Non-Discrimination Statement
Revised June 2025
Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination at Tufts University: Tufts is enriched by the many experiences and perspectives each individual member brings to our community. Tufts does not discriminate in admissions, employment, or in any of its educational programs or activities and prohibits discrimination and harassment against any student, employee, job applicants, applicants for admission, or third parties on the basis of protected categories. Those protected categories include race (including traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to hair texture, hair type, hair length and protective hairstyles), color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, shared ancestry, age, religion, disability (including those with a record of a disability), sex and/or gender, gender identity and/or expression (including a transgender identity as defined by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts), sexual orientation, military or veteran status, pregnancy, lactation, genetic information, the intersection of these identities or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state or local law. Retaliation is also strictly prohibited. Tufts is an equal employment opportunity. See Tufts Non-Discrimination Policy
Tufts also prohibits all types of discrimination and/or harassment based on sex/gender-based protected categories. Tufts uses the umbrella term “sexual misconduct” to reflect sex/gender-based harassment and/or discrimination which includes sexual harassment, a hostile environment, quid pro quo sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct including acts of sexual violence such as rape, sexual assault, stalking, sexual exploitation, domestic violence, interpersonal/dating/relationship/intimate partner violence and other conduct which may constitute sexual misconduct under our policies such as a violation of the Tufts University Relationships with Students Policy. More detailed Tufts policies and procedures on this topic may be found on the OEO website OEO Policies and Procedures page.
Any member of the Tufts University community has the right to raise concerns or make a complaint regarding discrimination/ harassment under this policy without fear of retaliation. Tufts University prohibits retaliation for opposing discrimination/harassment and/or sexual misconduct and/or for filing a complaint of discrimination/harassment, sexual misconduct or related retaliation and/or for participation in protected conduct such as involvement in an investigation or the processing of such a complaint. For more information about our policies and processes, please refer to the full Non-Discrimination Policy on the Office of Equal Opportunity’s (OEO) website and the corresponding process documents.
Any and all inquiries regarding the application of this statement and related policies may be referred to: Jill Zellmer, MSW, Associate Vice President of the Office of Equal Opportunity, Title VI Officer and Title IX Coordinator, at 617-627-3298 at 196 Boston Avenue, 4th floor, Medford, MA 02155, or at Jill.Zellmer@tufts.edu. Anonymous complaints may also be made by reporting online at: Tufts-OEO.Ethicspoint.com, in person, or by phone.
As set forth in our policies, individuals may also file complaints with state and federal administrative agencies. These external reporting options include:
Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) , John M. McCormack Building, One Ashburton Place, 6th floor, Room 601, Boston, MA. 02108. Phone: 617.994.6000
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), JFK Federal Building, 475 Government Center, Boston, MA. 02203. Phone: 1.800.669.4000
U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”), 5 Post Office Square, Boston Office, 8th Floor, Boston, MA 02109-3921. Phone: 617.289.0111 Email: OCR.Boston@ed.gov.