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The Office of Equity and Civil Rights (ECR) works to promote a respectful, accessible and inclusive environment to all students, staff, and community within the CT State Community College.

CT State Community College does not discriminate on the basis of age, ancestry, color, national origin, gender identity or expression, genetic information, learning disability, marital status, intellectual disability, physical disability (including but not limited to blindness), present or past history of mental disability, prior criminal record, race, religious creed, sex (including pregnancy and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, retaliation for previously opposed discrimination or coercion, veteran status, victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and/or trafficking, or any other federal or state protected class in its employment, programs, and activities, unless the provisions of Section 46a-80(b) or 46a-81(b) of the Connecticut General Statutes are controlling or there are bona fide occupational qualifications excluding persons in one of the above protected groups.

The following person has been designated to respond to inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Dr. John-Paul Chaisson-Cardenas, CT State Title IX Coordinator, Connecticut State Community College, 185 Main Street, New Britain, CT 06051.

Connecticut State Community College is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and veterans.

File a Complaint

You may file a complaint of discrimination and/or sexual harassment/misconduct on behalf of yourself or report an incident that you have witnessed at a Connecticut State Community College campus or office. Reports may be filed anonymously.

Ensure Equal Opportunity and Access for Students, Employees and the Community Members

  • Monitor college/campus compliance with relevant CSCU policies and all state and federal EEO/AA/Civil Rights laws including, but not limited to, Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
  • Provide direction and guidance on the CT State search process in accordance with Connecticut and Federal non-discrimination statutes and regulations.
  • Provide career counseling for employees seeking career mobility
  • Develop Affirmative Action plans and programs in accordance with the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO) AA Regulations
  • Provide reasonable accommodations for employees or job applicants in accordance with the ADA
  • Conduct and coordinate state-mandated training (Diversity, Sexual Harassment, Domestic Violence, Title IX and ADA)

Affirmative Action Plans

Investigate Discriminatory Conduct

Equity Reviews

An equity review is an evaluative process that assesses the status, effectiveness, and progress of CT State units or programs from a from an equal opportunity, access, and non-discrimination lens. There are two types of equity reviews:

  1. Participatory Equity Study: This kind of participatory action evaluation process is designed to support CT State units and programs in their equity and accessibility, and inclusion to accessibility in the third sentence. efforts or when a unit or program is experiencing inclusion or equity challenges. This process usually starts with a data review related to the presenting goal and ends with a written report to the unit or program and its senior vertical leader(s).
  2. Equity or Compliance Review: This compulsory process can only be triggered by the CT State President or VP of DEI. This type of review is designed to assess and address systemic compliance, climate, accessibility, equity, and civil rights issues. This type of review usually requires that the unit or program develop an affirmative plan to remedy any or all findings. Remedial plans are then monitored by the DEI Office.
There are three main reasons why we conduct equity reviews at CT State:
  1. To fulfill our CT State Mission: CT State Community College (CT State) provides access to academically rigorous and innovative educationand training focused on student success. The college supports excellence in teaching and learning, makes data-informed decisions, promotes equity, and advances positive change for the students, communities, and industries it serves.
  2. To fulfill our equity commitment: CT State commits to bold and disruptive change by actively identifying, naming, and dismantling structural racism, systemic poverty, and other barriers, establishing equitable and anti-racist policies and practices, and empowering students, faculty, staff, and administrators to advance racial, social, and economic justice. Our core collective responsibility is to continuously assess practices and policies and transform the world we live in by eliminating inequities.
  3. To ensure civil rights compliance throughout the college.
What can prompt an equity study or compliance review?

**Please note that the DEI Office will first offer units or programs the opportunity to engage in a participatory equity review process. This is because we believe that positive active engagement by staff, faculty, and administrators yields better plans and recommendations than compulsory processes.

CT State Equity and Accessibility Guidance

CT State is committed to providing a safe, equitable and welcoming educational environment for all. We have created guides to provide information on how to support the diverse populations our college serves, while fostering greater understanding and empathy among our CT State community.

Last updated: August 4, 2025 | 3:47 pm