EEO Policy

Equal Educational and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

PURPOSE:

To ensure equal opportunity in educational programs and employment.

POLICY:

1. Western New Mexico University (WNMU) provides equal opportunity in education and employment for all qualified individuals. WNMU prohibits discrimination and harassment against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, spousal affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, veteran status or any other basis prohibited by federal and state law.

Equal Employment Opportunity

1. WNMU is committed to providing equal employment opportunity and forbids unlawful discrimination and harassment based on the list in section A, except where a bona fide occupational qualification exists, in regard to any position for which the employee or applicant is qualified.  Employment practices include, but are not limited to, the following: recruitment, hiring, promotion, demotion, transfer, rates of pay or other forms of compensation, job assignments, training, leaves of absence, fringe benefits, layoffs, and/or termination of employment.

Equal Educational Opportunity

1. The WNMU is committed to providing equal educational opportunity and forbids unlawful discrimination and harassment based on the list in section A.  This includes recruitment, admission, academic courses and activities, student support services, extracurricular programs and activities, facilities, housing, financial assistance, healthcare services that WNMU provides, and athletics.

Reasonable Accommodation

1. WNMU will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities, religious practices, and medical conditions to include pregnancy or childbirth-related conditions in accordance with applicable law unless such accommodations have the end result of fundamentally altering a program, service, or essential functions of a job, or places an undue burden on the operations of the University

Accommodation requests may be addressed to the following offices:

• Students:

Mailing Address:

Director of Student Accessibility

PO Box 680,

Silver City, NM 88062

Telephone Number: (575) 538-6277

Email: accessibility@wnmu.edu

• Employees and Student Workers:

Mailing Address:

Employee and Labor Relations

PO Box 680

Silver City, NM 88062

Telephone: (575) 538-6201

Email: elrelations@wnmu.edu

Retaliation Prohibited

1. This policy prohibits retaliation against a person who files a complaint of discrimination or harassment. This policy also prohibits retaliation against any person who assists someone with a complaint of discrimination or harassment or who participates in any manner in an investigation or resolution of a complaint of discrimination or harassment.

Retaliation includes attempting to penalize or taking any form of adverse action against a person based on their part in a resolution of a complaint as listed above. Adverse action includes, but is not limited to, making threats, intimidation, coercion, or in any way discriminating against an individual or group because of their complaint or participation or any other adverse action relating to employment, academic, or institutional benefits.

WNMU urges those who believe they have been discriminated against or retaliated against for reporting unlawful discriminatory conduct to file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX:

• Mailing Address:

Office of Civil Rights and Title IX

P.O. Box 680

Silver City, NM 88062

Telephone Number: (575) 538- 6025

Email:CilviRights@wnmu.edu

Website: TITLE IX

Western New Mexico University Catalog

Academic programs at Western New Mexico University are available to all students without regard to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Any item in this catalog is subject to modification at any time by proper administrative procedure.