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Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
I. Equal Opportunity for Employees
Central Washington University is an equal opportunity employer that values an inclusive campus and welcomes a diversity of ideas and people. In keeping with its commitment to employee equity, the university recruits, hires, trains, and promotes persons in all job titles, without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, age, marital status, disability, genetic information, or status as a protected veteran.
The university ensures that all personnel actions such as compensation, benefits, transfers, terminations, layoffs, return from layoffs, university-sponsored training, education, tuition assistance, and social and recreation programs, will be administered without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, age, marital status, disability, genetic information, or status as a protected veteran.
II. Affirmative Action
Central Washington University is committed to affirmative action for Asians/Pacific Islanders, Blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans/Alaskan Natives, women, persons 40 years of age or older, persons of disability, and protected veterans. This commitment is expressed through the university’s efforts to eliminate barriers to equal employment opportunity and improve employment opportunities encountered by these
affected groups.
III. Equal Opportunity for Students
Central Washington University will provide students equal access to all programs and services on the basis of merit without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, age, marital status, disability, or status as a protected veteran.
No person will be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity sponsored by the university, including, but not limited to, admissions, academic programs, student employment, counseling and guidance services, financial aid, recreational activities, and intercollegiate athletics.
No member of the university community shall treat students differently because of their race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, age, marital status, disability (except to provide reasonable accommodation), or status as a protected veteran. The university has established mechanisms to address complaints of discriminatory treatment, including harassing behaviors (e.g., physical, verbal, graphic, or written) which might lead to the creation of a hostile environment.
IV. Gender Equity in Higher Education
Washington State law prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender in institutions of higher education. Provisions of this law can be found in RCW 28B.ll0. Rules and guidelines have been developed to eliminate possible gender discrimination to students, including sexual harassment. These rules address academic programs, student employment, counseling and guidance services, financial aid, and recreational activities including club sports and intercollegiate athletics.
With respect to higher education student employment, all institutions shall be required to: a) make no differentiation in pay scales on the basis of gender; b) assign duties without regard to gender except where there is a bonafide occupational qualification as approved by the Washington Human Rights Commission; c) provide the same opportunities for advancement to males and females; and d) make no difference in the conditions of employment on the basis of gender in areas including, but not limited to, hiring practices, leaves of absence, and hours of employment.
Admission to academic programs shall be made without regard to gender. Counseling and guidance services for students shall be made available to all students without regard to gender. All academic and counseling personnel shall be required to stress access to all career and vocational opportunities to students without regard to gender. All academic programs shall be available to students without regard to gender. Recreational activities shall be offered to meet the interests of students, with no disparities based on gender. Financial aid shall be equitably awarded by type of aid, also with no disparities based on gender.
With respect to intercollegiate athletics, institutions that provide the following shall do so with no disparities based on gender: a) benefits and services (e.g., equipment and supplies; medical services; services and insurance; transportation and per diem allowances; opportunities to receive coaching and instruction; scholarships and other forms of financial aid; opportunities for competition; publicity and awards, and scheduling of games and practice times); b) opportunities to participate in intercollegiate athletics; c) male and female coaches and administrators. (Institutions shall attempt
to provide some coaches and administrators of each gender to act as role models for male and female athletes.)
Each institution shall develop and distribute policies and procedures for handling complaints of sexual harassment.
The executive director of the Higher Education Coordinating Board, in consultation with the Council of Presidents, shall monitor the compliance by institutions of higher education with this chapter. A violation of this chapter shall constitute an unfair practice under chapter 49.60 RCW, including the right to file a complaint with the Human Rights Commission and to bring a civil action, shall apply. This chapter shall supplement, and shall not supersede, existing law and procedures relating to unlawful discrimination based on gender. Institutions of higher education shall distribute copies of the provisions of this chapter to all students. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.
