Policies & Resources
Non-Discrimination Policies and Resources
SUNY Erie Community College complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related federal regulations. We prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. No person shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination under any college program or activity on these grounds.
For questions or to file a complaint under Title VI, please contact:
Title VI Coordinator
Jackquilin Michael, Director of Human Resources
michael@ecc.edu | 716-851-1823
Definition of Affirmative Consent
Video Resource: Affirmative Consent
Policy for Alcohol and/or Drug Use Amnesty
Video Resource: Amnesty
Bill of Rights - Part I
Bill of Rights - Part II
College and Criminal Resource
Executive Summary Concerning Campus Climate Survey
First Response ASL Translation
Immigration and Visa Information In Response To Sexual & Interpersonal Violence
Sexual Assault & Violence Response (SAVR) Resources
Buffalo/Niagara Visitor Information
Buffalo Urban League
Hispanic Heritage Council of WNY
National Federation for Just Communities of WNY
Native American Community Services of Erie and Niagara Counties
Pride Center of WNY, Inc.
Project Implicit
The West Side Bazaar
WNY Heroes
Workplace Harassment and Discrimination (by Rosemarie L. Hill)
National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth Refugees
Gay and Lesbian Youth Services
Black Lives Matter
List of Holidays and Cultural Celebrations Around the World
List of Religious Holidays
SUNY Erie’s efforts to foster an environment of acceptance and inclusivity at the College have expanded to include gender inclusive restrooms.
What is a gender inclusive restroom?
Simply, a restroom that is open to all genders rather than gender-specific (e.g. Men
or Women).
Why gender inclusive restrooms?
Many transgender and gender nonconforming people face deep discomfort, discrimination,
harassment, or even violence simply for using the restroom. Most restrooms are exclusive
to "Men" and "Women" leaving members of our community without a safe space to use
the restroom. Providing gender inclusive restrooms that are available to anyone regardless
of gender identity or expression allows everyone to use the restroom in safety and
peace. Parents or caregivers of a different gender also benefit from gender inclusive
restrooms.
How can I find a gender inclusive restroom?
There are gender inclusive restrooms in every building on our campuses. The College
has recently installed "Inclusive Restroom" signage on our campuses to note which
restrooms are gender inclusive
Toolkits
General Information and Terminology
Common identifiable terms include: Asian, East Asian, Southeast Asian, or South AsianApproximately 2.17% of undergraduate students at SUNY Erie are Asian.
Historically Significant Dates
• 1849 (California Gold Rush attracts Chinese immigrants)• 1882 (Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association formed)
• 1885 (select Japanese laborers allowed into Hawaii)
• May 10, 1886 (Yick Wo v. Hopkins Decision)
• March 28, 1898 (United States v. Wong Kim Ark Decision)
• December 17, 1943 (Magnuson Act)
• April 1, 1980 (Refugee Act of 1980)
• October 22, 1982 (American Homecoming Act)
Holidays and observances
• Chinese New Year: second new Moon after the Winter Solstice (China)• Holi: last full moon of lunar month Phalguna (South Asia)
• Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: May
Leaders/Influencers
• Mahatma Gandhi• Yoko Ono
• Tammy Duckworth
• Michelle Kwan
• Yo-Yo Ma
• Steven Chu
• Michio Kaku
Common Dos and Don’ts when Discussing Culture with Asian Persons
Dos• Do treat all people with respect, dignity, and courtesy
• Do actively try to listen more than you speak
• Do put in time to learn about an Asian person’s country of origin
• Do make a conscious effort to educate an Asian immigrant on something they do not understand
• Do recognize the struggles of other people, regardless of your comfort level with the situation
• Do provide a supportive channel for them to be demonstrative of their thoughts
• Do put effort into breaking down the specifics of a controversial situation
• Do recognize everyone's uniqueness
Don'ts
• Don’t make the focus of the conversation about yourself
• Don’t interrupt people while they are speaking
• Don’t assume that you having not encountered a situation is evidence of its nonexistence
• Don’t generalize all Asians under one Asian country
• Don’t try to force your personal preference for working/interacting on another person
• Don’t give off the message that the person you are speaking with is exaggerating their experience with inequality
• Don’t imply that you have the same exact feeling as them in regards to racism
• Don’t make assumptions about a person solely due to the presence of a language barrier
• Don’t put emphasis on racial stereotypes throughout your conversation
• Don’t assert ideas outside of your level of experience
• Don’t treat cultural competency about Asian people as a fad
Resources for Students
Healthcare: SUNY Erie Health ServicesResources for Faculty and Staff
Center for Professional Development (CPD)Area Resources
Buffalo Area Community Groups and Activities
• Asian/Pacific Islander/American Association of Greater Rochester
• Saathi
• India Community Center (33.4 miles)
• Chinese School of Rochester (25.1 miles)
Buffalo Area Cultural Restaurants
Buffalo Area Grocery Stores
Buffalo Area Churches
National Support and Resources
• National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP)• Women in NAAAP (WIN!)
