Executive Director of Institutional Equity/Chief Diversity Officer (Administrator)

The City University of New York; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 160,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

The City University of New York's Graduate Center invites applications for the Executive Director of Institutional Equity/Administrator (EDIE). This role serves as Chief Diversity Officer, guiding policy development and complaint investigations related to equal opportunity, sexual misconduct, and diversity across GC, SOJ, MHC, and SLU.

Responsibilities include training, campus education, ethics oversight, and coordinating with CUNY Central on compliance.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school.
• Knowledge of discrimination, harassment and equal opportunity laws; experience applying discrimination laws.
• Experience conducting investigations of legal or policy violations, e.g., employee or student misconduct.
• Willingness to counsel the campus community on equal opportunity issues and investigate or otherwise address complaints.
• Experience presenting educational materials to adult learners; developing and presenting programs on discrimination, harassment, equal opportunity or related topics.
• Experience in, and a commitment to, working effectively with diverse communities.
• Experience in higher education.
• Previous experience supervising staff.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills; strong writing and analytical skills.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Manage and work with conflict.
• Willingness to work collaboratively and creatively as part of a team.

Responsibilities

• Responds to and investigates allegations of violations of CUNY’s Equal Opportunity and Non‑Discrimination Policy for GC, MHC, SOJ, and SLU; conducts intake meetings, initial assessments, interviews, reviews evidence, and prepares reports.
• Responds to and investigates violations of CUNY’s Policy on Sexual Misconduct for GC, MHC, and SOJ; conducts intake meetings, assessments, interviews, reviews evidence, and prepares reports.
• Maintains and updates the University-wide case management system; reviews reports, enters data, and tracks investigation status.
• Oversees multi-level recruitment and selection process; reviews plans, approves salary offers for equity, and ensures fairness.
• Works with HR to ensure training compliance across GC, SOJ, MHC, and SLU; conducts live training sessions as needed.
• Participates in policy development and strategic planning for sensitive issues including discrimination and harassment.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Investigations

Diversity & Equity

Education

J.D. from law school

Job description

POSITION DETAILS

The Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY) is the focal point for advanced teaching and research at CUNY, the nation's largest urban public university. With over 35 doctoral and master's programs of the highest caliber, the Graduate Center fosters pioneering research and scholarship in the arts and sciences and prepares students for careers in universities and the private, nonprofit, and government sectors. The Graduate Center's commitment to research and scholarship for the public good is exemplified by its more than 30 centers, institutes, and initiatives, including its Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC), a 200,000 square-foot facility in upper Manhattan, designed to promote collaboration among scientists in five areas of global research and innovation: nanoscience, photonics, structural biology, neuroscience, and environmental sciences.

POSITION DETAILS

The Graduate Center (GC) benefits from highly ambitious and diverse students and alumni‑who in turn teach hundreds of thousands of undergraduates every year. Through its public programs, the Graduate Center enhances New York City's intellectual and cultural life.

The Executive Director of Institutional Equity/Administrator (EDIE), who serves as the Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) at the Graduate Center, leads the development, implementation and administration of relevant policies and procedures that promote compliance with Federal and State laws and CUNY regulations, with particular emphasis on patterns or systemic problems of sexual misconduct, discrimination, harassment, and workplace diversity. The EDIE oversees the implementation of the University’s policies relating to affirmative action and equal opportunity and ensures compliance with relevant city, state, and federal statutes, including Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, Section 504, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The EDIE’s responsibilities include reviewing complaints and conducting inquiries and investigations related to Title VI, VII, and IX for the Graduate Center (GC), the Craig Newmark School of Journalism (SOJ), the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies (SLU), and the Macaulay Honors College (MHC), which are part of the CUNY Graduate School and University Center (GSUC); participating in campus education and training related to civil rights, workplace violence, and related trainings that may be mandated by the GC or University; and developing campus training materials on prevention and intervention. The incumbent will advise the GC community on the application of CUNY equal opportunity policies and provide educational programming on this and other compliance topics.

The position includes the Title IX designation for the GC, SOJ, and MHC and liaising with CUNY Central on compliance‑related policies and procedures. The incumbent will also serve as the Ethics Officer for the GC, MHC, SLU, and SOJ.

The EDIE manages the operations of the GC’s Office of Compliance and Diversity. Reporting to the President, the EDIE will consult regularly with campus legal and labor designee, and with staff in Student Affairs, Human Resources, Public Safety, and the Office of the Provost. The EDIE will regularly inform the President about all matters requiring investigation or compliance activity within the GC and MHC. The EDIE will be expected to collaborate frequently with colleagues to resolve case‑related challenges.

