Affirmative Action Programs include strategies to provide increased opportunities for identified groups of people and to remove barriers to participation and progression in employment and education which are as a result of historical or existing disadvantage, harassment and discrimination. Affirmative Action Programs are therefore not included in a definition of racial discrimination and harassment. Discrimination may be both direct and indirect. An example of direct racial discrimination would be denigrating the racial background of a student in a lecture. An example of indirect racial discrimination could be when examination timetables do not provide reasonable alternatives for clashes with religious holidays.
Harassment is a form of discrimination.
It is offensive social behaviour. Similarly, the University will not tolerate harassment by or of staff or students with respect to any other person whilst engaged in University-related activities. Behaviour that is regarded by some as harmless, trivial, or a joke may to others constitute racial harassment, when it is personally offensive, humiliating, or distressing to the recipient. When used in this policy, the term 'racially-based' means based upon attributes which may include race, colour, national or ethnic origin, descent, migrant status, ancestry, and nationality. In support of this policy, QUT has put in place procedures for dealing with complaints of racial discrimination and harassment.