Alleged Policy 6.4 violations and Formal Complaints against Students, Staff, and Faculty in the 2019-2020 Academic Year
Introduction
This statistical summary provides information on reports of alleged Cornell Policy 6.4 violations and Formal Complaints made against students, staff, and faculty during the 2019-2020 academic year.[1] The statistics are anonymized consistent with the privacy provision the policy.
The University has designated different types of prohibited conduct as well as Procedures for resolution of reports under Policy 6.4 that correspond best with the University’s different constituencies. Please see the definitions of prohibited conduct and Procedures in effect for the 2019-2020 academic year.
Alleged Policy 6.4 Violations
During the 2019-2020 academic year, the Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX (OIETIX) received notice of 490 alleged Policy 6.4 violations. These reported allegations do not necessarily constitute violations of Policy 6.4. For example, the university may lack jurisdiction or simply not have enough information to move forward. After assessment of each allegation, it was determined that 408 of the allegations were potential Policy 6.4 violations.
Table 1 below provides a breakdown of the alleged violations by type of prohibited conduct. Tables 2 and 3 provide a breakdown of the bases of the discrimination and harassment allegations, respectively, as included in Table 1.[2]
| Table 1: Alleged Policy 6.4 Violations in the 2019-2020 Academic Year | |
| Prohibited Conduct | Number of Alleged Policy Violations |
| Attempting to Commit Prohibited Conduct | 6 |
| Dating and Domestic Violence | 41 |
| Discrimination | 22 |
| Harassment (Non-Sexual) | 20 |
| Sexual Harassment | 113 |
| Retaliation | 16 |
| Sexual Assault | 117 |
| Sexual Exploitation | 19 |
| Stalking | 41 |
| Violating an Interim Measure | 13 |
| Table 2: Bases of Discrimination Allegations | |
| Age | 4 |
| Disability | 6 |
| Ethnic or National Origin | 4 |
| Gender | 9 |
| Race or Color | 3 |
| Religion or Creed | 1 |
| Sexual Orientation | 2 |
| Table 3: Bases of Harassment Allegations | |
| Age | 2 |
| Disability | 2 |
| Ethnic or National Origin | 1 |
| Gender (Non-Sexual) | 12 |
| Gender Expression and Identity | 1 |
| Race or Color | 4 |
| Religion or Creed | 2 |
| Sexual Orientation | 1 |
Table 4 below provides a breakdown of the classification of respondents against whom the allegations were made.
| Table 4: Respondent Classification[3] | |
| Current or Former Students | 137 |
| Current or Former Staff or Faculty | 96 |
| Organization | 2 |
| Unknown or No Cornell Affiliation | 73 |
Formal Complaints
During the 2019-2020 academic year, a total of 19 Formal Complaints of prohibited conduct under Policy 6.4 were made against undergraduate students, staff, or faculty.[4] There were no Formal Complaints against graduate or professional students. Of the 19 complaints, 10 were made against undergraduate students, and nine against staff or faculty. These Formal Complaints are resolved under the applicable Procedures for the university’s different constituencies. See the Procedures in effect for the 2019-2020 academic year.
Tables 5 and 6 detail resolution of cases that went through the Formal Complaint process (i.e., investigation with determination by reviewer, alternate resolution, hearing, or appeal).
