"Chief Diversity/Affirmative Action Officer/Title IX Officer (CDO)"

Job Description

Chief Diversity/Affirmative Action Officer/Title IX Officer (CDO)

Posting Number: S400P

Application Deadline: 11/3/2025

Department: S400P

FT - PT: Full Time

Minimum Salary: $145,000

Maximum Salary: $152,000

Description:

Chief Diversity/Affirmative Action/Title IX Officer (CDO)

Purchase College is committed to creating an environment that will attract and retain people of diverse racial and cultural backgrounds. It provides a learning and working environment that encourages, utilizes, respects and appreciates the full expression of every individual's ability. The College is committed to prohibiting discrimination, whether based on race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence survivor status, criminal conviction, or any other criteria prohibited by applicable federal, state, or local laws.

The Chief Diversity/Affirmative Action Officer/Title IX Officer (CDO) oversees all diversity-related matters and efforts for the College. In addition to ensuring compliance, the CDO plays a highly visible, collaborative, and educational role and will serve as a resource for our entire community. The CDO will develop and recommend programs, services, and initiatives designed to enhance the recruitment and successful retention of faculty, staff, and students from diverse and underrepresented populations. The CDO will work closely with colleagues across campus to strengthen communication, promote interdepartmental collaboration, and foster public-facing initiatives that highlight Purchase's commitment to equity and inclusion.

As required under Federal Affirmative Action Regulations, the CDO will have the authority, resources, support of and access to top management to ensure the effective implementation of the affirmative action plan. The CDO supervises and oversees the Title IX and Equity Investigator. They provide complaint resolution and investigate complaints regarding discrimination (Title VI, Title VII), affirmative action, and Title IX issues. The CDO also monitors the college's progress in complying with Title IX and laws concerning discrimination and affirmative action. The CDO will serve as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance officer for the college. The CDO must regularly assess and report whether the campus is fully complying with equal employment opportunity, non-discrimination, affirmative action and ADA requirements as they apply to Purchase College's academic, staff and student employees.

The CDO will report directly to the President, serve on the President's Cabinet, and work with the Purchase community, SUNY system leadership, community partners, and institutional advancement to strengthen and sustain Purchase's commitment to diversity and compliance with all state and federal laws.

About Purchase College, SUNY

A top 10 public school, according to U.S. News & World Report, Purchase College, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system, was founded in 1967 by Governor Nelson Rockefeller. His aspiration for Purchase was to create a dynamic campus that combined conservatory training in the visual and performing arts with programs in the liberal arts and sciences, in order to inspire an appreciation for both intellectual and artistic talents in all students. Today, Purchase College, SUNY is a community of students, faculty, and friends where open-minded engagement with the creative process leads to a lifetime of intellectual growth and professional opportunity. For more information, visit the College's website: Purchase College.

Qualifications:

Diversity & Campus Engagement

• Provide strategic, integrated program direction and consultation to the President and Cabinet on major institutional issues regarding diversity and overall coordination and direction to College programs related to diversity, including campus climate surveys, hiring and retention, training and workshops.
• Serve as a visible campus leader and resource, fostering communication across divisions and promoting transparency in diversity and equity work, including designing and leading educational initiatives, workshops, and public programming that build awareness and capacity across the campus community.
• Partner with Communications, Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, Human Resources, and other offices to make Purchase's diversity efforts more public-facing and accessible to internal and external audiences.
• Collaborate with Institutional Advancement, SUNY, and other entities to identify fundraising opportunities that support CDO related initiatives.
• Oversee improvements to and implementation of the College's current diversity plan. Monitor and evaluate programmatic and operational effectiveness, and effects changes required for improvement.

