With an affirmative action vision in mind, the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action is committed to eliminating individual and systemic barriers that inhibit individuals and groups from attaining equal access to university employment, education, programs, and services.

Advocacy - ensuring that equal opportunity and affirmative action principles are embedded in all relevant University policies and procedures and demonstrated in practice.

Policy Development and Issue Identification - identifying existing or emerging equal opportunity and affirmative action issues, advising University leadership in the development of responsive policies, and analyzing and recommending action based on relevant research studies and position papers.

Education - providing University staff, faculty, and students with information and opportunities for increased understanding of discrimination, equal opportunity, and affirmative action policies and practices.

Discrimination Consultation and Investigation — advising individuals and departments regarding existing, perceived or potential discrimination and retaliation; resolving discrimination issues through formal and informal processes.

Community Connections — building mutually meaningful partnerships with diverse groups internal and external to the University concerning equal opportunity, affirmative action, and community economic development initiatives.

Compliance — developing and disseminating affirmative action plans, and coordinating state and federal reporting and compliance reviews.

Example of Affirmative Action Policies for Universities

(1) provide equal access and opportunity to its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status or sexual orientation;

(2) advocate and practice affirmative action including the use of recruiting and search processes to enhance participation of racial minorities, women, persons with a disability, and Vietnam era veterans;

(3) establish and nurture an environment that actively acknowledges and values diversity and is free from racism, sexism, and other forms of prejudice, intolerance or harassment, for men and women, faculty, staff, and students from varying racial, religious, and ethnic backgrounds, and of varying sexual orientations, as well as people with disabilities; and

(4) provide equal educational access to members of under-represented groups, and develop affirmative action admission programs where appropriate to achieve this goal.

Promotion and Support. The University will promote and support diversity through its academic programs, its employment policies and practices, and the purchase of goods, materials, and services for its programs and facilities from businesses of the diverse communities it serves.

Performance Goals. Administrative officers are directed to set performance goals consistent with this policy and the law, and energetically continue to implement the necessary programs and affirmative action administrative procedures for the achievement of these goals; to remedy any discriminatory practice which deviates from this policy; and to assess and reward the performance of individuals and units using the University's critical measures for the diversity performance goals as part of the University's planning and budgeting process.