501.1 Purpose

To establish a policy of equal opportunity and nondiscrimination for the Office of the UTech Commissioner.

501.2 Approval

Board of Higher Education: October 15, 2009. Revised: June 8, 2016; September 13, 2017.

501.3 Policy

3.1 Equal Employment Opportunity: The Commissioner’s Office is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is fully committed to the principle of nondiscrimination in all employment-related practices and decisions, including recruitment, hiring, supervision, promotion, compensation, benefits, termination, and all other practices and decisions affecting employment status, rights, and privileges.

3.2 Personnel Management: Executive, administrative, and supervisory officers exercising personnel management responsibilities are required to take vigorous and appropriate action to assure that all employment-related practices and decisions are made without discrimination, harassment, or prejudicial treatment because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, childbirth, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, age, or status as a person with disabilities, disabled veteran, or veteran of the Vietnam era, or otherwise as provided by law.

3.3 Job-related Criteria and Standards: All employment practices and decisions shall be instituted and administered in a fair and equitable manner, using only legally valid job-related criteria and standards, including experience, training, education, skills, and potential for successful job performance and upward mobility.

3.4 Facilities Operations: All facilities shall be maintained and operated on a nonsegregated and nondiscriminatory basis.

3.5 Equal Employment Opportunity: The Commissioner of Higher Education will monitor compliance with this policy.

3.6 Noncompliance: The Commissioner’s Office has established appropriate grievance procedures to investigate complaints by employees claiming to have been denied the benefits of this policy (see Policy 504). It is a violation of USHE policy for any employee to retaliate in any manner against an individual because of the filing of a discrimination or equal opportunity grievance complaint, or because of the giving of support or assistance to an employee in connection with the filing of such a complaint.