Chatham University
PA-6: Support for Underrepresented Groups

Non-Discrimination Policy

Equal opportunity and affirmative action are integral to employment and education at Chatham University because we recognize that the University's present and future strength is based primarily on people and their skills, experience, and potential to develop, no matter what their race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, or any other legally protected status.

The University has a policy of equal opportunity employment and educational opportunities and affirmative action that is broad in scope and supported at all levels of the University.

The University will make good faith efforts, (through responsible managers and officials) in accordance with the law, to recruit, hire, train, and promote persons in all job titles, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, familial status, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, or status as a disabled veteran or veteran of the Vietnam era, except when age or sex are bona fide occupational requirements or when a specific disability constitutes a bona fide occupational disqualification.

University managers and officials shall support affirmative action principles to ensure that members of protected categories are introduced into the work force, the student body, and University community. Students and employees in protected categories are encouraged to apply for and participate in all University provided opportunities including promotional, educational, and training opportunities.

University officials shall make continual efforts to ensure that hiring and promotion decisions are in accordance with equal opportunity principles by imposing only legitimate business requirements for hiring and promotional opportunities. Likewise, student admission and retention decisions will be made with equal opportunity at the forefront of decision making.

All personnel actions, such as compensation, benefits, transfers, layoff, return from layoff, as well as University-sponsored training, education, tuition assistance, and social and recreational programs, will be administered without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, familial status, disability, status as a disabled veteran or veteran of the Vietnam era, or any other legally protected status.

University managers and officials shall base all employment and student admission decisions on the equal opportunity principles with the intent to further the University's commitment to those principles.

The University encourages members of protected groups to participate in its campus-wide social activities and shall post notices of all campus-wide social events for the benefit of all employees and students.

The President's office, with the assistance of the Human Resources office, will monitor to ensure compliance with the affirmative action policies of the University.

Chatham University has adopted this policy on a strictly voluntary basis. The existence of this policy should not be construed as an admission by the University in whole or in part, that in fact members of protected groups have been or are presently being underutilized, concentrated, or discriminated against in any way by the University in violation of federal, state or local fair employment practice laws.

Policy Effective Date: May 1, 2016
https://www.chatham.edu/about/legal/nondiscrimination.cfm

Notice of Non-Discrimination and Grievance Procedure
It is the policy of Chatham University not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status or any other legally protected status in its educational programs and policies, co-curricular activities, scholarship and loan programs, or employment practices.
Specific inquiries regarding these matters may be directed to the Assistant Vice President of Human Resources: Chatham University, Woodland Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, 412-365-1680.

Moreover, as a recipient of Federal financial assistance, Chatham also complies with recent federal regulations contained in Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Executive Order 11246, which concerns Affirmative Action.

Chatham pledges to uphold and protect the rights of its students and employees with regard to these laws. To this end, the University has instituted the following grievance procedures. Any student or employee of the University who feels that any form of discrimination or harassment has occurred should use the following procedures for a fair and equitable resolution of the grievance. Any grievant also has the right to file a complaint as appropriate with the Officeof Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, in Washington D.C., the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, or the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission.

General Procedure for Discrimination Grievances
1. The grievant should first discuss the grievance informally with his or her instructor, department chair or immediate supervisor, or Assistant Vice President of Human Resources. The parties will discuss the grievance and attempt to reach a resolution on an informal basis. This informal procedure should take place no more than two weeks after the occurrence of the alleged grievance.
2. If the grievant is not satisfied with the outcome of the informal grievance procedure, he or she may appeal to the Vice President for Student Affairs for grievances filed by students or the Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration for grievances filed by faculty and staff. For this appeal, the grievance must be written and provide the reviewer with adequate details of the alleged grievance. The respondent to the grievance will also submit a written statement detailing the events and his/her response to the grievance. These materials should be submitted within two weeks following the conclusion of the informal procedure. After review of the written materials and conferences with each of the involved parties, the appropriate administrator will render a decision on the matter within one week of receipt of the materials and the conclusion of the conferences.
3. If the grievant is not satisfied with the decision of the appropriate administrator, he/she may appeal, within one week to the President of the University, who will review the entire record of the grievance and make a final determination within one week of the appeal request.