• Asian American Business Development Center
• Asian American Government Executives Network
• Ascend
• Asian Women in Business
• Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce (APACC)
• Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA)
• The Center for Asian Pacific American Women
• Committee of 100
• Federal Asian Pacific American Council (FAPAC)
• Japanese American Citizens League (JACL)
• Korean American Coalition (KAC)
• National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum
• National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD)
• U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce (USPAACC)
• South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT)
• Asian American Racial Justice Toolkit
General Information and Terminology
Common identifiable terms include: Black, African American, Bicultural, Mixed, or Biracial• The term Black is used to refer to all people and cultures of African descent
• The term African American is used to refer to a Black person who is a descendent of African slaves brought to the United States
• Approximately 11.3% of undergraduate students here are Black or African American
Historically Significant Dates
• January 1, 1863 (Emancipation Proclamation)• February 12, 1909 (NAACP Founded)
• May 17, 1954 (Brown v. Board of Education Decision)
• 1961 (Freedom Riders)
• December 1, 1955 (Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott)
• August 6, 1965 (Voting Rights Act of 1965)
• August 28, 1963 (March on Washington & "I Have a Dream" Speech by Martin Luther King Jr.)
Holidays and observances
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day: third Monday of January• Black History Month: February
• Juneteenth: June 19
• Nelson Mandela International Day: July 18
• Marcus Garvey Day: August 17
• Kwanzaa: December 26 – January 1
Leaders/Influencers
• Maya Angelou• James Baldwin
• W.E.B. Du Bois
• Katherine Johnson
• Martin Luther King Jr.
• Rosa Parks
• Malcolm X
• Booker T. Washington
• Ida B. Wells
• Nelson Mandela
• Desmond Tutu
• Marcus Garvey
• Arthur Ashe
• Harry Belafonte
• Walter Rodney
• John Lewis
• Condoleezza Rice
• Oprah Winfrey
• Barack Obama
• Angela Davis
Common Dos and Don'ts When Discussing Culture with Black & African American Persons
Dos• Do treat all people with respect, dignity, and courtesy
• Do actively try to listen more than you speak
• Do ask people how they would like to be referred to
• Do acknowledge different levels of privilege that are present in people
• Do make a conscious effort to educate a Black immigrant on something they do not understand
• Do recognize the struggles of other people, regardless of your comfort level with the situation
• Do provide a supportive channel for them to be demonstrative of their thoughts
• Do be aware of descriptive words with negative connotations (e.g. loud, animated, distracting, etc.)
