“To achieve its educational mission, NC State works to ensure an environment of mutual respect, one that is free from intolerance and one that offers equal opportunity for all,” states the website of NC State’s Equal Opportunity and Equity unit (EOE).

One of three functional areas within the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity, EOE works alongside Diversity and Inclusion and the Campus Community Centers to foster an inclusive campus community of students, faculty and staff who value and inspire personal, academic and professional excellence.

The EOE unit provides training and services related to providing accommodations for employees with disabilities, discrimination and harassment prevention and response, Title IX, recruitment and hiring, and equal employment opportunity and affirmative action.

ADA Accommodations for Employees

Did you know that employees with documented disabilities may be eligible to receive accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and other laws that prevent disability discrimination?

NC State’s accommodation request process for employees is online at go.ncsu.edu/ada. (Please note that students seeking accommodations should contact the Disability Resource Office.)

Discrimination and Harassment Prevention and Response

Since 2007, NC State has required all employees to complete Discrimination and Harassment Prevention and Response (DHPR) training. The training must be taken within the first six months of employment and renewed every three years. The training is typically included in NC State’s New Employee Orientation and is also available online. Students who are also NC State employees may be required to take the training.

EOE also responds to complaints related to discrimination and harassment. Complaints may be reported online at go.ncsu.edu/report_harassment. To be considered discrimination or harassment, a complaint must involve one of the protected classes: age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

Anyone filing a report should know that incidents that are crimes should be reported to NC State Police. Incidents of bias that may not be discrimination or harassment be reported to NC State’s Bias Incident Reporting Team (BIRT). For information on all of NC State’s reporting options, see Resources for Reporting Concerns.

Safe at NC State and Title IX

In compliance with Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Education Amendments of 1972, NC state provides the Safe at NC State website for anyone who needs help or has questions related to sexual violence. The website lists phone numbers and organizations and includes resources and information for survivors as well as Title IX resources for campus personnel.

Recruitment and Hiring

EOE provides guidelines and tools for conducting fair and equitable candidate searches, including search committee training, the Guidelines for Recruiting a Diverse Workforce handbook and a faculty search toolbox.

Before conducting a new employee search, search committee chairs should contact EOE to schedule a search committee orientation to ensure that all committee members follow NC State’s best practices for searches.

Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action

EOE convenes the unit equity officers’ meetings on campus to share information and updates about EEO/AA practices with the designated equity officers from each of the colleges and divisions.

Annually, EOE also compiles the university’s EEO Plan in accordance with current state and federal requirements. The plan includes university employment data and plans for the coming year. These plans as well as NC State’s Equal Opportunity and Equity Guidelines are online on the Equal Opportunity and Equity website.

Robinette Kelley is associate vice provost for equal opportunity and equity.