Mission Statement

MISSION STATEMENT

 

The Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Programs is responsible for the monitoring of civil rights laws, guidelines, policies, and programs at the federal, state, agency, and University levels. EO/AA facilitates campus policies and programs for students, faculty, staff, applicants, visitors, and community members (“invitees”) in accordance with more than 10 statutes and numerous sets of guidelines. These policies and programs are normally administered by operating units and monitored by EO/AA.

 
Programs to prevent discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and veteran status (as protected under the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act) are included in the mission. Accordingly, EO/AA offers consultation on search procedures, individually and through the "Search and Screening Guidelines" updated periodically online. Guidance also is provided on procedures to request accommodation for a disability as well as procedures to review a request for religious accommodation.

 
Affirmative action measures include outreach to underrepresented groups to diversify enrollment and employment of faculty and staff. Improvements in accessibility are addressed throughout the year. Barriers to employee retention and promotion, and tenure to highest ranks, are identified and corrected, including elimination of any "glass ceiling" problems or perceptions. The Affirmative Action Plan and its subsequent updates are the major reference for employment programs.

 
Along with proactive programs, EO/AA is responsible for reactive efforts: complaint investigation and resolution. Individuals may make inquiries on-line or secure resource referrals; no records are kept since such contacts are not complaints. EO/AA administers the UCF Discrimination Grievance Procedure, in which an internal investigation is performed upon receipt of a signed statement, determination that the issue is appropriate under the mission of the office, and other procedural steps. The Discrimination Grievance policy and procedures are the major references for this program.

 
Finally, EO/AA leads the University response on complaints served by federal or state civil rights enforcement agencies. These may include the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education; Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; Florida Commission on Human Relations; Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, U.S. Department of Labor; and others. If complaints of discrimination by the University are served on any member of the University community, s/he should take immediate steps to forward the complaint to EO/AA, where the University response will be coordinated.

 
Authority: UCF Regulation 3.001, Non-Discrimination; Affirmative Action Programs
UCF EO/AA 7/94 (prepared for Accreditation Self-Study) updated 3/96, 2/05, 7/10, 1/11

Mission Statement