President's Statement on EO/AA
University of Central Florida
President's Statement
Regarding Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
As President of the University of Central Florida, I wish to affirm my total support for the goals of equal opportunity and affirmative action as identified in state and federal statutes and Executive Orders. The University of Central Florida is an equal opportunity employer and educational provider. The University does not discriminate on any basis prohibited by applicable federal and/or state law, including race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, disability, marital status, or veteran's status in recruitment, employment, promotion, compensation, benefits, and training. The University ensures equal access to educational programs and related opportunities for enrolled students, without regard to race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, disability, marital status, or veteran's status.
The University of Central Florida reaffirms that it does not condone unlawful discrimination or harassment directed toward any person or group within its community - students, employees, or visitors. Every member of the University community is directed to refrain from actions that intimidate, humiliate or demean persons or groups. Each member of the administrative leadership team is responsible for all necessary initiatives in pursuit of these goals. This Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action policy shall be implemented throughout the University. It is the responsibility of all departments and personnel to ensure the University's compliance. Monitoring and reporting procedures for faculty and staff have been in operation for some years.
The University will actively seek to ensure appropriate representation within the faculty, staff, and student body by making outreach efforts to encourage protected class members to apply for employment and enrollment at the University. The University remains committed to its affirmative action goals: the University prepares an annual Affirmative Action Plan aimed at developing and maintaining a broadly representative workforce. Respect for diverse viewpoints, experiences, and intellectual pursuits is a cornerstone of learning, and this atmosphere of encouragement shall be characteristic of this University and its efforts.
The University of Central Florida remains committed to seeking the best-qualified person to fill each available position. Candidates for employment will be assured careful and fair consideration and, when selected, will be given every possible encouragement to accept employment. I encourage all feasible retention efforts based on the principle that all employment actions, terms, and conditions should be job-related. The University will reward each employee based on his or her job performance.
The University of Central Florida strictly prohibits unlawful discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment.
Harassment consists of abusive behavior directed toward an individual or group because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, disability, marital status, or veteran's status. Illegal harassment occurs when discriminatory intimidation, ridicule, and insult is so severe and pervasive as to alter the conditions of employment and create an abusive environment. Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:
- submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment, performance appraisal, or academic performance or
- such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment. The University
- strictly prohibits making submission to harassment either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment, performance appraisal, or evaluation of academic performance; and
- forbids harassment that has the purpose or effect of interfering with an individual's performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.
The University prohibits romantic and sexual relationships between employee and student or between supervisor and employee when that relationship constitutes a conflict of interest. That may occur even when such relationships appear, or are believed to be, consensual. The lines of power and authority that exist between the parties may undermine freedom of choice.
Employees, students, and others must be free from fear of reprisal in exercising their civil rights. The University strictly prohibits harassment, intimidation, threats, coercion, or discrimination against employees, students, and others who file a complaint, assist in an investigation or other procedure relating to civil rights laws, or oppose a practice made illegal by those civil rights laws. Retaliation shall be regarded as seriously as discrimination or harassment itself and will warrant discipline where substantiated.
The administrative leadership will be kept informed as to my concerns and my commitment to equal opportunity, equal access, and affirmative action at the University of Central Florida. Regular reporting of each administrative unit to me will ensure that goals are being met. I am convinced that our commitment to these goals will measurably strengthen the University and its relationship to the Central Florida community we serve.
John C. Hitt, President
February 1, 2007
Any person who believes that he or she is being harassed or otherwise subjected to illegal discrimination is encouraged to consult with the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Programs. This office is assigned primary responsibility for addressing all matters relating to discrimination and harassment. Complaints under Title VII, Title IX, the Rehabilitation Act, the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Act, the Florida Educational Equity Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Florida Civil Rights Act, and other civil rights statutes should be brought to the attention of the university's Equity Coordinator:
Janet Park Balanoff
Director, Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Programs
Millican Hall (Administration) 330
University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816-0030
(407) 823-1336
balanoff@mail.ucf.edu / web address: http://www.eeo.ucf.edu
UCF EO/AA
President's Statement on EO/AA