About

Purpose

The Office of Religious and Ethnic Inclusion (Title VI) is a core part of the University’s institutional efforts to implement the recommendations of the Presidential Commission on Countering Hate and Building Community (PDF) and the University Task Force on Antisemitism (PDF). OREI’s work is built on four foundational cornerstones: Education; Investigation; Mediation; and Evaluation.

Education

In partnership with faculty and other Penn offices, including the Division of Human Resources, the Office of the Provost, the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity, and the Office of Institutional Research & Analysis, OREI will develop and deliver trainings to educate the Penn community on Title VI compliance as well as religious discrimination.

Investigation

In an effort to ensure that reports from (and about) different members of the University community (e.g., students, faculty, staff, or post-doctoral trainees) are uniformly handled with care, expertise and sensitivity, OREI will be the sole University-wide point of contact for receiving and responding to reports of alleged violations.

OREI will receive, record, refer or investigate, and work to resolve complaints of harassment and discrimination motivated by religion, ethnic characteristics, national origin, and shared ancestry including an individual’s or group's actual or perceived identity.

Mediation

Using accepted best practices and creative approaches, whenever appropriate, OREI will employ Penn Restorative Practices and principles to de-escalate, resolve and mediate disputes, and address situations of discrimination as an alternative to the formal investigation and reporting process.

Evaluation

OREI will continually evaluate its impact and outcomes (qualitatively and quantitatively) and make necessary adjustments and improvements.

In order to comply with applicable laws including Title VI, OREI will maintain records of all reports received, investigations and mediations conducted, and determinations made.

For a list of common questions and information, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Key Personnel

The Office of Religious and Ethnic Inclusion (Title VI) is under the leadership of two co-directors and a chief investigator

Steve Ginsburg

Mr. Ginsburg a national expert at addressing incidents and resolving crises involving bias and extremism. Over a decade as an executive at the Anti-Defamation League, he collaborated with a diverse group of experts to counter hate and deliver anti-bias education programs on topics including antisemitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, and racism. An attorney with experience in the private, public and nonprofit sectors, Mr. Ginsburg helped create Connecticut's statewide Hate Crimes Advisory Council and was appointed a founding member by Gov. Lamont.

Mr. Ginsburg was also a member of the state’s racial profiling and police accountability task forces and led advocacy efforts resulting in legislation requiring Holocaust and genocide education, strengthening hate crimes enforcement, and outlawing doxing and cyber-harassment. In the 1990s, he lived in Sarajevo as an American Bar Association Rule of Law Liaison working with Bosnians of all ethnicities to reform the legal system. Mr. Ginsburg is a graduate of Duke University and Georgetown University Law Center.

Majid Alsayegh

Mr. Alsayegh was born and raised in Mosul, Iraq, and immigrated to the US in 1975. He is the founder of Alta Management, LLC, a project management firm, which has overseen management of large complex projects, including those that assisted clients with criminal justice reform. Mr. Alsayegh chairs the Board of the Dialogue Institute, a nonprofit that teaches leadership, dialogue skills and critical thinking. He serves on the national Muslim Jewish Advisory Council, a bipartisan group of business, political and religious leaders who have worked together to address hate crimes and protect religious freedom.

Mr. Alsayegh also serves on the board of Abrahamic House in Washington, D.C. and is a co-founder and chairman emeritus of Intercultural Journeys, a Philadelphia based nonprofit that connects diverse communities through music and the arts. Mr. Alsayegh has a civil engineering degree from the South School of Mines and an MS degree from the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied at the Center for Energy and the Environment.

Deborah W. Frey

Deborah W. Frey is the Chief Investigator for the Office of Religious and Ethnic Inclusion and Associate General Counsel in the Office of the General Counsel. Ms. Frey formerly served in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where she led a wide variety of investigations and litigation matters, including resolution of complaints of discrimination based on race, age, disability, and other federally protected classes.

Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney's Office, Ms. Frey worked at two large international law firms for 14 years, defending corporations and individuals in healthcare fraud, securities fraud, and other white collar criminal matters. Ms. Frey holds a BA in History from Northwestern University and a JD from American University, Washington College of Law.

Contact Us

Office of Religious and Ethnic Inclusion (Title VI)

The Franklin Building, Room 216
3451 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104

Telephone: (215) 746-7869
Email: contact-orei@pobox.upenn.edu