• Responds to and investigates allegations of violations of CUNY’s Equal Opportunity and Non‑Discrimination Policy for the GC, MHC, SOJ, and SLU, which includes conducting intake meetings, providing initial assessments of allegations, interviewing parties and witnesses, reviewing evidence, and preparing investigative reports.
• Responds to and investigates allegations of violations of CUNY’s Policy on Sexual Misconduct for the GC, MHC, and SOJ, which includes conducting intake meetings, providing initial assessments of allegations, interviewing parties and witnesses, reviewing evidence, and preparing investigative reports.
• Maintains and regularly updates the University-wide case management system, including reviewing incoming reports, entering required case data and documentation, and ensuring case records accurately reflect investigation status and progression.
• Oversees the University’s multi-level recruitment and selection process at the GC, SOJ, MHC, and SLU, including: providing required CDO review and approval at key stages of the search process; supervising the Confidential Executive Officer who leads search committee meetings and providing coverage as needed; advising on complex or escalated recruitment and selection issues; reviewing recruitment plans and search documentation; reviewing and approving candidates selected for interview and finalist consideration to ensure selections are fair, equitable, and merit-based; and approving proposed salary offers following compensation analysis to ensure equity and parity.
• Works with Human Resources to ensure compliance with mandatory training requirements across the GC, SOJ, MHC, and SLU, including monitoring training compliance and facilitating and conducting live training sessions, as needed and requested.
• Participates in institutional policy development and strategic response planning for sensitive, complex, or emerging issues, including discrimination, harassment, and other concerning conduct, as well as other matters requiring coordinated institutional response.
• Develops, oversees, and delivers training, educational programs, guidance materials, resource guides, and communications related to discrimination, harassment, sexual misconduct, equal opportunity, diversity, and compliance with Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, and related policies and procedures.
• Serves as the Campus Ethics Officer for the GC, SOJ, MHC, and SLU, ensuring institutional compliance with applicable State ethics requirements and serving as the primary liaison with the New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (COELIG), including:
  • Overseeing annual ethics training requirements, including the live Comprehensive Ethics Training Course (CETC) and on-demand ethics training, and coordinating and/or conducting live training sessions;
  • Monitoring employee ethics training compliance and overseeing required reporting through the Statewide Ethics Training Application (SETA);
  • Overseeing the Financial Disclosure Statement (FDS) process, including identifying and communicating with required filers, monitoring compliance, and coordinating with COELIG;
  • Advising employees and leadership regarding State ethics requirements and restrictions, including outside activities, gifts, honoraria, conflicts of interest, and related matters; and
  • Developing and maintaining ethics‑related guidance, communications, procedures, and institutional resources, and coordinating with COELIG and University stakeholders regarding ethics compliance issues.
• Oversees and reviews the development and drafting of the annual Evaluation and Plan for Employment of Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities for GC, SOJ, MHC, and SLU, ensuring compliance with applicable federal and State requirements, including Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 (VEVRAA), Governor Hochul’s Executive Order 31, and applicable CUNY policies and Board of Trustee resolutions.
• Reviews and analyzes workforce data provided by the CUNY Central Office to assess diversity, representation, and employment trends, including hiring and representation across disciplines, job categories, and academic ranks; identifies relevant trends and areas of underrepresentation; and provides required workforce data, analyses, and related information to the respective vice presidents/department heads to support institutional planning and compliance.
• Serve as the Domestic Violence Agency Liaison (DVAL) for GC and MHC overseeing implementation of responsibilities under CUNY’s Domestic Violence and the Workplace Policy, including serving as a resource for employees impacted by domestic violence; coordinating workplace responses, resources, and referrals; collecting, reviewing, and compiling required institutional data and completing semiannual University reporting related to gender‑based violence and workplace incidents; completing required New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV) training; and participating in University‑wide DVAL meetings, initiatives, and compliance efforts.
• Participates in new initiatives to improve services, including updates to compliance‑related websites, and communications to educate employees and students on policies and compliance mandates, etc.
• Serves on committees as needed;
• Recruits, sets performance/productivity standards and goals, supervises, and develops staff.
• Serves as a member of the Graduate Center President’s senior leadership team.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

All full‑time and part‑time CUNY staff are expected to work in‑person 80% of their work time. This hybrid work schedule is subject to change.

This position is in CUNY's Executive Compensation Plan. All executive positions require a minimum of a Bachelor's degree and eight years' related experience.

• JD from an accredited law school.
• Knowledge of discrimination, harassment and equal opportunity laws; experience applying discrimination laws.
• Experience conducting investigations of legal or policy violations, e.g., employee or student misconduct.
• Willingness to counsel the campus community on equal opportunity issues and investigate or otherwise address complaints of discrimination, harassment, sexual misconduct, retaliation, nepotism and other student or staff misconduct.
• Experience presenting educational materials to adult learners; experience developing and presenting educational programs on discrimination, harassment, equal opportunity or related topics.
• Experience in, and a demonstrated ongoing commitment to, working effectively with and across diverse communities.
• Experience in higher education.
• Previous experience supervising staff.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills; strong writing and analytical skills.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Manage and work with conflict.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Willingness and desire to work actively, collaboratively and creatively as part of a team.

CUNY TITLE

Administrator

Compensation And Benefits

$160,000-$185,000/year. Salary commensurate with education and experience. CUN