If Chatham determines that unlawful discrimination has occurred, immediate and adequate corrective action will be taken in accordance and commensurate with the circumstances involved in order to address the discriminatory conduct of the grievant and others, if applicable. Chatham will also take steps and implement corrective action policies to prevent the recurrence of any discrimination.
Policy Effective Date: May 1, 2016
https://my.chatham.edu/documents/documentcenter/Non-Discrimination%20and%20Grievance%20Procedure%205-1-16.pdf

Chatham's Diversity and Inclusion Council is a group made up of varying departments represented by varying faculty/staff/administration. This council's mission is to initiate actions and empowers Chatham University to build a diverse and inclusive community through dialogue, education, research, self-reflection, and engagement. The council hired the Director of Multicultural Affairs (Dr. Randi Congleton). This position has enabled Chatham to achieve synchronization with diversity events/Campus groups liaison, and many more key diversity projects. One of the main goals of council is to develop and implement a plan to recruit, retain, and promote diverse staff and faculty.

https://www.chatham.edu/about/diversity-and-inclusion/index.cfm

STUDENT: Chatham participates in certain recruiting events that are targeted toward students from underrepresented groups, such as the McNair Scholars graduate school fair (students of color and first generation college students). Chatham also offers specific scholarships for students for underrepresented groups such as, International student Merit Scholarship and the Heffer Family Scholarship for Women.

Chatham University is pleased to announce its participation in the Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program (Yellow Ribbon Program). A provision of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, the program provides matching funds from the Department of Veterans Affairs as a supplement to the Post-9/11 GI Bill®. The Post-9/11 GI Bill covers tuition and fees not to exceed the maximum in-state tuition & fees at a public Institution of Higher Learning. The Yellow Ribbon Program will match tuition and fees in excess of the portion funded by the GI Bill.

STAFF/FACULTY: Chatham advertises in the following publications to increase our applicant pool for a more diverse population:

Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education
HERC Website (organization that promotes diversity in higher education)
Pittsburgh Courier for select positions

In addition, Chatham has been working with the hiring managers to make a good faith effort in including more minority candidates in the interview process. Chatham is making progress with recent hires in admissions, public safety and advancement, and social work.

At Chatham University, the PACE center offers academic support programs, career development, and a learning center. We also have the Gateway adult student program, for non traditional age students. There is counseling, mentoring and the opportunity to gain academic credit for knowledge gained through employment, job training, volunteer and civic activities, military service and travel.

Each group of students who identify as an at-risk or protected group have a liason in the Office of Student Affairs (Minority Students, Commuter Students, Veteran Students, Transfer Students, Gateway Adult Students, Student Athletes, Resident Students, Graduate Students, International Students and Out of State Students).

Additionally, several student organizations are sponsored by the Chatham Student Government and support and promote multicultural initiatives including:
Students Against Sexual Oppression
Black Student Union
Amnesty International
Feminist Activists Creating Equality
Muslim Student Association
All Faith Gathering

Additionally the Diversity and Inclusion Council serves to represent underrepresented groups of students, staff, and faculty. Some of the councils goals are listed below.
-To educate the campus community about diverse perspectives by celebrating and supporting all cultures.
-To raise diversity and inclusion to the forefront of university priorities and be vocal about its importance.
-To promote multicultural/intercultural awareness and understanding
-To develop and implement a plan to recruit, retain, and promote diverse staff and faculty
-To facilitate educational opportunities for faculty, staff and students to increase understanding of diversity and multicultural life experiences
-To build curricular and co-curricular opportunities for student and faculty engagement in diversity and inclusion knowledge and understanding
-To recommend policies needed to assure inclusion and celebration of multiculturalism
-To advise the President's Council on the degree to which messages, symbols, events, etc. support a welcoming and inclusive environment
-To advance Campus Accessibility and awareness of Disabilities, Mental Health Needs, and Prevention of Gender & Sexual Violence
-To design assessment strategies to assure progress toward goal achievement

Related Websites:
https://www.chatham.edu/osa/counseling/
https://www.chatham.edu/admission/adult/index.cfm
https://www.chatham.edu/admission/financial-aid/studentveterans.cfm
https://www.chatham.edu/admission/International/index.cfm
https://www.chatham.edu/about/diversity-and-inclusion/index.cfm

Chatham University also has a Master of Arts in Psychology transition to the Doctoral program that allows students, especially women, to move from a master’s degree to a PhD program. This program allows them to teach with a Master’s degree. Chatham University also has a nursing program that is a transition to a doctor of nursing program with similar features.

We offer housing options to accommodate the special needs of transgender and transitioning students, handled on a case-by-case basis depending on the individual student’s needs and preferences. We produce a publicly accessible inventory of gender neutral bathrooms on campus and it is listed in the student handbook.