Affirmative Action

• Work closely with the President, Provost, Cabinet, and administrative personnel to establish affirmative action goals and to encourage and support administrative personnel in their efforts to recruit and retain a diverse student body, faculty, and staff offering appropriate assistance to achieve diverse applicant pools for academic and staff positions.
• Coordinate campus participation in surveys on the diversity of students, faculty, and staff.
• Review all recruitment/request to hire documentation and post all full searches on the college's job vacancy site and other external recruitment locations. Maintain a separate database of all searches and their results for reporting purposes.
• Provide training to campus faculty and administrative staff regarding search procedures and monitoring and approving of recruitment/search process.
• Provide education and training to the campus community on human rights policies and procedures.
• Administer the College's Affirmative Action Plan including data collection and analysis, maintenance of records, and the preparation and submission of required internal and external reports.
• Title IX, Title VI and Title VII - Oversee and occasionally conduct Title IX/VAWA investigations, provide yearly reports to OCR, design and provide annual Title IX training to all students and Staff/Faculty. Participates in presentations to students, faculty and staff regarding obligations under Title IX, including mandatory reporting.

Chair of the Bias Response Team

• Provide guidance and education to students in collaboration with Student Affairs on the role of counseling, community standards, and the University police.
• Oversee and manage the job performance and output of the Title IX investigator (who also serves as the Assistant Affirmative Action Officer), keep track of reports and complaints, identify patterns of harassment and provide training to the campus community.
• Participate in the investigation of human rights complaints (sexual harassment, discrimination, etc.), administer the internal discrimination grievance procedures, and work with Human Resources as needed in cases involving employees.
• Ensures thorough and impartial investigations related to discrimination, harassment and retaliation, including the principles and compliance requirements of Title IX, Title VI and Title VII.

ADA

• Develop and implement educational and outreach programs regarding the college's responsibilities and obligations under the ADA
• Develop & implement policies and procedures involving disability requirements & responsibilities, establishing & enforcing standards & investigating complaints.
• Oversee accommodations for faculty and staff who qualify under the provisions of the ADA. Collaborate with Student Affairs in advising on ADA support for students.

The successful candidate at a minimum must possess:

• An advanced degree in social sciences, human resources, higher education, law, or a related field.
• A minimum of 3-5 years of experience in higher education.
• Thorough knowledge of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the 1991 Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Affirmative Action, Equal Employment Opportunity, Title VI, Title VII, and other applicable laws.
• Excellent collaboration, communication, and public speaking skills.
• A proven track record in developing and implementing successful diversity, Title IX, Title VI, Title VII and/or Affirmative action plans and programming.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in mediation and/or complaint resolution.
• Experience in leveraging grant funding or other support for initiatives.

Candidates are required to complete an online application and attach:

1. a resume/CV specifying work experience and education,
2. a cover letter (maximum two pages) expressing interest in the position and summarizing qualifications,
3. the names, addresses, and e-mail addresses (and phone numbers, if possible) of THREE (3) references, who can speak to your experience related to this position.

Phone calls, hard copy, or e-mail submissions of application materials will NOT be accepted.

Special Note:

Benefits -

• Health, dental, and vision benefits are available to eligible employees after a 28-day waiting period. More information regarding other benefits, such as generous paid time off, tuition assistance, and retirement systems, can be found on SUNY's Benefit Summaries website.
• Purchase College is a qualifying government employer, allowing eligible employees to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
• Access to the NAEYC-accredited, on-campus child care at The Children's Center.
• Discounted access to the world-class Performing Arts Center, free admission to the Neuberger Museum of Art, and free access to the athletic facilities.
• Other benefits include business-casual dress and an opportunity to telecommute (dependent on job function and operational need). For detailed information on some of the College's employee benefits, visit the College's Human Resources/Benefits website.

Nondiscrimination Policy - Purchase College is committed to fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff, and students, as well as ensuring equal educational opportunity, employment, and access to service, programs, and activities, without regard to an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, or criminal conviction. Employees, students, applicants, or other members of the Purchase community (including vendors, visitors, and guests) may not be subjected to harassment that is prohibited by law or treated adversely or retaliated against based upon a protected characteristic. To view the entire policy, please visit the following website: Purchase College - Policies and Procedures.

Women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Purchase College is an AA/EEO employer. The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, or Clery Act, mandates that all Title IV institutions, without exception, prepare, publish, and distribute an Annual Security Report. This report consists of two basic parts: disclosure of the University's crime statistics for the past three years, and the availability of the University's current campus security policies. Purchase College's Annual Security Report is available at Purchase College's NYS University Police Website.

To apply, visit https://jobs.purchase.edu/postings/1602