Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity

1.0 San Diego State University shall maintain and promote a policy of nondiscrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national origin, pregnancy, medical condition, and covered veteran status. This policy incorporates by reference the requirements of Federal Executive Orders 11246 and 11375 as amended; Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended; Title IX of the Educational Act of 1972; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, secs. 503–504; the Americans with Disabilities Act; the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, sec. 402; Equal Pay Act of 1963 as amended; Age Discrimination Acts of 1967 and 1978; and other applicable federal statutes as well as pertinent laws, regulations, and executive directives of the State of California, including regulatory procedures set forth in Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations. Persons covered by these regulations shall be considered members of protected groups.

2.0 The Affirmative Action Program, in compliance with federal and CSU Executive Order 883, shall be revised annually by the Office of Employee Relations and Compliance and shall be disseminated to the campus community. The Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity policy shall apply at every level of decisions affecting faculty, staff, administration, and students who are employed by the university. It shall be subject to modification based upon experience and continuing interpretation of the laws of the United States and the State of California and of the policies of The California State University and San Diego State University; but it shall state the university’s commitment to the right of persons to equal employment opportunities without discrimination. The university as an employer shall ensure that employees are recruited, hired, placed, upgraded, promoted, awarded tenure, or terminated for job-related reasons and without prohibited discrimination. If any provision of the Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity policy is in conflict with the collective bargaining agreement, the collective bargaining agreement shall be controlling.

3.0 Specific Objectives

3.1 To ensure equal employment opportunity for every applicant and employee, without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national origin, pregnancy, medical condition, or covered veteran status;

3.2 To determine the appropriate talent and labor pools for each hiring unit for monitoring of placement actions and to ensure that each unit is provided this information at the initiation of a search;

3.3 To assist every unit and department in reviewing and modifying its own practices to ensure fair personnel decisions that are objective, consistent with known requirements, and based on work-related rationale;

3.4 To ensure that the university works conscientiously to seek applications for employment from the widest possible spectrum of available and qualified persons;

3.5 To ensure that stated requirements for positions are essential to the effective performance of the duties of those positions;

3.6 To encourage and assist employees in the professional and technical activities that qualify them for promotions;

3.7 To ensure that employees have equal access to information that allows them to take advantage of opportunities for advancement;

3.8 To ensure that the work environment for faculty, staff, and students is free from both prohibited discrimination and sexual harassment.

4.0 Education and Awareness

4.1 The Office of Employee Relations and Compliance and the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities shall educate employees and students about their rights to be free from prohibited discrimination and sexual harassment and about their obligations to refrain from prohibited discrimination and sexual harassment.

4.2 When San Diego State University employees are featured in publications, the representative diversity of our employees should be pictured.

4.3 Advertisements for position vacancies shall include the statement,

“San Diego State University is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against persons on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression, marital status, age, disability, pregnancy, medical condition, or covered veteran status.”

4.4 The policy shall be published in staff and faculty handbooks, in the University Policy File, and in the University General Catalog, the Bulletin of the Graduate Division, and the IVC Bulletin.

4.5 The policy shall be distributed to supervisors, and discussions of responsibilities for effective implementation shall be held during management, supervisory, and employee meetings.

4.6 An equal opportunity clause shall be included in purchase orders, leases, and contracts.

5.0 Office of Employee Relations and Compliance

5.1 The Director of the Office of Employee Relations and Compliance oversees legal compliance for nondiscrimination and nonharassment and coordinates the development and implementation of nondiscrimination and nonharassment policies and procedures. The Director acts as liaison to auxiliary organizations in these matters. The Director is appointed by and reports to the Associate Vice President of Administration in the Division of Business and Financial Affairs.

5.2 Two Equal Opportunity Counselors from each college, the Imperial Valley Campus, the Library, Business and Financial Affairs, and University Advancement shall be recommended to the Director of the Office of Employee Relations and Compliance by the administrative heads of these units. Nominees for these positions shall be from among tenured faculty and permanent staff.

5.2.1 The Equal Opportunity Counselors (a) shall serve as liaison between the Office of Employee Relations and Compliance and the members of the units, (b) shall offer informal advice and counseling to their peers regarding diversity and discrimination, and (c) shall direct concerned students and employees to the Office of Employee Relations and Compliance or to the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities.

5.2.2 The Office of Employee Relations and Compliance shall hold regular meetings of the Equal Opportunity Counselors to respond to their concerns and to inform them of recent developments in policy and law

6.0 Director of Diversity

6.1 The Director of Diversity promotes diversity initiatives and coordinates the development and implementation of campus and community outreach programs designed to improve the climate of the campus with respect to diversity. The Director acts as liaison to academic Deans, the Divisions of Undergraduate Studies and Graduate Affairs, and Student Affairs in these matters. The Director is appointed by and reports to the President

7.0 Diversity Liaisons

7.1 The administrative heads of each college, the Imperial Valley Campus, the Library, Business and Financial Affairs, Student Affairs, and University Advancement in consultation with the Director of the Office of Employee Relations and Compliance shall recommend two Diversity Liaisons to the Director of Diversity. Nominees for these positions shall be from among tenured faculty and permanent staff.

7.2 The Diversity Liaisons (a) shall serve as liaison between the Director of Diversity and the members of the units, (b) shall offer informal advice and counseling to their peers regarding diversity and discrimination, (c) shall direct concerned students and employees to the Office of Employee Relations and Compliance, to the Director of Diversity, or to the Center for Student Rights and Responsibility, and (d) shall report to the Director of Diversity on existing and new diversity initiatives within their respective units.

7.3 The Director of Diversity, in consultation with the Office of Employee Relations and Compliance shall hold regular meetings of the Diversity Liaisons to respond to their concerns, to discuss diversity initiatives, and to inform them of recent developments in policy and law.

To find out more information about the San Diego State University's Notice of Non-Discrimination, please visit our website.