Contacts with our office are handled in a confidential manner. The University, as a large institution with more than 4,000 employees and more than 12,000 students, does receive numerous reports each year alleging unfair treatment based on race, gender, disability, national origin, and other protected class membership. The Affirmative Action office takes all complaints seriously and will conduct an independent fact finding investigation to determine if the complaint has merit. A hostile work environment is one in which certain behaviors may be occurring that interfere with an individual's ability to work effectively. The behaviors may be verbal, physical or non-verbal, and may be hurtful to someone on the basis of gender, national origin, religion, race, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation.
All employees have the right to work in an environment free from harassment.
All supervisors and managers have the responsibility to ensure that work environments are free from harassment, and must take all complaints seriously. As an employer, the University has an affirmative responsibility to ensure that all employees are made aware of their right to work in an environment free from harassment and recognize their responsibility to avoid engaging in verbal, non-verbal and physical behaviors that may constitute sexual harassment. In addition, the U.S. supreme Court has ruled that an employer may be held strictly liable in cases in which a supervisor did not properly respond to a report of possible harassment, or when a supervisor or individual in a position of power or authority over an employee or student has engaged in prohibited conduct. Sexual harassment workshops are offered at least monthly in group settings. Department workshops may be scheduled for groups with a minimum number of 20 attendees.