Title VI

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Know Your Rights

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance. Specifically, Title VI provides that "no person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance." (42 U.S.C. Section 2000d).

The Environmental Justice component of Title VI guarantees fair treatment for all people and provides for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County (CCE-Tompkins), to identify and address, as appropriate, disproportionately high and adverse effects of its programs, policies, and activities on minority and low-income populations, such as undertaking reasonable steps to ensure that Limited English Proficiency (LEP) persons have meaningful access to the programs, services, and information that CCE-Tompkins provides.

Title VI Complaint Procedures

If you believe that you have been excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination with any service provided by CCE-Ontario based on race, color or national origin, you may file an official Title VI complaint. We encourage you to make your complaint in writing, including the following: Your name, address and how to contact you (phone number, email address, etc.). How, why, when and where you believe you were discriminated against. Include the location, names and contact information of any witnesses. If the alleged incident occurred on the bus, give date, time of day, and bus number if available. Download a complaint form here. You must sign your letter of complaint. Please mail to the contact listed below at the address of this association.

All complaints will be investigated promptly. Reasonable measures will be undertaken to preserve any information that is confidential. The Title VI Coordinator will review every complaint, and when necessary, begin the investigation process. At a minimum the investigation will: Identify and review all relevant documents, practices and procedures; Identify and interview persons with knowledge of the Title VI violation, i.e., the person making the complaint; witnesses or anyone identified by the Complainant; anyone who may have been subject to similar activity, or anyone with relevant information.

Upon completion of the investigation, if a Title VI violation is found to exist, remedial steps as appropriate and necessary will be taken immediately. The Complainant will also receive a report together with any remedial steps. The investigation process and final report should take no longer than twenty-five (25) business days.

If no violation is found and the complainant wishes to appeal the decision, he or she may contact the Federal Transit Administration Office of Civil Rights, Attention: Title VI Program Coordinator, East Building, 5th Floor - TCR, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE, Washington, DC 20590 or file a complaint via their website: https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/civil-rights-ada/file-complaint-fta.

Complainants may also file their initial Title VI complaint directly, no later than 180 days after the date of the alleged discrimination, and he or she may contact the Federal Transit Administration Office of Civil Rights, Attention: Title VI Program Coordinator, East Building, 5th Floor - TCR, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE, Washington, DC 20590 or via their website https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/civil-rights-ada/file-complaint-fta.

To request more information about Title VI, please get in touch with the contact listed below.

Last updated December 29, 2017