• Do put effort into breaking down the specifics of a controversial situation
• Do recognize everyone's uniqueness
Don'ts
• Don't make the focus of the conversation about yourself
• Don't use cultural lingo that is appropriate in specific isolated environments
• Don't misinterpret passion for threat
• Don't assume that all Black & African American people have a certain pigmentation
• Don’t try to force your personal preference for working/interacting on another person
• Don't assume that pigmentation allows you to identify a specific person's culture
• Don't give off the message that the person you are speaking with is exaggerating their experience with inequality
• Don't assume that you having not encountered a situation is evidence of its nonexistence
• Don't imply that you have the same exact feeling as them in regards to racism
• Don't put emphasis on racial stereotypes throughout your conversation
• Don't assert ideas outside of your level of experience
• Don't treat cultural competency about Black & African American persons as a fad
Resources for Students
Healthcare: SUNY Erie Health ServicesArea Resources
Buffalo Area Community Groups and Activities• Buffalo Black Young Professionals
• Black-Owned Business Buffalo
• Urban League of Buffalo
• United Way of Greater Buffalo
Buffalo Area Cultural Restaurants
Buffalo Area Churches
National Support and Resources
• Black Lives Matter (BLM)• Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)
• National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
• National Medical Association (NMA)
• National Urban League
• African American Planning Commission (AAPC)
• The Executive Leadership Council
• National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC)
• National Black Justice Commission
• National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (NCNW)
• National Coalition of 100 Black Women (NCBW)
• 100 Black Men of America
• United Negro College Fund (UNCF)
• U.S. Black Chambers, Inc.
Literary Works
• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas• On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
• Love Like Sky by Leslie Youngblood
• Dining and Dancing with the Devils by Dr. John K Marah
On-Campus Resources
Equity and Diversity OfficeTracy A. Archie
archie@ecc.edu
Tracey Cleveland
clevelandt@ecc.edu
Dean of Students:
Petrina Cheathom-Hill
cheatom@ecc.edu
Jason Perri
perri@ecc.edu
Amy Yoder
yoder@ecc.edu
Men of Merit
Dr. Marvin Wilson
wilsonma@ecc.edu
SUNY Erie Student Government
General Information and Terminology
• Common identifiable terms include: Hispanic, Latino, Latina, or Latinx.• The term Hispanic is used to refer to a Spanish-speaking person.
• The term Latino is used to refer to a male of Latin American descent residing in the United States.
• The term Latina is used to refer to a female of Latin American descent residing in the United States.
• The term Latinx is used to refer to refer all Latinos regardless of gender identity.
• Approximately 7.35% of undergraduate students at SUNY Erie are Hispanic.
Historically Significant Dates
• March 2, 1917 (U.S. Citizenship extended to Puerto Ricans)• October 13, 1921 (Order of the Sons of America)
• February 17, 1929 (League of United Latin American Citizens Founded)
• August 4, 1942 (Bracero Program Founded)
• May 3, 1954 (Hernandez v. Texas Decision)
• 1961 (ASPIRA Founded)
• January 1, 1994 (NAFTA reduced trade barriers with Mexico)
Holidays and Observances
• Día de Los Tres Reyes Magos (Three Kings’ Day): January 6th• Dominican Republic Independence Day: February 27th
• Semana Santa (Holy Week): Week before Easter
• Pascua (Easter): First Sunday after the Full Moon on or after the March equinox
• Cinco de Mayo: May 5th (Mexico)
• Paraguay Independence Day: May 14th
• Cuba Independence Day: May 20th
• Venezuela Independence Day: July 5th
• Argentina Independence Day: July 9th
• Colombia Independence Day: July 20th
• Peru Independence Day: July 28th
• Bolivia Independence Day: August 6th
• Ecuador Independence Day: August 10th
• Uruguay Independence Day: August 25th
• Brazil Independence Day: September 7th
• Costa Rica Independence Day: September 15th
• El Salvador Independence Day: September 15th
• Guatemala Independence Day: September 15th
• Honduras Independence Day: September 15th
• Nicaragua Independence Day: September 15th
• Hispanic Heritage Month: September 15th – October 15th
• Mexico Independence Day: September 16th
• Chile Independence Day: September 18th
• Belize Independence Day: September 21st
• Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead): November 1st (Mexico)
• Panama Independence Day: November 3rd
• Las Posadas: December 16th – December 24th
• Nochebuena (Christmas Eve): December 24th
• Navidad (Christmas): December 25th
Leaders/Influencers
• Cesar Chavez• Carlos Santana
• Sonia Sotomayor
• Luis Muñoz Marín
• Pablo Picasso
• Salvador Dalí
• Helen Rodríguez Trías
Common Dos and Don'ts When Discussing Culture with Hispanic & Latinx Persons
Dos• Do treat all people with respect, dignity, and courtesy
• Do actively try to listen more than you speak
• Do ask people how they would like to be referred to
• Do put in time to learn about a Hispanic & Latinx person's country of origin
• Do make a conscious effort to educate a Hispanic & Latinx immigrant on something they do not understand
