Policy Author:
Diversity & Inclusion Office
Responsible Office – Department:
Diversity & Inclusion / Employee Engagement
Effective Date of Policy:
January 1, 2003
Daemen University is committed to compliance with its obligations under Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Executive Orders, the New York State Human Rights Law, and other applicable anti-discrimination laws. It is the policy of Daemen University to provide all students, applicants, and employees equal access to all programs and facilities without regard to sex, sexual orientation, gender, race, color, creed, religion, veteran or military status, national origin, age, disability, familial status, marital status, domestic violence victim status, status as an ex-offender, arrest record, predisposing genetic characteristics or genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal or New York State law.
Furthermore, the University will not discriminate against any individual with respect to the application of University policies, or the criteria for the successful completion of any course or program on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender, race, color, creed, religion, veteran or military status, national origin, age, disability, familial status, marital status, domestic violence victim status, status as an ex-offender, arrest record, predisposing genetic characteristics or genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal or New York State law. Every person in the Daemen University community is required to be familiar with and act in accordance with this policy. This includes administrators, faculty, staff, students, contractors, and vendors. All violations of this policy will be addressed and, where appropriate, discipline will be administered. Any person or entity found in willful violation of this nondiscrimination policy shall be subject to termination, expulsion, or contract termination as appropriate.
The University President has assigned day-to-day responsibilities for the implementation and administration of this policy to the Chief Diversity Officer, Tiffany Hamilton, who serves as the University’s Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Officer. Any questions concerning this policy and any complaints of discrimination should be communicated to Tiffany Hamilton, Duns Scotus Hall, Room 118, telephone (716) 839-8249 (campus extension 8249), thamilto@daemen.edu.
A complaint of discrimination may also be filed with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the U.S. Department of Education. Complaints are to be filed within 180 calendar days of the alleged act of discrimination and may be made to the New York regional office of OCR:
New York Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education 32 Old Slip, 26th Floor
New York, NY 10005-2500
Telephone: 646-428-3900
FAX: 646-428-3843; TDD: 877-521-2172
Email: OCR.NewYork@ed.gov
The University recognizes its duty to continue to provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified persons and reaffirms its commitment that there shall be no discrimination against applicants or employees because of membership in any protected classes under federal and/or state law, in matters of employment, upgrading, promotion, transfer, layoff, termination, rates of pay, selection for training, recruitment and recruitment advertising. Any employee found to have acted in violation of our policy shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, which may include discharge.
The University is also committed to affirmative action and its Affirmative Action Program (AAP) is designed to include those elements contained in Executive Orders 11246 and 11375 and outlined in the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Revised Order Number 4. Questions or concerns about our EEO Policy and AAP may be directed to the EO/AA Officer, Tiffany Hamilton, Duns Scotus Hall, Room 118, 716-839-8249.
The University’s Affirmative Action Program commits the University to identify and analyze all areas of employment in compliance with applicable federal regulations for government contractors and to provide guidance and assurance for full implementation of our EEO Policy. Areas identified for special attention will be assigned to appropriate personnel and specific instructions for affirmative action, including specific goals, will be formulated.
The following will be the rules under which the EEO Policy and AAP are implemented and operated:
- The University will recruit, hire and promote employees without regard to membership in any protected classes under federal and/or state law.
- The University will base decisions on employment so as to further the principle of equal employment opportunity.
- The University will ensure that promotion decisions are in accord with principles of equal employment opportunity by imposing only valid requirements for promotional opportunities.
- The University will ensure that all other personnel actions such as compensation, benefits, transfers, sabbaticals, leaves of absence, layoffs, returns from layoff, University sponsored training, education, tuition assistance, social and recreational programs will be administered without regard to sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, race, color, creed, religion, veteran or military status, national origin, age, disability, marital status, domestic violence victim status, status as an ex-offender, arrest record, predisposing genetic characteristics or genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal or New York State law.
- The Chief Diversity Officer is designated as the University’s Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Officer charged by the President of the University with direct responsibility to monitor all equal employment opportunity activity throughout the University and the responsibility for assuring attainment of the University’s stated objective of full compliance with the policy of nondiscrimination in employment.
- The University’s Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Officer will monitor the AAP and will report periodically to the President the effectiveness of the program. Such reports will include recommendations for necessary action to ensure attainment of the University’s EEO objectives. The President will take any necessary action upon receiving those reports.
- All department heads will have the responsibility of ensuring full compliance with the provisions of the University’s EEO Policy and AAP.
The intent of the above policy also applies to the recruitment, employment, and advancement of qualified individuals with disabilities, qualified veterans with disabilities, and qualified veterans of the Vietnam Era recently separated veterans and other protected veterans.
New York State Human Rights Law has recently been amended to include interns, both paid and unpaid, among the classes of people specifically protected from discrimination in employment.