Center for Civil Rights

A new center to strengthen how Penn prevents and responds to discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct.

Welcome to the Center for Civil Rights (CCR). The inaugural center will strengthen the University’s ability to prevent, respond to, and remediate all forms of discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct, while advancing an institutional environment grounded in dignity, fairness, and respect.

Integrated Subject-Matter Areas.

The CCR is organized into three subject-matter areas of responsibility guided by the supporting pillars of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as well as other federal, state, and local civil rights laws:

• Equal Opportunity (EO), Executive Director Michael S. Athy, will oversee matters of discrimination relating to race and color, age, disability, veteran status, and other related protections, including disability related accommodations. EO will also manage pregnancy and childbirth related accommodations. EO will be responsible for compliance with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, and the Philadelphia Fair Practices Ordinance. The work will include providing available supportive measures; receiving, investigating, mediating, and resolving reports; and providing education and outreach.
• Sex and Gender-Based Discrimination & Harassment (TIX), Executive Director and Title IX Coordinator Michele Rovinsky-Mayer, will oversee matters related to Title IX, sex and gender-based discrimination and harassment, sexual misconduct, sexual orientation, and pregnancy discrimination. This area will also administer Penn’s Consensual Relationships Policy. Accountability will include quid pro quo sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, stalking, and pregnancy discrimination.
• Religious and Ethnic Interests (REI), Co-Directors Majid Alsayegh and Steve Ginsburg, will focus on harassment and discrimination based on shared ancestry, ethnic characteristics, national origin and religion, including antisemitism, Islamophobia, and related forms of bias and harassment, as well as religious accommodations for faculty and staff. Areas of accountability include antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other religious or ethnic concerns; and discrimination or harassment based on national origin to ensure that Penn is aligned with its obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Key Functions of the CCR.

• Coordinated systems for intake and triage of all civil rights complaints and concerns, including retaliation;
• Handle disability accommodations for faculty, staff, and graduate student workers. Accommodations related to academic programs will continue to be handled through the Weingarten Center;
• Shared resources for investigation and training;
• Oversight of policy development, policy updates, and real-time and coordinated compliance;
• Comprehensive training and education tailored to applicable legal frameworks; and
• Centralized tracking (reports, supportive measures, cases, etc.), trend analysis, patterns, and risk identification to support accountability, continuous improvement, and resource conservation.

Resource Partners.

The CCR will partner with Restorative Practices @ Penn, Student Intervention Services, Special Services, Community Standards and Accountability, Penn Violence Prevention, the Office of the Ombuds, and other campus partners who remain valued resources for the Penn community. CCR will also work collaboratively with the Office of the President, the Office of the Provost, Deans, the Office of General Counsel, and other University leaders. Find a full list of resource partners here.