• Do recognize the struggles of other people, regardless of your comfort level with the situation
• Do provide a supportive channel for them to be demonstrative of their thoughts
• Do put effort into breaking down the specifics of a controversial situation
• Do recognize everyone's uniqueness
Don'ts
• Don’t make the focus of the conversation about yourself
• Don’t use cultural lingo that is appropriate in specific isolated environments
• Don’t assume that you having not encountered a situation is evidence of its nonexistence
• Don't generalize all Hispanic & Latinx persons under one Spanish speaking country
• Don't try to force your personal preference for working/interacting on another person
• Don’t give off the message that the person you are speaking with is exaggerating their experience with inequality
• Don’t imply that you have the same exact feeling as them in regards to racism
• Don't make assumptions about a person solely due to the presence of a language barrier
• Don't put emphasis on racial stereotypes throughout your conversation
• Don't assert ideas outside of your level of experience
• Don't treat cultural competency about Hispanic & Latinx persons as a fad
Resources for Students
Healthcare: SUNY Erie Health ServicesResources for Faculty and Staff
Center for Professional Development (CPD)Area Resources
Buffalo Area Community Groups and ActivitiesBuffalo Area Cultural Restaurants
Buffalo Area Churches
National Support and Resources
• Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities• The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education
• The Committee for Hispanic Families and Children (CHFC)
• Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI)
• Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR)
• Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
• National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO)
• Unidos US
• National Hispanic Corporate Council (NHCC)
• National Hispanic Institute (NHI)
• National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA)
• The National Institute for Latino Policy
• United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC)
• ASPIRA
• League of United Latin American CitizeAC)
General Information and Terminology
SUNY Erie affirms a campus population with a diverse range of citizenship statuses, including, but not limited to, some of the following:• alien
• dependent
• DREAMer
• foreign student
• illegal alien
• immigrant
• immediate relative
• international student
• legalized alien
• lottery admission
• migrant
• naturalized citizen
• nonimmigrant
• permanent resident
• refugee
• resident alien
• temporary worker
Resources and Information
• Glossary of Immigration Terms• U.S. Department of Education Resources
• U.S. Department of Justice DACA Rights
• Dream Act timeline and terms
• DACA Resource Page: For International Student Advisers
• DACA FAQ
• DACA Response to January 2018 Preliminary Injunction
Historically Significant Dates
• August 1, 2001 (Development, Relief, and Education of Alien Minors (DREAM) Act proposed to U.S. Senate)• June 15, 2012 (President Obama creates Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA))
• August 15, 2012 (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services begins accepting DACA applications)
• September 5, 2017 (Trump administration rescinds DACA)
• January 9, 2018 (Federal court issues injunction keeping DACA policy in place until further notice)
Resources for Students
Healthcare: SUNY Erie Health Services
International Student Orientation
Area Resources
Buffalo Area Community Groups and ActivitiesNew York Area USCIS Offices
• Albany
• Buffalo
• Long Island
• New York City
National Support and Resources
• Global Youth Connect• AIESEC
• International Exchange Student Network (IESN)
• International Student Organization
• Students for Liberty
• NAFSA
• U.S. Department of State
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
• Presidential Actions
General Information and Terminology
Common identifiable terms include:• Lesbian
• Gay
• Bisexual
• Queer
• Questioning
• Pansexual
• Asexual
• Straight
• Transgender
• Transsexual
• Genderqueer
• Gender variant
• Gender non-conforming
• Intersex
• Intergender
• Gender Fluid
• Bigender
• Cisgender
Historically Significant Dates
• 1924 (Society for Human Rights formed)• 1950 (Mattachine Society formed)
• September 1955 (Daughters of Bilitis formed)
• 1973 (Lambda Legal established)
• October 14, 1979 (March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights)
• 1983 (People v. West 12 Tenants Corp. Decision)
• June 26, 2003 (Lawrence v. Texas Decision)
• October 28, 2009 (Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act)
• September 20, 2011 ("Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" Repealed)
• June 26, 2013 (United States v. Windsor Decision)
Holidays and observances
• Day of Silence: Second Friday of April• International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia: May 17
• LGBT Pride Month: June
• LGBT Pride Day: Last Sunday in June
• National Coming Out Day: October 11
General Information and Terminology
Common identifiable terms include: Native American, American Indian, or First Nations Peoples
Approximately 0.18% of undergraduate students here are Native American.
