Affirmative Action

• Recruitment and Search Procedures 

• Non-discrimination and Sexual Harassment Policies and Procedures 

•  First Round Candidate List 
•  Second Round Final Candidate List 
•  Affirmative Action Certification Form 
•  Affirmative Action Recruitment Document 
•  Applicant Flow Log 
•  Summary Applicant Flow Log 
•  Failed Search Letter to Applicant 
•  Interview Report Form 
•  Rejection Letter after Interview 
•  Notification of Position Vacancy 
•  Sample Recruitment Plan 

1. What is the difference between Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action in the staffing process?

Equal Employment Opportunity means ensuring that all applicants have equal access to the selection process – that none are excluded on the basis of their protected status. Affirmative Action goes beyond non-discrimination and requires federal contractors to engage in expanded efforts in outreach and recruitment for women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans and make them aware of the job opportunities.

2. What are "Protected Classes"?

Federal employment laws prohibit discrimination against anyone on the basis of membership in the following categories: age, disabilities, religion, national origin, race, color, marital status and sex.

3. Why must we follow affirmative action employment policies?

Executive Order 11246 requires all federal contractors to make good faith efforts to meet affirmative action goals, and those federal contractors that employ 50 or more employees and receive $50,000 or more in federal funds, must have a written Affirmative Action Plan for women and minorities. Goals and timetables are part of the requirements of an Affirmative Action Plan for women and minorities. Goals are voluntary measures of progress in hiring women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans that an employer such as the University has established for its workforce to correct underutilization.

As a recipient of federal funding, LaGuardia Community College/CUNY is required to have a written Affirmative Action Plan.

4. What are some types of affirmative action measures? 

• Aggressive recruiting to expand the pool of candidates for job openings.
• Evaluating and updating selection tools and criteria to ensure their relevance to job performance.
• Revising traditional measures of merit to better recognize talent and performance under varying conditions.

5. Who benefits from the University’s Affirmative Action Policies and Programs?

All employees benefit from the University’s Affirmative Action Policies and Programs as they help to ensure a fair work environment for everyone.

6. Do employment affirmative action policies mean quotas?

No, quotas are not a part of the University’s affirmative action program. However, under federal regulations, the University is required to establish goals for hiring women and minorities in those jobs or job groups where the percentage of minorities and women employed in the University workforce is less than would be reasonably expected given their availability.

While the placement goals are important, it is the demonstration of a good faith effort to achieve those goals that is more important. An organization must be able to show it has taken strong and active steps to ensure that qualified women and minorities are present in the applicant pools and be able to objectively demonstrate that the selection process was free of bias.

 
*Excerpts taken from the following websites: University of California Office of the President- Diversity, Bowie State University’s EEO/AA, and University of Houston Legal Affairs.

Campus Sexual Harassment Prevention Awareness and Intake Committee members are charged with providing training programs and orientation activities to educate students, faculty, and staff about the University's policy and their responsibilities. Additionally, committee members also:
 

1. Heighten awareness and inform the college community of their responsibilities by conducting sexual harassment prevention training sessions
2. Intake and investigate complaints from faculty, staff, and students
3. Attend University training for sexual harassment prevention and take three Core Courses (Policy and Procedures, Complaint Intake, and Managing Intake Communications)
4. Attend SHAIC campus meetings regularly

 Committee Members:
 

 As established by Board of Trustees policy, the functions of the Campus Diversity Committee are to:
 

1. Serve in an advisory capacity to the President of the College, and to other governing bodies of the College, in formulating and implementing affirmative action policy on campus.
2. Monitor outcomes of campus efforts on behalf of the Affirmative Action Program.
3. Review proposed amendments to the College governance plan to assure compliance with the University non-discrimination and affirmative action policies and procedures.
4. Submit to the President a summary of its activities at the end of each academic year.

Committee Members:
 

The responsibilities of the 504/ADA Coordinator include:
 

• Monitoring the college for 504/ADA compliance
• Resolving issues before they become potential grievances
• Reviewing applicants and employees’ accommodation requests denied by the Human Resources Director
• Making and informing applicants of final decision regarding disputed accommodations
• Collecting and maintaining information on number of accommodations requested and provided
• Ensuring pertinent records are stored securely and protected from damage or loss
• Ensuring medical documentation is kept confidential, used to evaluate accommodation requests, and shared only on a need- to- know basis.
• Providing training, if appropriate, to those who interact with individuals with disabilities

Committee Members: