Affirmative Action

Texas A&M University-Kingsville Statement of Policy and Intent represents our commitment to equal employment and educational opportunity. In conformance with federal and state law and university policy we are guided by the principle that there shall be no difference in the treatment of individuals because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status. Equal opportunity and access to programs shall be available to all members of the university community, both students and employed personnel at every level, and to all units, facilities, and services of the university.

In the employment of all personnel, the university recognizes that, as a public agency, it has a further commitment: it is obligated to support federal and state policies which seek to achieve equal opportunity in employment for members of underrepresented groups, women, individuals with disabilities, and Vietnam era and disabled veterans. As used in this document, underrepresented groups will include African-American, Hispanic, Asian, Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaskan Native. Two important concepts are embodied in equal employment opportunity:

1. Nondiscrimination
2. Affirmative Action

Affirmative action requires more than employment neutrality. It requires Texas A&M University-Kingsville to make efforts to recruit, employ, retain, and promote qualified women, members of underrepresented groups, individuals with disabilities, and Vietnam era and disabled veterans. The affirmative action concept requires positive action to insure against perpetuation of benign neutrality in employment practices.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Compliance with Laws

Through the policies and programs set forth in the Affirmative Action Plan, the university undertakes to comply fully with all federal, state, and local laws relating to educational opportunity, equal employment opportunity, and affirmative action.

Responsibility for Implementation

It is the responsibility of every member of the university community—employees, students, and all who use the facilities of the university—to become familiar with the provisions of the university Affirmative Action Program.

Vice President(s)/Dean(s)

Overall responsibility for implementation of the affirmative action plan is delegated by the president to vice presidents, deans, directors, and department chairs, each of whom is responsible for the equal opportunity program within his or her respective unit.

Their responsibilities include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:

1. Overall programmatic responsibility to assure that all employment practices of the university are conducted in a manner which does not discriminate unlawfully.
2. Overall direction of the university's Affirmative Action Plan within their colleges, divisions, and departments.
3. Maintenance of central personnel and related records in a manner facilitating achievement of the goals of the Affirmative Action Plan. All records should be kept for the current year and three previous years.

Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer

The full-time position of Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer will be maintained.

Career Development

It is recognized that faculty and staff may undergo subsequent transfers, promotions, and possible training after accepting initial appointments with the university. All such appointments shall be made in accordance with affirmative action and equal opportunity concepts and policies and subject to review by the Compliance Office.

Equal Benefits

University employment benefits will be formulated and administered without discrimination.

Dissemination of Statement

This Affirmative Action Statement will be treated as a public document. One or more copies will be kept on file in the university library and made available to any interested person upon request. All external recruitment sources used by the University will be notified that the Texas A&M University-Kingsville is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Compliance with Laws

The university reaffirms its policy of administering all educational programs, related supporting services, and benefits in a manner which does not discriminate on grounds of any factor prohibited by law in providing any educational or other benefits or services of Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

Affirmative Recruitment

The university is committed to the proposition that the proportions of underrepresented group members and women in its student population should assure their adequate representation in careers of their choice and where their potential contribution has not been realized. The university is also committed to the identification and elimination of any discrimination in the provision of educational and related services and to the establishment of procedures which will assure equal treatment and educational benefits. 

University Sanctioned Organizations (Proposed)

All organizations, unless legally exempt, in order to be sanctioned by the university, will be required to submit to the Vice President of Student Services an annual statement of nondiscriminatory intent and practice.

Treatment of Students

Grievance procedures shall be provided to students for individual acts of unlawful discrimination, including discriminatory academic evaluation by faculty or administrative personnel in the teacher/student relationship and otherwise. Such acts include, but are not limited to, defamatory statements made by faculty members in class, or by other employees in the course of their work, which demean or insult individuals because of their race, sex, national origin, disability, or otherwise covered characteristic.

Nondiscrimination in Off-Campus Programs

In keeping with our Statement of Policy and Intent, the University must keep in mind and ensure that all off-campus programs and activities are compliant with federal and state laws and institutional policy, regulations and rules. Programs or activities that the university does not operate but which are required components of educational or employment programs are subject to the Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity policy. The university can be held liable in instances where discrimination occurs against students or employees in such related programs.

Employees and students, while functioning in their university-associated roles, must also be protected from discriminatory acts (including sexual harassment) from vendors, subcontractors, and other non-university employees or students.

Provisions for Individuals with Disabilities and Vietnam Era and Disabled Veterans

The university does not discriminate on the basis of disability or veteran status. It is the policy of Texas A&M University-Kingsville to provide equal opportunity in employment and to take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities, disabled veterans, and Vietnam era veterans.

Texas A&M University-Kingsville does not discriminate on the basis of disability against a qualified individual with a disability in regard to:

• Recruitment, advertising, and job application procedures
• Hiring, upgrading, promotion, award of tenure, demotion, transfer, layoff, termination, right of return from layoff, and rehiring
• Rates of pay or any other form of compensation and changes in compensation
• Job assignments, job classifications, organizational structures; position descriptions, lines of progression, and seniority lists
• Leave of absence, sick leave, or any other leave
• Fringe benefits available by virtue of employment, whether or not administered by the covered entity
• Selection and financial support for training, including: Apprenticeships, professional meetings, conferences, and other related activities, and selection for leaves of absence to pursue training
• Activities sponsored by covered entity including social and recreational programs
• Any other term, condition, or privilege of employment.*

Consideration of Qualifications

Texas A&M University-Kingsville reviews all personnel practices to determine whether present procedures assure careful, thorough and systematic consideration of job qualifications of known disabled veterans, Vietnam era veterans and applicants with disabilities for vacancies filled by hiring or promotion, and for all training opportunities offered or available. The University assures that only the portion of veteran's military records relevant to the specific job applied for shall be considered in determining qualifications. Appropriate and required records will be maintained.

Bona Fide Occupational Qualifications

Texas A&M University-Kingsville all physical and mental job requirements to insure that no requirements tend to screen out qualified, disabled veterans and other individuals with disabilities, and that all requirements are job related and consistent with business necessity and safe performance of the job.

Accommodation

Texas A&M University-Kingsville will make reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities when necessary to employ, advance in employment, provide access to training and participate in university activities. Reasonable accommodations may include modification of the work site, special aids or devices relevant to performance of the job, modification of job tasks when such modification does not substantially change the job duties or requirements, and providing flexibility in working hours or schedules when possible to allow qualified individuals with disabilities equal opportunity to jobs, training, advancement and activities, to the extent that such accommodations do not adversely affect the operation of the university.

Sexual Harassment

It is the policy of Texas A&M University-Kingsville, that the sexual harassment of students, employees and users of university facilities is unacceptable and prohibited. This stance is consistent with the university's efforts to maintain equal employment opportunity, equal educational opportunity, non-discrimination in program services, use of facilities, and the affirmative action program. The Compliance Office publishes a policy that gives detailed information about sexual harassment. These are available in the Compliance Office and other offices across campus.

Sexual harassment is the introduction of sexual activities or comments into the work or learning situation. Oftentimes, sexual harassment involves relationships of unequal power and contains elements of coercion—as when compliance with requests for sexual favors becomes a criterion for granting work, study, or grading benefits. However, sexual harassment may also involve relationships among equals, as when repeated sexual advances or demeaning verbal behavior have a harmful effect on a person's ability to study or work.

For general policy purposes, sexual harassment may be described as sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other physical conduct and expressive behavior of a sexual nature when: (1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment or education; (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for academic or employment decisions affecting that individual; or (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of interfering with an individual's academic or professional performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or demeaning employment or educational environment.

In keeping with this policy, Texas A&M University-Kingsville is undertaking an education and prevention plan of action to protect employees, students, and users of university facilities from sexual harassment and to rid the university of such conduct.

Anyone subjected to suspected sexual harassment should contact the Compliance Office at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Contacts are confidential. Sexual harassment grievances will be handled according to the procedure summarized below.

Complaint Procedures

For students, formal complaint procedures can be found in the current Texas A&M University-Kingsville Student Handbook which is found on-line at http://www.tamuk.edu/dean/dean_files/studenthandbook.pdf 

Informal complaints or concerns can be made verbally or in writing with individual offices on campus.