AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY  
POLICY STATEMENT

It is the intellectual and moral responsibility, but more importantly, the policy of the leadership of Central Connecticut State University to advance social justice and equity by exercising affirmative action to remove all discriminatory barriers to equal employment opportunity and upward mobility.  Accordingly, the University, through this plan of affirmative action, will, with conviction and effort, undertake positively to overcome the present effects of past practices, policies or barriers to equal employment opportunity and to achieve the full and fair participation of women, African-Americans, Hispanics, and any other protected group found to be underutilized in the workforce or adversely affected by system policies or practices.

Thus, Central Connecticut State University will consistently review its personnel policies and procedures to ensure that barriers that unnecessarily exclude protected classes and practices that have an illegal discriminatory impact are identified and eliminated.  The University will explore alternative approaches if any personnel practice is found to have a negative impact on protected classes and establish procedures for any extra efforts that may be necessary to achieve labor market parity.

Equal opportunity is employment of individuals without consideration of race, color, religious creed, age, sex, marital status, national origin, ancestry, mental retardation, genetic information, sexual orientation, physical disability, learning disability, past or present history of a mental disability, or criminal record, unless the provisions of Sections 46a-60 (b) or 86a-81 (b) of the Connecticut General Statutes are controlling or there is a bona fide occupational qualification excluding persons in one of the above protected groups.  Equal employment opportunity is the purpose and goal of affirmative action under Sections 461 -68-31 through 46a-68-74. The University will consistently review all practices and procedures to ensure full compliance with the spirit and letter of Section 46a-68j21 through 46a-68j-43 of the Administrative Regulations of State Agencies regarding Contract Compliance.

Attached hereto and incorporated herein, are listed federal and state constitutional provisions, laws, regulations, guidelines and executive orders prohibiting or outlawing discrimination and identifying classes of persons protected based on race, color, religious creed, age, sex, marital status, national origin, ancestry, present or past history of mental disability, mental retardation, learning disability, or physical disability, including but not limited to blindness, except for a bona fide occupational qualification.

The role of affirmative action in each step of the employment process with regard to employment applications, job qualifications, job specifications, recruitment practices, personnel policies, job structuring, orientation training, counseling, grievance procedure, evaluation, layoffs and termination is detailed in the following pages and incorporated by reference herein. Clearly affirmative action and equal employment opportunity are immediate and necessary agency objectives for Central Connecticut State University. Additionally, we shall administer all terms, conditions and benefits of employment in an equitable manner. We also recognize the continued under-representation of persons with disabilities and older persons in the work place, and will undertake measures to overcome the present effects of past discrimination, if any to achieve the full and fair utilization of such persons in the work force.

This policy of non-discrimination will not be limited to employment practices but will extend, as well, to services and programs provided by the University.

It is the policy of Central Connecticut State University that unlawful discrimination be prohibited.  Consequently, it shall be a violation of University policy for any member of the University community to discriminate against any individual with respect to any terms, conditions, or privileges relating to employment or attendance at the University because of such individual's race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, age, or any other conditions established by the law.

All executive, administrative, and supervisory personnel are expected to discharge their affirmative action responsibilities, in word and deed, consistent with this agency's objective of establishing and implementing affirmative action and equal employment opportunity.

The Affirmative Action Officer responsible for overseeing affirmative action and equal employment opportunity is Dr. Moises Salinas at Central Connecticut State University, 1615 Stanley Street, New Britain, CT 06050 - Telephone No: (860) 832-1653.