Equal Opportunity

Purpose

All employment decisions shall be made uniformly on the basis of merit.

Equal opportunities shall be provided for all persons throughout the University in recruitment, appointment, promotion, payment, training, and other employment practices without regard to sex, sexual orientation, race, ethnic origin, national origin, color, creed, religion, age, or political belief. Further, the University shall not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of Vietnam-era veteran status, disabled veteran status, or physical or mental disability in regard to any position for which the employee or applicant for employment is qualified. It is a violation of University policy to discriminate against an employee or prospective employee on the basis of application for or service in the Uniformed Services. Also, the University does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because the individual is a smoker or nonsmoker, as long as the person complies with University policy concerning smoking. However, this regulation does not require the provision of employee benefits to an employee for the benefit of any person other than a spouse or child of the employee.

Policy

Sexual harassment is a violation of University rules.

1) For purposes of this policy, sexual harassment is one form of sexual discrimination that includes unwelcome* sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical actions of a sexual nature when

1. Submission to such conduct is made explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment or status in a university course, program, or activity;
2. Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for an employment decision or a decision affecting an individual's status in a university course, program, or activity;
3. Such conduct is sufficiently severe or pervasive to interfere with an individual's work, academic participation or performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or educational environment; or
4. Conduct of an amorous or sexual nature occurring in an apparently welcome relationship may be unwelcome due to the existence of a power difference which restricts a subordinate's freedom to participate unwillingly in the relationship.

2) It is also a violation for an individual in a supervisory capacity to take adverse action against an employee for reporting instances of sexual harassment. Blatant or repeated instances of sexual harassment are cause for disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.