If any Affirmative Action Plans have been disapproved, the report shall contain the reasons for such disapproval. The University of South Carolina has consistently complied with the mandate of the General Assembly and has an approved Affirmative Action Plan and Program. The University of South Carolina is an Equal Opportunity Employer and we are proud of what we have accomplished in the area of affirmative action in employment and each fiscal year we establish realistic goals with the State Human Affairs Commission as it relates to the elimination of underutilization of minorities and women within our workforce. Affirmative action in employment is race and sex conscious efforts to increase the employment of minorities and women in both the public and private sectors and is based on merit. Affirmative action has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court as a permissible method to reach the goal of fair employment.
Affirmative action ensures equal opportunity in employment and is a voluntary process.
In South Carolina what is required by law is that each state agency, college, or university submit for approval a written affirmative action plan to the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission. The Human Affairs Commission is charged with the responsibility of evaluating affirmative action plans and reporting the results of their evaluation to the General Assembly. In the private sector employers that have federal contracts are required to develop an affirmative action plan, which are generally filed with the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, a division of the U.S. Department of Labor. In essence, the University of South Carolina as an affirmative action employer must comply with both a state and federal mandate to ensure equal employment opportunity and affirmative action in employment. In summary, an affirmative action plan sets forth employment goals for minorities and women whose representation in the workforce is less than should be expected given their availability in the qualified labor pool.