| Table 5: Cornell Policy 6.4 Formal Complaints Against Undergraduate Students in the 2019-2020 Academic Year |
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| Prohibited Conduct | Resolution Type | Outcome | Sanctions |
| Sexual Harassment, Sexual Exploitation | Hearing | Not Responsible | N/A |
| Sexual Assault, Sexual Exploitation, Attempting to Commit Prohibited Conduct, Sexual Harassment, Retaliation | Alternate Resolution | Not Responsible | No-Contact Order, Remedial Measures: Educational Program, Meeting with OIETIX, Accountability Reflection Paper |
| Retaliation | Alternate Resolution | Not Responsible | No-Contact Order, Remedial Measures: Educational Program, Meeting with OIETIX, Accountability Reflection Paper |
| Dating and Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault | Appeal | Not Responsible | N/A |
| Dating and Domestic Violence, Stalking | Alternate Resolution | Not Responsible | No-Contact Order, Impact Letter Review |
| Stalking, Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment | Alternate Resolution | Responsible | No-Contact Order, Written Reprimand, Directed Study, Reflection Paper |
| Dating and Domestic Violence, Violating an Interim Measure | Investigation | Complaint Dismissed with Transcript Notation Based on Respondent’s Status | N/A |
| Sexual Assault | Alternate Resolution | Responsible | No-Contact Order, Written Reprimand, Disciplinary Probation, Impact Letter Review, Directed Study, Reflection Paper |
| Stalking, Dating and Domestic Violence | Alternate Resolution | Not Responsible | No-Contact Order, Impact Letter Review |
| Sexual Assault | Appeal | Not Responsible | N/A |
| Table 6: Cornell Policy 6.4 Formal Complaints Against Staff or Faculty in the 2019-2020 Academic Year |
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| Prohibited Conduct | Resolution Type | Outcome | Sanctions |
| Sexual Assault | Appeal | Responsible | Termination |
| Sexual Harassment | Appeal | Not Responsible | N/A |
| Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment | Hearing | Responsible | Restrictions or Loss of Specified Privileges at the University, Coaching |
| Discrimination, Retaliation | Appeal | Not Responsible | N/A |
| Discrimination, Retaliation | Appeal | Not Responsible | N/A |
| Discrimination, Retaliation | Appeal | Not Responsible | N/A |
| Sexual Harassment | Hearing | Not Responsible | N/A |
| Discrimination | Assessment and Review | Complaint Dismissed | N/A |
| Discrimination | Assessment and Review | Complaint Dismissed | N/A |
Other Resolutions of Matters Involving Potential Policy 6.4 Violations
Table 7 below provides information on how the matters involving reported policy violations were resolved and administratively closed by OIETIX after an initial assessment.
| Table 7: Other Resolutions of Matters Involving Potential Policy 6.4 Violations | |
| Supportive Measure(s) Only | 28 |
| Referral to HR/Partner Office | 51 |
| Respondent Unknown or Anonymous | 61 |
| Insufficient Information | 141 |
| No Basis for University Jurisdiction | 33 |
| Other[5] | 22 |
Table 8 below provides a breakdown of Table 7 where the allegations were made against current or former students, staff, or faculty.
| Table 8: Other Resolutions of Matters Involving Potential Policy 6.4 Violations with Current or Former Students, Staff, or Faculty Respondents | |
| Current or Former Students | |
| Supportive Measure(s) Only | 23 |
| Referral to HR/Partner Office | 4 |
| Respondent Unknown or Anonymous | 17 |
| Insufficient Information | 84 |
| No Basis for University Jurisdiction | 15 |
| Other | 16 |
| Current or Former Staff or Faculty | |
| Supportive Measure(s) Only | 3 |
| Referral to HR/Partner Office | 43 |
| Respondent Unknown or Anonymous | 4 |
| Insufficient Information | 29 |
| No Basis for University Jurisdiction | 7 |
| Other | 6 |
Bias Reporting
The Department of Inclusion and Belonging (formerly the Department of Inclusion and Workforce Diversity) was responsible for tracking all reported bias activity that occurred at Cornell University, including all reports made by faculty, staff, students, and visitors to the Ithaca, Weill Cornell Medicine, and Cornell Tech campuses in the 2019-2020 academic year.
Click here for a copy of the Annual Report
Download this Statistical Summary
Click here to download a copy of the statistical summary of alleged Policy 6.4 violations and Formal Complaints against students, staff, and faculty in the 2019-2020 academic year.
[1] Alleged Policy 6.4 violations and Formal Complaints signed between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2020.
[2] Discrimination and/or harassment allegations may be based on more than one protected status. For example, an Asian woman may allege that they have been discriminated against based on both their race and gender.
[3] Multiple allegations may be made against a single respondent, and a single allegation may involve multiple respondents.
[4] A single Formal Complaint can include multiple allegations of prohibited conduct.
[5] Other resolutions may reflect the preliminary inquiry stage prior to a Formal Complaint or educational conversations/measures. There is always outreach provided when the complainant is identified.