1.1
Introduction
It
is the intent of Tennessee Technological University to fully comply with Executive Order 11246, as amended; Title VI and
Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, as amended; the Rehabilitation Act of
1973; Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; and the Vietnam Era Veterans
Readjustment Act of 1974, as amended; the Equal Pay Act of 1963, as amended;
the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended; the Age
Discrimination Act of 1975; the Pregnancy Discrimination Act; applicable state
statutes and all regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. Tennessee
Technological University will promote and ensure equal opportunity for all
persons without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin,
disability status, age, or status as qualified veteran with a disability or
veteran of the Vietnam era.
It
is the intent of Tennessee Technological University that the campus shall be
free of harassment on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin,
age, or any other protected status and shall fully comply with the
anti-harassment provisions of Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of
1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended;
the federal and state constitutions; and all other applicable federal and
state statutes.
1.2
Statement of Policy
Tennessee
Technological University hereby reaffirms the policy of the TBR System that
the University will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for
employment because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex (except
where sex is a bona fide occupational qualification), disability, age, or
because of his/her status as a qualified veteran with a disability, veteran of
the Vietnam era, or other protected veteran.
Similarly,
the University shall not, on the basis of a protected status, subject any
student to discrimination under any educational program. No student
shall be discriminatorily excluded from participation nor denied the benefits
of any educational program on the basis of a protected status.
Tennessee
Technological University specifically finds that diversity of students,
faculty, administrators, and staff is a crucial element of the educational
process and reaffirms its commitment to enhancing education through
affirmative action to increase diversity at all levels.
Tennessee
Technological University will take affirmative action to ensure that all
individuals are treated during the employment process without regard to their
race, color, religion, national origin, sex (except where sex is a bona fide
occupational qualification), disability (where he/she is a qualified person
with a disability), age, or status as a veteran with a disability or veteran
of the Vietnam era. Such action shall include, but not be limited to,
actions to:
1.2.1
Recruit, hire, train and promote persons in all job titles, without regard to
any of the foregoing prohibited factors.
1.2.2
Base decisions on employment so as to further the principles of affirmative
action and equal employment opportunity.
1.2.3
Ensure that promotion decisions are in accord with principles of equal
employment opportunity by imposing only valid requirements for promotional
opportunities.
1.2.4
Ensure that all personnel actions such as compensation, benefits, transfers,
layoffs, return from layoff, and institution or school sponsored training,
education, tuition assistance, and social and recreation programs, will be
administered without regard to any of the foregoing prohibited factors.
It
is and has been the policy of Tennessee Technological University to maintain
its campus as a place of work and study for faculty, staff, and students, free
of sexual harassment and harassment on the basis of race, color, religion,
national origin, age, or other protected status. Harassment is a
form of discrimination, and harassment in the workplace or the educational
environment is unacceptable conduct and will not be tolerated.
The
University prohibits any retaliatory action against an employee for opposing a
practice that he or she believes to be discriminatory, including the filing of
an internal complaint or grievance or charge with a state or federal civil
rights enforcement agency.
1.3
Sexual Orientation
It is the policy of Tennessee
Technological University that neither its students nor its employees be
discriminated against on the basis of that individual’s sexual orientation.
Such a policy helps ensure that only relevant factors are considered
and that equitable and consistent standards of conduct and performance will be
applied.
For the purpose of this policy,
sexual orientation shall be defined as the direction of an individual’s
emotional, physical, and /or sexual attraction to others, which may be the
same sex (homosexual), the opposite sex (heterosexual), or both sexes
(bisexual).
This policy shall not be
construed to (1) infringe upon the free exchange of ideas essential to the
academic environment, (2) limit the freedom of religious association, or (3)
establish a duty to engage in affirmative action measures on the basis of
sexual orientation. Further, this
policy shall not be construed to require the compliance of external government
agencies, University programs governed by external agencies in which
non-discrimination does not includes sexual orientation (i.e., R.O.T.C.), or
programs that discriminate as a matter of policy (i.e., Boy Scouts).
Notwithstanding the language in this policy, it is also understood
that, the eligibility of employees for employment benefits is determined by
the laws and regulations of the state of Tennessee and is not affected by this
policy.
For the purpose of this policy,
a student who has an academic complaint involving discrimination based on his
or her sexual orientation should contact the Office of the Provost, and Vice
President for Academic Affairs. All
other student complaints involving sexual orientation should be directed to
the Office of the Dean of Students.
Any individual who has an
employment discrimination complaint based upon his or her sexual orientation
should contact the University’s Affirmative Action Coordinator.
1.4
Administrative Responsibility
The
President of Tennessee Technological University is committed to affirmative
action and equal employment opportunity and has assigned the overall
responsibility for planning, monitoring and reporting the University's
progress in implementing policies of equal employment opportunity and
affirmative action to the Affirmative Action Officer.
The Affirmative Action Officer will receive, review, and investigate
equal opportunity complaints and appeals and make recommendations to the
President regarding their disposition. Any
inquiries or charges of violation concerning the application of the above
referenced policies should the be directed to Affirmative Action Officer, 314D
Derryberry Hall, P.O. Box 5164, Cookeville, TN 38505, 931-372-3016. The
University's written affirmative action plan is on file in that office.
Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to Human
Resource Services, 931-372-3034 (TTY available).
Complaints
filed against TTU involving grants/projects funded by the Tennessee Department
of Transportation, Tennessee Department of Human Services or other agencies
having jurisdiction are forwarded within five (5) working days to that agency
for investigation and resolution.
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