. You can also access the free SUNY Sexual Assault & Violence Response that will connect users with resources throughout the state of New York, and can be translated into more than 120 languages. Our campus Title IX Working Group will be providing virtual programming throughout the semester.

Supporting survivors of sexual violence and sexual misconduct is an integral part of who we are as a campus community. We continuously strive to cultivate an environment where our students and employees feel comfortable coming forward to share their experiences and seek the support services our campus offers. We remain committed to providing resources and prevention education on topics such as sexual assault, dating violence, sexual harassment and sex discrimination.

Emma Morcone
Title IX Coordinator, LGBTQ Coordinator

Tanhena Pacheco Dunn
Title IX Coordinator, Associate Vice President of Human Resources, Diversity & Inclusion