UH-Victoria

Administration and Finance

Office of the Vice President for
Administration and Finance

SECTION: HUMAN RESOURCES INDEX: C-22

SUBJECT: DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT POLICY

POLICY

The University of Houston-Victoria (UHV) is committed to providing a professional working and learning environment free from discrimination and harassment of any kind. This policy provides the procedural mechanism for addressing allegations and complaints of discrimination or harassment.

Discrimination is treating an individual or members of a protected class less favorably because of their membership in that class or having a policy or practice that has a disproportionately adverse impact on protected class members. Discrimination may involve prohibited activities including but not limited to race, color, sex, genetic information, religion, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

Harassment includes, but is not limited to, epithets or slurs, negative stereotyping, threatening, intimidating or hostile acts, denigrating jokes and display or circulation (including through e-mail) of written or graphic material in the learning, living or working environment.

This policy does not address allegations of sexual misconduct, which includes sexual harassment. Please refer to Sexual Misconduct Policy, C-12 (References) which provides the mechanism for addressing complaints of sexual misconduct.

Discrimination and harassment are practices that will not be tolerated in any form by the University. Complaints will be taken seriously. All persons, including the complainant and the respondent will be given appropriate support and fair treatment.

All members of the University are expected to adhere to this policy, to cooperate with the UH System procedures for responding to complaints of discrimination or harassment and to report conduct or behavior that they believe to be in violation of this Policy to the UHV Director of HR/AAO, who serves as the UHV Equal Opportunity Coordinator The Equal Opportunity Coordinator will coordinate the investigation and respond as necessary with appropriate individuals throughout the University of Houston System.

The University is committed to the elimination of discrimination and harassment through communication, clear policy, on-going education and training for faculty, staff and students.

PROCEDURES

General definitions and the procedural recourse for responding to complaints of discrimination or harassment are set forth in UHS Administrative Policy 01.D.07 (References), Discrimination and Harassment, which provides the exclusive mechanism for handling the investigation of any alleged unlawful discrimination or harassment, the determination of whether this policy was violated and the appeal of Equal Opportunity Services (EOS) finding as to violation/no violation of this policy.

Contact information for the UHV Equal Opportunity Coordinator:

Director, Human Resources/Affirmative Action, or Laura Smith, HR/AA

(361) 570-4800, SmithL@uhv.edu

Note: Please refer to the University’s Sexual Misconduct Policy, C-12 for procedural recourse for allegations of sexual misconduct, which includes sexual harassment.