The below message was sent to the Bryn Mawr community on Dec. 22, 2025.
Dear Bryn Mawr Community,
We write to put in place an Interim Policy for the Prevention of Discrimination, Discriminatory Harassment, and Retaliation as part of our continuing commitment to the wellbeing of all community members and to ensure prompt compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations. This policy enables us to continue to foster an environment of equity and inclusion, and is effective as of today, December 22, 2025. This policy supersedes and replaces all policies and procedures concerning discrimination and harassment outlined in the faculty, staff, and student handbooks.
This interim policy establishes clear standards of conduct for all members of our community as well as procedures for addressing concerns related to discrimination, discriminatory harassment, and retaliation. It covers discrimination in both access to educational opportunities and employment and addresses discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived protected characteristics, including age, citizenship status, color, disability, gender identity/expression, genetic information, national origin, pregnancy or related conditions, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and veteran status. This policy also describes the College’s response to reports and outlines resolution procedures.
Policies of this length and detail are the norm at institutions like ours and are consistent with the requirements of federal, state, and local laws that cover students and employees of the College. We welcome feedback from our community on this interim policy through April 1, 2026, using this online feedback form. The College will review all feedback and make any needed revisions by the end of the spring 2026 semester to finalize the policy.
The College’s Office of Civil Rights and Title IX will offer education on the policy and its associated procedures and provide opportunities to receive feedback from community members. The first two of these opportunities will be general sessions open to the community, which will be held on:
- Thursday, January 22 from 4-5pm in Old Library (Room 224)
- Wednesday, January 28 from 12-1pm in Carpenter Library (Room B21)
Individuals can sign up for these general sessions in advance using this form. There will be continued educational opportunities throughout the semester, as well as open office hours with Cary Carr, Director of the College’s Office of Civil Rights and Title IX. Dates, times, and locations for additional sessions will be announced through the Daily Digest newsletter. If you wish to request individual training or group training, please contact Cary Carr at ccarr1@brynmawr.edu or 610-526-7863.
If you experience or witness discrimination, discriminatory harassment, sexual misconduct, or retaliation, you can make a report using the online reporting form or by contacting Cary Carr directly. Please note that, with the exception of roles on campus considered confidential resources (e.g., healthcare practitioners, therapists, and chaplains), all employees are mandatory reporters and are required by Bryn Mawr policy to make a report when they witness or learn of incidents of discrimination, discriminatory harassment, or sexual misconduct. Employees of the College are required to complete annual training, which covers these and other topics. Please see the email from Jill Walsh, Associate Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, on November 25, 2025, for instructions to access and complete required training, or simply navigate to the United Educators Learning Portal.
Sincerely,
Cary Carr
Associate Director of Civil Rights and Bias Response and Title IX Coordinator
David Karen
Interim Provost and Professor of Sociology