Non-Discrimination Information

920.1 Non-Discrimination Policy

Indiana State University does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, age, national origin, sexual orientation, including gender identity or expression, religion, disability, or veteran status.  In line with its commitment to equal opportunity, the University will recruit, hire, promote, education, and provide services to persons based upon their individual qualifications meeting established criteria.

Approved by the Indiana State University Board of Trustees February 17, 2012.

 

Inquires or complaints may be  addressed to the Assistant Vice President of Equal Opportunity Director and Title IX Coordinator, Equal Opportunity and Title IX Office, Rankin Hall, Room 426, Terre Haute, IN 47809. You may also call (812) 237-8954 or email the Office at ISU-equalopportunity-titleix@indstate.edu.  For other university information, please call (812) 237-3773.

 

Who may file a complaint?

Any person (e.g., faculty, staff, student, parent of a student, campus visitor, spouse of an employee, etc.) may report what they believe to be an act of discrimination or discriminatory harassment to the Equal Opportunity and Title IX Office. However, only those faculty members, staff members, and students connected with the University are eligible to file a complaint of discrimination or discriminatory harassment with Equal Opportunity and Title IX Office against another University faculty or staff member. In either instance, the office will respond.

Additionally, any faculty, staff, or students connected with the University may file a complaint directly with Equal Opportunity and Title IX Office if they believe they are being retaliated against because:

  • they challenged what they believed to be a discriminatory behavior, or
  • they provided information or participated in an investigation of a claim of discrimination or discriminatory harassment.

Schedule an appointment by contacting the Equal Opportunity and Title IX Office or call (812) 237-8954

Filing a Complaint

The Role of the Office in Responding to Reports and Complaints of Discrimination

The Equal Opportunity and Title IX Office is an administrative office, not an internal judicial or legal office. Its function is to determine whether University policies or procedures regarding discrimination or discriminatory harassment have been followed. If violations are found, the Office works to remedy the situation and relieve the complainant of the burden imposed on her or him by the inappropriate actions.

The Equal Opportunity and Title IX Office staff remains impartial at all times when investigating a charge of discrimination, discriminatory harassment, or retaliation. The staff is neither an advocate nor an adversary with respect to the complainant, the person accused, or witnesses. The staff is responsible for gathering any evidence that will help the University meet its requirements for nondiscrimination, regardless of whose position that evidence supports.

Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment Resolution Goals

  • Provide timely, sensitive, and discreet responses to complaints and reports of discrimination, discriminatory harassment and retaliation.
  • Investigate complaints and reports of discrimination thoroughly and impartially, and work to arrive at an appropriate and equitable resolution.
  • Work to improve the University's response to reports and complaints of discrimination, discriminatory harassment, and retaliation.

Race, Color and National Origin Discrimination 

As outlined in the university’s nondiscrimination statement, no university student, faculty or staff member may, on the basis of their race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any university program or activity. Conduct that has such an effect and that consists of different treatment of students, faculty or staff on the basis of race, color or national origin violates university policy.

For example, a student could not be denied the opportunity to participate in a student organization solely because the student is from a particular country or has ancestors from a particular country.  See examples of prohibited discrimination for more examples of the types of race, color and national origin discrimination prohibited by the university.

Notice

The university cannot address harassment on the basis of race, color or national origin unless it is aware it is occurring. Once the university has notice, it has a responsibility to respond. The response will be designed to determine whether the behavior at issue is discriminatory harassment and, if yes, the university will take action reasonably calculated to prevent recurrence and ensure that individuals are not restricted in their participation in or receipt of benefits of any university program or activity.

Hostile Environment

A hostile environment is defined as an environment on campus that, through harassing conduct (e.g., physical, verbal, graphic or written) based on a person’s protected status (e.g., sexual orientation, age, etc.), becomes sufficiently severe, pervasive or persistent so as to interfere with or limit the ability of an individual to participate in or benefit from a university program or activity.

There are many types of behaviors that can be harassing. Examples include using derogatory terms, insults, telling derogatory jokes, taunting and intimidating actions. The university prohibits harassing behavior on its campus and by any person while engaged in university business, whether on or off campus. When the university determines that a hostile environment exists, it takes action reasonably calculated to stop the harassment and ensure it does not happen again.

While a person engaging in harassing behavior often has some form of power or authority over the person being harassed, that is not always the case. The harasser can be a peer of the person being harassed. Sometimes the harasser is harassing a person who has power over them. For example, a supervisee can sexually harass a supervisor or a student can sexually harass a faculty member. The harasser can even be a person who is not a member of the university community, such as a person delivering supplies to a laboratory or refilling vending machines. Regardless of the source, the university does not tolerate harassment.

To determine whether a hostile environment exists, the university examines the context, nature, scope, frequency, duration and location of incidents, as well as the identity, number, and relationships of the persons involved. The university also determines whether the person at whom the conduct was directed found it harassing and whether a “reasonable person” would find the conduct harassing. Factors such as these assist in determining whether the conduct at issue is harassing and whether it is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive to have created a hostile work or learning environment. In some cases, a single incident may be so severe as to create a hostile environment. Such incidents may include injury to persons or property or conduct threatening injury to persons or property. In other instances, the behavior at issue is harassing, but not sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive as to constitute a hostile work or learning environment. In such cases, the university generally takes action to stop the offending behavior in an effort to promote a respectful environment and avoid the possibility that a hostile environment will develop.

Examples of prohibited discrimination may include, but are not limited to:

  • Denying raises, benefits, promotions, leadership opportunities or performance evaluations on the basis of a person's gender, gender identity or gender expression, pregnancy, race, color, national origin or ancestry, disability, sexual orientation, age, religion, veteran status, height, weight or marital status.
  • Preventing any person from using University facilities or services because of that person's gender, gender identity or gender expression, pregnancy, race, color, national origin or ancestry, disability, sexual orientation, age, religion, veteran status, height, weight or marital status.
  • Making determinations regarding a person's salary based on gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, race, color, national origin or ancestry, disability, sexual orientation, age, religion, veteran status, height, weight or marital status.
  • Denying a person access to an educational program based on that person's gender, gender identity or gender expression, pregnancy, race, color, national origin or ancestry, disability, sexual orientation, age, religion, veteran status, height, weight or marital status.
  • Instigating or allowing an environment that is unwelcoming or hostile based on a person's gender, gender identity or gender expression, pregnancy, race, color, national origin or ancestry, disability, sexual orientation, age, religion, veteran status, height, weight or marital status.

Contact

Equal Opportunity and Title IX Office

Indiana State University

Rankin Hall, Room 426

Phone: 812-237-8954

Fax: 812-237-8960

Email: ISU-equalopportunity-titleix@mail.indstate.edu​