Historically Significant Dates
• August 7, 1790 (Treaty of New York)• July 28, 1827 (Cherokee Constitution created)
• October 6, 1879 (Carlisle Indian School recruits first students)
• January 1, 1889 (Ghost Dance by Wovoka)
• October 1911 (Society of American Indians formed)
• June 2, 1924 (Indian Citizenship Act)
• November 1944 (National Congress of American Indians formed)
• August 11, 1978 (American Indian Religious Freedom Act)
Holidays and Observances
• Native American Citizenship Day: June 15th• Indigenous Peoples’ Day: Second Monday in October
• Native American Heritage Month: November
Leaders/Influencers
• Sacagawea• Pontiac
• Pocahontas
• Squanto
• Geronimo
• Tecumseh
Common Dos and Don’ts when Discussing Culture with Native American Persons
Dos• Do treat all people with respect, dignity, and courtesy
• Do actively try to listen more than you speak
• Do put in time to learn about a Native American person’s tribal history
• Do recognize the struggles of other people, regardless of your comfort level with the situation
• Do provide a supportive channel for them to be demonstrative of their thoughts
• Do put effort into breaking down the specifics of a controversial situation
• Do recognize everyone's uniqueness
Don'ts
• Don’t make the focus of the conversation about yourself
• Don’t interrupt people while they are speaking
• Don’t assume that you having not encountered a situation is evidence of its nonexistence
• Don’t generalize all Native Americans under one tribe
• Don’t try to force your personal preference for working/interacting on another person
• Don’t give off the message that the person you are speaking with is exaggerating their experience with inequality
• Don’t imply that you have the same exact feeling as them in regards to racism
• Don’t put emphasis on racial stereotypes throughout your conversation
• Don’t assert ideas outside of your level of experience
• Don’t treat cultural competency about Native American people as a fad
Resources for Students
Healthcare: SUNY Erie Health Services
Resources for Faculty and Staff
• Center for Professional Development (CPD)Area Resources
Buffalo/Rochester Area Community Groups and Activities• Native American Cultural Center (26.7 miles)
• Seneca Art & Culture Center at Ganondagan (39.7 miles)
New York Area Indian Reservations
• Allegany Reservation (97.5 miles)
• St. Regis Mohawk Reservation (280 miles)
• Cattaraugus Reservation (97.7 miles)
• Tuscarora Nation Reservation (56.8 miles)
• Tonawanda Reservation (34.4 miles)
• Onondaga Nation Reservation (120 miles)
• Oneida Nation Reservation (138 miles)
• Oil Springs Reservation (77.8 miles)
National Support and Resources
• American Indian Business Leaders (AIBL)• American Indian College Fund
• American Indian Higher Education Consortium
• A.I.R Policy Center
• Association of American Indian Affairs (AAIA)
• Indian Country Media Network
• National Alaska Native American Indian Nurses Association (NANAINA)
• Redhawk Native American Arts Council
• Native American Capital (NAC)
• Native American Disability Law Center
• Native American Financial Official Association (NAFOA)
• Native American Journalists Association
• Native American Rights Fund
• Native American Bar Association
• National Native American Law Enforcement Association (NNALEA)
• Women Empowering Women for Indian Nations (WEWIN)
• Bureau of Indian Education
• American Indian/Native American Scholarships
• Tribal Enrollment Process
• U.S. Department of the Interior Indian Affairs
• National Congress of American Indians
• American Indian Science and Engineering Society
• Indians Into Medicine
• Indian Country
• Native American Online
• United Indians of All Tribes Foundation