About Our Policies
The policy of UHV is to ensure equal opportunity in all its educational programs and activities, and all terms and conditions of employment without regard to race, color, sex (including pregnancy), genetic information, religion, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or status, gender expression, or any other legally protected status, except where such a distinction is required by law.
For sexual misconduct concerns, learn more about policies and services for Sexual Misconduct (under Title IX).
For concerns for other forms of discrimination or harassment, learn more about policies and services for Equal Opportunity. You may also see our or review the University of Houston System Anti-Discrimination Policy.
Academic Services
The Title IX and Equal Opportunity Office provide information about a range of academic services and accommodations for individuals who may have been affected by anti-discrimination concerns.
Every request is considered on a case-by-case basis, and the Title IX/Equal Opportunity Coordinator may be able to provide customized accommodation plans or services for specific concerns.
How the process works
Contact the Title IX and Equal Opportunity Office and share that you have an anti-discrimination concern that may have affected you in the academic environment. You will need to provide supporting information to the Title IX and Equal Opportunity Office. Keep a record of any history of the incident to support your request.
The Title IX and Equal Opportunity Office will contact you to discuss possible services, review the areas of your concern and share information about other services that may assist you. Depending on the nature of your request, the Title IX and Equal Opportunity Office may need to coordinate review with another approving department. When you consult with the Title IX and Equal Opportunity Office, you should be informed if the service or accommodation will be contingent on further review.
Once the Title IX and Equal Opportunity Office as well as any other approving department have reviewed your concern, you will receive written notice of the service or accommodation confirmation.
If the service of accommodation is insufficient to address your concern, or if the nature of your concern changes over time, we encourage you to reach back to the Title IX and Equal Opportunity Office.
Examples of possible accommodations or services
Once the Title IX and Equal Opportunity Office has reviewed your request including supporting information, the Office may apply various services or accommodations as appropriate to address your concern.
Anti-Discrimination Services (reviewed on a case-by-case basis) may include but are not limited to:
- Request for supporting reasons for a grading or appeal decision
- Educational meeting with the other involved party (completed by the Title IX and Equal Opportunity Office)
- Grading by an alternate instructor
- Entry into another academic course section
- Opportunity to make-up affected coursework
- Extension on affected coursework
- Incomplete grade to provide additional time after the semester end date to make up coursework
- No-penalty opportunity to re-take the course
- You may also wish to review our list of possible accommodations for Pregnant and Parenting Students.
Sexual Misconduct Services (reviewed on case-by-case basis) may include but are not limited to:
- Educational meeting with the other involved party (completed by the Title IX and Equal Opportunity Office)
- Opportunity to make-up affected coursework
- Extension on affected coursework
- Incomplete grade to provide additional time after the semester end date to make-up coursework
- No-penalty drop or withdrawal from a course and opportunity to re-take a course
- If the other involved party is in a course with you, option to enroll in another academic section
If you would like to remain in a class with the other involved party:
- Classroom breaks as needed and opportunity to make-up missed work,
- Access to lecture content,
- Separate testing accommodation,
- Access to course in online format if not require a fundamental alteration of the course, and/or
- Notice to the Instructor not to require small group interactions with the other individual. If requested and approved, any notice to the Instructor will not include the roles of the parties nor the type of matter involved.
Non Discrimination Statement
The policy of UHV is to ensure equal opportunity in all its educational programs and activities, and all terms and conditions of employment without regard to age, race, color, disability, religion, national origin, veteran's status, genetic information, or sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or status, or gender expression, except where such distinction is required by law.
Legal References
- Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended in 1972, Title VI, Title VII
- Education Amendments of 1972, Title IX (P.L. 92-318)
- Public Law 93-162 (Section 504)
- 45 CFR, Parts 81, 86 (Federal Register June 4, 1985, August 11, 1975)
Policy References
- University of Houston System Sexual Misconduct Policy or on the web at Sexual Misconduct Policy
- University of Houston System Anti-Discrimination Policy or on the web at Anti-Discrimination Policy
Office for Civil Rights
For further information on notice of non-discrimination and for the address and phone number of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights office that serves your area, call 1 (800) 421-3481 or visit the OCR contact page.