Institutional Equity & Title IX

Under the auspices of the President, Institutional Equity provides leadership and guidance to the CCRI campus community on issues of equity to foster inclusive learning and workspaces.

Through educational initiatives, consultation and oversight of our College’s harassment prevention and nondiscrimination policies and reporting systems (including all aspects of AA/EEO compliance and Title IX), Institutional Equity:

• Serves students, faculty and staff as a primary resource for reporting incidents of unlawful harassment or discrimination.
• Develops and disseminates policies related to equity, discrimination, and harassment.
• Supports efforts to strengthen college organizational culture.
• Guides recruitment and hiring practices to support an equitable and performance-based hiring process.

Filing and Reporting a Complaint

Institutional Equity (IE) is responsible for implementing and monitoring CCRI's harassment prevention and nondiscrimination policies across all campuses of CCRI.

How do I report a complaint?

If you would like to report an incident or complaint but do not yet know whether you want to file a formal complaint, you may contact the following individuals:

• Sybil Bailey, Director of Human Resources, at [email protected] 
• Taiwo Adefiyiju, Dean of Students, at [email protected]
• Kara DiPaola Assistant Director, Affirmative Action & Equal Opportunity, at [email protected]

How do I file a Formal Complaint?

It is important to know the policies and procedures. Individuals have options when deciding whether or not to file a report. Individuals may choose to pursue complaints via one or both options: CCRI complaint and/or criminal complaint.

CCRI Complaint

The Assistant Director of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity or College Police can take reports on behalf of CCRI, explain the reporting process, and assist all parties with support and resources. If you are worried about confidentiality, speak with confidential staff.

Individuals can file a complaint or report of discrimination, harassment or sexual misconduct by a student with the Dean of Students, Taiwo Adefiyiju at [email protected] or with Kara DiPaola, Assistant Director, Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity at [email protected].

Individuals can file a complaint or report of discrimination, harassment, or sexual misconduct by faculty, staff and visitors of the campus directly to the Assistant Director, Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Kara DiPaola at [email protected] or the Office of Human Resources at [email protected]

When filing a complaint, please complete the Incident Report Form, and either email or deliver it to the appropriate individual (described in the above paragraph).

Confidential Resources

If you need immediate medical attention or assistance, dial 911.

Confidential Reporting Procedures

All CCRI staff and faculty want to make sure you are safe and can help you in a time of crisis. Be aware that most faculty and staff are "mandated reporters," meaning they are required to report a possible violation of college policy. If you are worried about confidentiality, contact the department below, as these are the only confidential staff at CCRI.

Reporting Procedures

Any person who feels that they may have been the target of or witness to sexual harassment, including sexual violence or sexual assault is encouraged to seek redress through the following:

1. Student-to-student complaint - Dean of Students, Title IX Coordinator, or Campus Police
2. Student-to-faculty complaint - Title IX Coordinator, Office of Human Resources, Office of Institutional Equity, Dean of Students or Campus Police
3. Student-to-staff complaint - Title IX Coordinator, Office of Human Resources, Office of Institutional Equity, Dean of Students or Campus Police
4. Staff-to-staff or faculty-to-faculty or faculty-to-staff complaint or faculty/staff-to-student complaint - Title IX Coordinator, Office of Human Resources, Office of Institutional Equity or Campus Police
5. Non-credit/CWCE student complaint - Title IX Coordinator, Office of Human Resources, Office of Institutional Equity, Director of Community Services or Campus Police
6. Vendors, Sub-Contractors, Visitors or Members of the public whose complaints are based on actions that happened within the college's jurisdiction- Title IX Coordinator, Office of Human Resources or Campus Police

Responsible Employees

The following individuals shall be considered "responsible employees" at CCRI for purposes of reporting complaints and incidents of sexual harassment and sexual violence under the CPE's Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence Policy:

All College Officials and Administrators; All full Time and Part Time Faculty; All Academic Deans, Associate and Assistant Deans, and Department Chairs; All Student Services Deans, Associate and Assistant Deans, Directors, Associate and Assistant Directors; All Student Services Advisors, Coordinators and other professional staff; All employees who are responsible supervisors for one or more employees; All Athletic Coaches and Trainers; All Student Organization Advisors; and All other individuals designated as "Campus Security Authorities," as listed in the college's Annual Crime Statistics and Fire Safety Report ("Clery Report").

All such "responsible employees" are obligated to report all actual, suspected or alleged incidents of sexual harassment and sexual violence which are reported to them, or of which they become aware to the Office of Human Resources at 401-825-2311.

The list above does not imply that others should not or cannot report sexual harassment and sexual violence or that they do not have an ethical or moral responsibility to do so. Notwithstanding the foregoing, pastoral and professional counselors providing counseling set-vices as part of their duties are exempt from mandated reporting. A pastoral counselor is defined as an employee of an institution, who is associated with a religious order or denomination, recognized by that religious order or denomination as someone who provides confidential counseling and who is functioning within the scope of that recognition as a pastoral counselor. A professional counselor is defined as an employee of an institution whose official responsibilities include providing psychological counseling to members of the institution's community and who is functioning within the scope of his or her license or certification.