Emory University
PA-6: Support for Underrepresented Groups

www.equityandinclusion@emory.edu

Emory University is dedicated to providing equal opportunities and equal access to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, genetic information, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and veteran's status. Emory University does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment on the basis of any factor stated above or prohibited under applicable law. Students, faculty, and staff are assured of participation in University programs and in the use of facilities without such discrimination. Emory University complies with Executive Order 11246, as amended, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Era Veteran's Readjustment Assistance Act, and applicable executive orders, federal and state regulations regarding nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action. Emory University is committed to achieving a diverse workforce through application of its affirmative action, equal opportunity and nondiscrimination policy in all aspects of employment including recruitment, hiring, promotions, transfers, discipline, terminations, wage and salary administration, benefits, and training. Inquiries regarding this policy should be directed to the Emory University Office of Equity and Inclusion, 201 Dowman Drive, Administration Building, Atlanta, GA 30322. Telephone: 404-727-9867 (V) | 404-712-2049 (TDD).

For job postings, please add the following sentences regarding reasonable accommodations:
Emory University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request a reasonable accommodation, please contact the Office of Accessibility Services at 404-727-9877 (V) | 404-712-2049 (TDD). Please note that one week advance notice is preferred.

The University is committed to maintaining an environment that is free of unlawful harassment and discrimination. Pursuant to the University’s commitment to a fair and open campus environment and in accordance with federal law, Emory cannot and will not tolerate discrimination against or harassment of any individual or group based upon race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, genetic information, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran’s status, or any factor that is a prohibited consideration under applicable law. Emory University welcomes and promotes an open and genuinely diverse environment.  

Emory encourages anyone who has knowledge of discrimination on campus to report alleged violations of this policy. Because discriminatory harassment interferes with the University’s educational mission and may be unlawful, anyone who becomes aware of discrimination or discriminatory harassment committed by member of the faculty, staff, administration, student body, a vendor, a contractor, guest or patron on campus, is encouraged to report the harassment to the Vice Provost and/or Compliance Director of The Office of Equity and Inclusion. The Vice Provost is also the University Title IX Coordinator.

Emory faculty, administrators and supervisors are required to immediately report any employment complaints they receive or incidents of discrimination or discriminatory harassment they witness, to their immediate supervisor or to the Office of Equity and Inclusion.

If a member of the Emory University community believes that he or she has been the victim of discrimination or discriminatory harassment or has information about discrimination/harassment in the university community, he or she may promptly report, without fear of reprisal, the facts of the incident and the name(s) of the individual(s) involved to the Office of Equity and Inclusion, located in Suite 305 of the Administration Building, or call the Office of Equity and Inclusion at (404) 727-9867. This report initiates a complaint.

The Office of Equity and Inclusion (or an alternate investigator, where appropriate) will promptly, fairly and thoroughly investigate all timely claims of harassment and discrimination, regardless of whether such complaints are reduced to writing. All complaints of discrimination and harassment will be treated in the strictest confidence possible under the particular circumstances.

Emory will not retaliate or take any adverse action against anyone for truthfully reporting conduct that he or she believes to be in violation of this Policy, or for participating in good faith in an investigation of alleged discrimination or harassment, or for participating in any proceeding or hearing relating to such complaints.

If OEI finds that there has been a violation of this policy and if the Dean or division head seeks advice as to the appropriate penalty, OEI may provide a recommendation as to the appropriate sanction. The Dean or division head will then be responsible for deciding upon and imposing disciplinary action as soon as reasonably possible, but within no more than one month after receiving the final determination and advice of OEI. The Dean or deciding official shall notify OEI of the penalty imposed, if any.

Sanctions imposed on those individuals who have been found to be in violation of the University’s Equal Opportunity Policy or its Discriminatory Harassment Policy shall be commensurate with the severity and/or frequency of the conduct, and shall be adequate and sufficient to prevent such conduct in the future. The sanctions may include, but are not limited to, an apology to the victim; a verbal or written reprimand; a requirement to attend remedial training; appropriate workplace restrictions; denial of a merit pay increase or other benefit; denial of promotion; or reassignment, suspension or separation from the University. Staff members who receive disciplinary penalties under this policy may consult Human Resources for information about the Grievance process, which may be used to challenge alleged violations, misinterpretations, or inequitable application of policies or procedures.

The community may contact the Emory Trust Line or Report through Bias Incidence Reporting on-line. In the event of a Title IX (Sexual Misconduct) complaint, all employees are mandated reporters and should report to a Title IX Coordinator, Deputy Coordinator or the University Title IX Coordinator.

The Office of Admissions begins in early October recruiting high-achieving, underrepresented students. Emory's Cultural Overnight Recruitment Experience (CORE) Fall visitation program is designed to support talented, high-achieving high school seniors who are from first generation and/or underrepresented cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. The program is held in October and includes a 2 night, 3 day visit. For more information on the CORE program, visit http://apply.emory.edu/core/.

Emory is one of the few universities in the nation that not only accepts undocumented students, but will pay for 100% of their tuition if they are accepted. http://emorywheel.com/emory-to-offer-financial-aid-to-undocumented-students/

Each year, members of the Laney Graduate School (LGS) community travel to national conferences (e.g., ABRCMS, McNair and SACNAS), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (e.g., Xavier University of LA, Howard University, and Spelman College), and Hispanic Serving Institutions (e.g., University of Puerto Rico schools, Florida International University), to meet students who might be interested in considering graduate study at Emory. LGS identifies each contact as a step toward a relationship with the student. http://www.gs.emory.edu/diversity/outreach.html

Emory offers educational programs on Unconscious Bias Training, has incorporated a guide to Best Practices for Hiring and has implemented a monitoring system for hiring. Emory publishes an Affirmative Action plan each year with hiring goals and action plans are implemented in various departments to achieve those goals. In addition, each College or School at Emory University develops individual student recruitment and retention plans for underrepresented groups.