The person responsible for coordinating and monitoring compliance with the provisions of this chapter as well as Title IX, is Staci Sleigh-Layman, Office for Equal Opportunity, Barge Hall, room 211, Central Washington University, 509-962-2205. Students with gender discrimination complaints are encouraged to utilize the complaint and resolution policy and procedures noted below.
V. Sexual Harassment Policy
It is the policy of Central Washington University to maintain a work and academic community which is free from sexual harassment. Sexual harassment violates state and federal law and will not be tolerated by this institution. An individual in violation of this policy will be subject to informal or formal disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from employment.
For the purposes of this policy, sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:
A. Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment or career advancement.
B. Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for an employment decision or an academic decision affecting such individual; or
C. Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or academic environment.
Based on the definition provided above, examples of sexual harassment prohibited by this policy include, but are not limited to: physical assault, direct propositions of a sexual nature, or subtle pressure for sexual activity. In addition, behaviors which constitute a pattern of conduct that discomforts or humiliates the recipient are prohibited. Such behaviors may include: comments of a sexual nature, sexually explicit statements, questions, jokes, or anecdotes, unnecessary touching, patting, hugging, or kissing, remarks of a sexual nature about a person’s clothing or body, or remarks about sexual activity or speculations about previous sexual experience, and persistent, unwanted attempts to change a professional relationship to an amorous one.
All members of the university community are encouraged to work toward maintaining an educational and work environment free from sexual harassment.
To this end,
A. The director of the Office for Equal Opportunity will provide training programs to educate the university community on the subject of sexual harassment and the university’s obligation to prevent its occurrence. In addition, the director will ensure that the sexual harassment policy is appropriately displayed on campus and included in the university’s policy manual.
B. Persons who believe they are experiencing sexual harassment are encouraged to act promptly and report such concerns to their immediate supervisor, administrator or department chair, or the director of the Office for Equal Opportunity (Barge Hall, room 211, 509-963-2205, oeo@cwu.edu) or the vice president for Student Affairs (Bouillon Hall, room 204, 509-963-1515). (Concerns which involve sexually harassing behaviors of university employees may be brought to the director of the Office for Equal Opportunity. Concerns which involve student-to-student sexual harassment may be brought to the attention of the conduct officer.) The university encourages resolution of sexual harassment complaints at the lowest possible level. Persons who have been sexually assaulted are also encouraged to contact Campus Police (Campus Safety Building, 509-963-2958).
C. Supervisors, administrators, and department chairs who receive informal sexual harassment complaints will act on them in a timely fashion in an attempt to resolve such situations informally. They may wish to obtain guidance from the Office for Equal Opportunity. If matters cannot be resolved informally, discrimination complaint and resolution procedures are available.
D. No individual shall be penalized or retaliated against in any way by the university community for his or her participation in any complaint process.
- Complaints alleging sexual harassment by a university employee or other agent of the university may be filed in the Office for Equal Opportunity. Copies of the procedures are available at www.cwu.edu/~oeo/complaint_procedures.html or on request.
- Complaints alleging student peer sexual harassment may be made to the conduct officer.
- Complaints may also be filed with outside government agencies. A list of these agencies and their addresses is available in the Office for Equal Opportunity or online at www.cwu.edu/~oeo/complaint_procedures.html.
VI. Discrimination Complaint and Resolution Policy and Procedures
Central Washington University is committed to the investigation and resolution of complaints against employees by any person alleging discriminatory behavior and/or violations of the university’s nondiscrimination policy. Discrimination complaint and resolution procedures are available to members of the university community (faculty, administrators, staff, and students), applicants for employment or admission, and members of the public who believe they have been discriminated against by the university or members of the university community. Complaints against the university or its employees should be made to the Office for Equal Opportunity, Barge Hall, room 211, CWU 509-963-2205, oeo@cwu.edu. Complaints against students should be made to the conduct officer, Bouillon Hall, room 204, 509-963-1515. Copies of these procedures are available at www.cwu.edu/~oeo/complaint_procedures.html.
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