New York State Releases New Title VI Training Materials For Colleges And Universities

The New York State Division of Human Rights (NYSDHR) recently released Title VI training materials in connection with the new Title VI coordinator and training law that becomes effective this upcoming academic year. As we previously shared, New York will now require colleges and universities statewide to appoint a Title VI coordinator, deliver training to campus communities and to coordinators and notify campus communities of related policies. The law takes effect on August 26, 2026, and coordinators must be in place by November 26, 2026.

The materials from the NYSDHR come as institutions prepare to deliver this annual training in the new academic year to all students and employees. NYSDHR resources include:

• Model Title VI training slides and a presentation script; and
• A checklist and guidance document with both requirements and best practices for those institutions that are developing their own trainings (or that already offer such training and want to confirm such training meets state expectations).

The model training tracks guidance from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and includes a number of hypothetical examples, as well as slides on the First Amendment (along with steps to take outside of discipline), and also includes slides on the New York State Human Rights Law. The checklist and guidance document contain both requirements along with best practices, and institutions that are designing their own trainings (or modifying the NYSDHR training) are encouraged by the NYSDHR to consult with counsel. The NYSDHR is offering a webinar on June 25, 2026, to discuss the training materials.

The law does not set a particular date within each academic year by which training must be delivered, but institutions may find it effective to include such training in messaging and programming at the start of the academic year to set expectations and ensure students are aware of resources and reporting options. Institutions may also wish to consider how this training intersects with other trainings; this may be particularly salient for employees, who may wish to understand as part of one comprehensive training effort how their protections under Title VII and local analogs relate to the laws referenced in the Title VI training. Employees must take state-mandated sexual harassment training on an annual basis as well, so institutions may wish to consider whether to combine topics as part of one training effort or to offer trainings separately.

In addition to this training requirement, the new law also separately specifies that Title VI coordinators (and any designees) undergo training on Title VI and their duties and responsibilities. The guidance document from the NYSDHR links to a number of federal resources that Title VI Coordinators should understand and further provides that those in these roles should be aware of the state’s Human Rights Law.

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