Emory University has developed Best Practices for Hiring a Diverse and Excellent Faculty, which recommends that hiring committees include at least three members who come from an underrepresented group in order to overcome feelings of tokenism, isolation, and burnout. This ensures that recruitment of the faculty is included both within the search and deliberation process. As part of educational training, faculty search committees receive Unconscious Bias Training and follow Best Practices monitored by the Office of Equity and Inclusion. http://www.equityandinclusion.emory.edu/diversity/faculty/best-practices-one.html

People share a fundamental right to work and learn in a safe environment. The Office of Equity and Inclusion strives to provide a safe environment that is conducive to intellectual engagement, learning, and working in positive ways. The Offices focuses its work on systemic issues by addressing policy and procedural concerns. "Equity and Inclusion" is more than a name, it is a spirit. The Office reminds the community not only what our laws call for but also what Emory's strong collective spirit of fairness demands, through respecting the dignity and worth of each human being in our community and supporting the sharing of different values and perspectives. The Office works to:
• Foster an inclusive community that promotes a positive educational environment, fairness, and access, and
• Support compliance efforts as they relate to equal opportunities and affirmative action laws and regulations
Colleagues on our team work with faculty, staff, students, hospital employees, alumni, and visitors on related aspects that include:
• University Title IX
• Discrimination and harassment management
• Affirmative action plans and implementation
• Educational programming
• Best practices for searches and hires
• Access and disability services
For the past five years, Emory’s Advisory Council on Community and Diversity managed diversity at Emory. In 2016, this committee became a University Senate Committee. In 2014, the Office of Equity and Inclusion was established to monitor compliance issues related to Discrimination and Harassment, Sexual Misconduct and Disability Services. The Office of Campus Life manages the Center for Women, the Office of LGBTQ Life and the Campus Compound which develops programs related to diversity and inclusion.

The Committee on Class and Labor has its roots in conversations that began at Emory University in the spring of 2010, when students began raising awareness of their concerns about contract labor on campus. A number of faculty members also sought to deepen the community’s interest in these matters. These conversations and activities led to the creation of this committee. There are two Class and Labor reports, one on Staff and one on Faculty. A third Class and Labor study is expected on Students in the near future.

Emory University’s Office of Global Strategy and Initiatives (GSI) is dedicated to the support, promotion, and expansion of Emory’s international engagement. Through the strategic internationalization of programs, curricula, and research, GSI supports creative global initiatives, fosters cross-unit collaboration, promotes a culturally vibrant and diverse campus, and coordinates Emory's international resources and partnerships. GSI leads the implementation of Emory’s global strategies, which it helped develop through a multi-year effort involving broad community input. The strategies provide a vision for the future of Emory's global engagement.

Center for the Advancement of Student Advocacy and Agency
CASA2 is a community of many communities whose goal is to collaborate and communicate effectively across organizational boundaries in an effort to help our students realize their full potential.
CASA2 consists of five interdisciplinary teams that will work closely together to assist students on their journey to serve as advocates and agents of change. The five teams are:
• Barkley Forum for Debate, Deliberation and Dialogue
• Belonging and Community Justice
• Civic and Community Engagement
• Student Involvement, Leadership and Transitions
• Social Justice Education

The Senate Diversity Committee has the following objectives: (1) to provide a more comprehensive view of the University’s offices and initiatives responsible for strengthening diversity at Emory and to facilitate discussion and communication between offices and groups around these initiatives; (2) to encourage diversity considerations in the formation of all University Senate committees; and (3) to publicize events on campus that have a strong diversity component. http://www.senate.emory.edu/home/committees/Senate%20Diversity.html

The Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program is a prestigious program offered to rising Juniors who come from underrepresented backgrounds who will “change the face of academia” by pursuing their PhD and eventually applying for a tenure-track position at a university. http://www.mellonmays.emory.edu/

The Emory Pipeline program is a very popular program for undergraduate students to promote careers in STEM for high school students from underrepresented groups in the metro-Atlanta area. In this student-run program, students from the Emory School of Medicine, Rollins School of Public Health and Laney Graduate School collaborate with Emory College undergraduates to mentor students from underrepresented schools, including South Atlanta, Booker T. Washington, Maynard Holbrook Jackson, The New Schools at Carver, and Frederick Douglass High Schools, to improve their academic skills by engaging the budding young scholars in hands-on exploration of medical sciences. This layering of mentoring, teaching, and service aims to produce socially conscious leaders with an interest in community involvement and a portfolio of educational skills. http://www.emorypipeline.org/

Emory’s Initiative to Maximize Student Development (IMSD) is NIH-funded pipeline program aimed at connecting undergraduates from underrepresented groups who are pursuing careers in STEM fields with graduate students in order to pursue opportunities related to STEM in higher education. http://news.emory.edu/stories/2017/05/er_initative_maximize_student_development/campus.html

Emory's James Weldon Johnson Institute for the Study of Race and Difference offers fellowship opportunities for pre-doctoral, post-doctoral and advanced scholars in promoting diversity in academia. http://jamesweldonjohnson.emory.edu/home/

Publicly accessible inventory of gender neutral bathrooms on campus: http://www.lgbt.emory.edu/trans/bathrooms_facilities.html