Affirmative Action Policy

Hostos Commitment to Pluralism

Hostos Community College is dedicated to pluralism - that is, the right of faculty, students, and staff of every race, religion, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, and physical capacity to be treated with dignity and respect. The enterprise of the College is based on the affirmation of our common humanity. Therefore, the College community abhors any act or speech that deprecates or threatens its members because of their race, religion, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, or physical capacity.

CUNY Statement of Non-Discrimination October 01, 2004

It is the policy of The City University of New York and the constituent colleges and units of The University to recruit, employ, retain, promote, and provide benefits to employees and to admit and provide services for students without regard to race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, genetic predisposition or carrier status, alienage, citizenship, military or veteran status, or status as victim of domestic violence.

Sexual harassment, a form of sex discrimination, is prohibited under the University’s Policy against Sexual Harassment.

The City University of New York, as a public university system, adheres to federal, state, and city laws and regulations regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action including among others, Executive Order 11246, as amended, Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 402 of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as amended, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, the New York State Human Rights Law and the New York City Human Rights Law. The “protected classes”, as delineated in Executive Order 11246 (Black, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaskan Native and Women), were expanded on December 9, 1976 by the Chancellor of The City University of New York to include Italian-Americans.

The College Chief Diversity Officer and Title IX Coordinator, is responsible for the implementation and monitoring of our compliance program. She is responsible for handling all claims of discrimination including but not limited to claims based on race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation and gender. Her office is located in 500 Grand Concourse, room A-336 and her telephone number is (718) 518-4284.

Hostos Affirmative Action Policy

Hostos Community College of The City University of New York is an equal opportunity and affirmative action institution and complies with all federal, state and local laws that promote fair and equitable employment and educational opportunities.

The federal laws include Executive Order 11246, which prohibits discrimination in employment because of race, color, gender, religion, or national origin and requires affirmative action to ensure equal opportunity in all aspects of employment; Title VI and VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibit discrimination against students and employees on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or sex; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination against students and employees on the basis of sex; Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the American with Disabilities Act, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability and require affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities; Section 402 of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as amended, which prohibits job discrimination and requires affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified Vietnam era veterans, qualified special disabled veterans, recently separated veterans and other protected veterans; the Equal Pay Act of 1963, which prohibits sex-based wage discrimination; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and the Age Discrimination Act, which prohibit age discrimination in employment in federally assisted educational programs.

The University also complies with the New York State and New York City human rights laws. Collectively, these laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, or citizenship status, disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, transgender, prior arrest or conviction record (under certain conditions), and genetic predisposition or carrier status.

Pursuant to the Chancellor’s mandate of 1976, Italian- Americans are designated an affirmative action category in addition to those so categorized under existing federal statutes.

As an equal opportunity employer, acting in conformity with federal legislation, and as an educational institution, Hostos Community College supports a policy of non-discrimination, and acknowledges its responsibility to maintain an environment free of sexual harassment for its students, faculty, and staff.

Hostos Community College has been commended, as a result of New York State civil rights desk audits, for the representative composition of its pluralistic faculty and staff.