THE FORUM: Equal opportunity laws
Editor’s note: The forum is the students’ chance to ask questions of Utah State University administrators. Questions can be e-mailed to editor@statesman.usu.edu
Equal opportunity laws protect for everyone.
We are truly lucky to have a comprehensive set of federal Civil Rights laws that prohibit discrimination in employment and in educational programs.
These laws, many of which were passed in the 1960s and 1970s, were a direct response on the part of Congress to address discrimination aimed at women, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, and veterans in the labor force and on college campuses.
As the laws were further defined and articulated, they applied to what we now know as “protected” categories: race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, and veterans’ status. These laws are designed to serve ALL people, of all backgrounds, so that those groups of individuals that historically may not have experienced discrimination are provided these protections against discrimination as well.
At USU, our equal opportunity policy (No. 303) also provides protection against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in both employment and in the educational setting. Over the years, we have made tremendous progress toward eliminating discrimination in the worlds of work and academia.
Nonetheless, discrimination still exists today, and these laws provide an avenue of redress for individuals who believe they have been treated unfairly based on one or more of the “protected categories.”
USU faculty, staff, and student employees are all protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which forbids discrimination in all aspects of employment on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It includes hiring, firing, salaries, fringe benefits, training and other conditions of employment.
The prohibition of sexual harassment is included in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s guidelines to Title VII. For students, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Higher Education Act) prohibits discrimination against students on the basis of gender in admissions, placement, housing, athletics, facilities, financial aid, other student services and all educational programs.
Title IX also prohibits sexual harassment of students. In addition, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 forbids discrimination against students on the basis of race, color, or national origin in educational programs and activities. Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibit discrimination against employees and students with disabilities. There are many more Civil Rights laws that prohibit discrimination of employees and students on the basis of other protected categories, but they are too numerous to list here.
Any university employee, prospective employee or student who believes he or she has been discriminated against on the basis of any of the protected categories, is encouraged to discuss his or her complaint with the Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Office (AA/EO) staff, located in Old Main, Room 161, or to call 797-1266. This office also provides information and resource materials to students who are researching or writing papers in the areas of equal opportunity, affirmative action, and diversity.
Sue Guenter-Schlesinger is the director of the Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Office. Comments can be sent to her at suegs@champ.usu.edu.