Faculty Handbook Chapter 2: Equal Opportunity and Anti-Discrimination Policies

Tulane University is an equal opportunity educator and employer committed to providing an education and employment environment free of unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Legally protected demographic classifications (such as a person’s race¹, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, shared ancestry, disability, genetics, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws) are not relied upon as an eligibility, selection, or participation criteria for Tulane’s employment or educational programs or activities.

Tulane prohibits discrimination in its employment practices or educational programs/activities on the basis of age, color, disability, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, military status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, shared ancestry, or veteran status, or any other status or classification protected by federal, state, or local law. Tulane complies with applicable federal and state laws addressing discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. Discrimination or harassment on the basis of any protected status or classification, by anyone affiliated with Tulane, whether verbal, physical, written, or visual, is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Please refer to Tulane’s Equal Opportunity/Anti-Discrimination Policies for information related to types of protected statuses and prohibited conduct.

Tulane encourages all community members to take reasonable and prudent actions to prevent or stop discrimination and harassment and to report concerning conduct so appropriate action can be taken. An appropriate response to concerning conduct may include direct intervention when safe to do so, enlisting the assistance of others, contacting law enforcement, and/or filing a complaint.

Internal complaints of discrimination, harassment and/or retaliation must be filed in accordance with this Tulane’s Equal Opportunity/Anti-Discrimination Policies. Individuals must promptly report possible discrimination, harassment (including sexual harassment and violence), and/or retaliation so prompt and appropriate action can be taken.

This policy prohibits harassment. Harassment based on an individual’s protected status (age, ancestry, color, disability, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, military status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic) is any act of verbal or non-verbal physical aggression, intimidation, hostility, aversion, detriment, or preference based on the person’s protected status, when the following conditions are present: 

Submission to or rejection of such conduct is either an explicit or implicit term or condition of, or is used as the basis for decisions affecting an individual’s employment or advancement in employment, evaluation of academic work or advancement in an academic program, or basis for participation in any aspect of a Tulane program or activity; and/or 

• Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with or limiting that individual’s: (1) educational environment (e.g., admission, academic standing, grades, assignment); (2) work environment (e.g., hiring, advancement, assignment); (3) participation in a Tulane program or activity; (4) living environment (e.g., campus housing); or (5) receipt of legitimately-requested services (e.g., disability or religious accommodations), under both an objective and subjective standard.  

A hostile environment can be created by anyone involved in a Tulane program or activity (e.g., students, employees, or even campus guests) where the unwelcome conduct is so severe, persistent, or pervasive that it unreasonably interferes with, limits, or deprives an individual from participating in or benefiting from Tulane’s education or employment programs and/or activities. Mere offensiveness is not enough to create a hostile environment. Although repeated incidents increase the likelihood that harassment has created a hostile environment, a serious incident, even if isolated, can be sufficient. In contrast, the perceived offensiveness of a single verbal or written expression, standing alone, is typically not sufficient to constitute a hostile environment. 

Depending on the seriousness, frequency, and/or pervasiveness, harassment may include: conduct or material (physical, oral, written, graphic, electronic messages or media posted or circulated in the community) involving epithets, slurs, negative stereotyping, threatening, intimidating, or hostile acts that serve no scholarly purpose appropriate to the academic context and gratuitously denigrates or shows hostility toward an individual or group because of age, color, disability, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, military status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, shared ancestry, or veteran status.

Discrimination or harassment based on sex and/or gender includes interpersonal violence. For more information regarding the investigation and response process for student discrimination and harassment based on sex and/or gender and interpersonal violence (including sexual assault, stalking, and intimate partner violence), please refer to the Code of Student Conduct.

Tulane encourages the reporting of good faith claims of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. False accusations and malicious reporting can have a serious effect on the University and the reputation of all parties involved in a matter. If an investigation reveals that an accusation of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation was made in bad faith, maliciously, or recklessly, the Complainant may be sanctioned appropriately.

The full terms of the Equal Opportunity/Anti-Discrimination policies located at https://policy.tulane.edu/policy/policy-equal-opportunity-anti-discrimination-0 are adopted and incorporated by reference herein. 

In keeping with Tulane’s commitment to foster a sense of belonging and unified community, Tulane seeks to ensure access to its programs and activities to the broadest possible audience. Tulane complies with federal and state laws concerning the employment of people with disabilities, including Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and follows the regulations issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). It is Tulane’s policy to reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities when accommodation is necessary to allow an individual to compete for a job, perform the essential functions of a job, and/or enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment, and where the accommodation would not impose an undue hardship on the university.

The Office of Campus Accessibility has been designated to coordinate employee requests for workplace accommodations. Employees should make accommodation requests directly to the Office of Campus Accessibility.

Once reasonable accommodations have been approved, the Office of Campus Accessibility will provide guidance to the employee and, where applicable, the employee’s supervisor, to facilitate and implement the accommodations in compliance with the law.

Employees who have requested or were granted an accommodation should report any changes in their ongoing need for accommodation to their supervisor and Tulane’s Office of Campus Accessibility.

Prospective and current employees with disabilities can learn more about the resources available to them by accessing the Disability & Accommodations page on the Office of Human Resources website (https://hr.tulane.edu/disability-accommodations) or contacting Tulane’s Office of Campus Accessibility at ADAaccess@tulane.edu or (504) 247-1774.

The University has adopted an internal grievance procedure providing for prompt resolution of complaints alleging violation of the University’s ADA policy. If you have concerns regarding denial of a reasonable accommodation or the specific accommodation selected by the University, you are encouraged to review the process with the Office of Campus Accessibility. In the event you disagree with the determination or proposed accommodation or believe you have been discriminated against based on a disability, you should contact the Equal Opportunity & Resolution Management Department.

Tulane complies with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, including sexual harassment and sexual violence, in educational programs and activities. Title IX also prohibits retaliation for asserting claims of sex discrimination. Tulane has designated Julia Broussard, Tulane’s Assistant Provost for Title IX Compliance and Education, to coordinate compliance with and response to inquiries concerning Title IX. For information regarding Title IX, students or employees may contact the following:

• University’s Assistant Provost for Title IX Compliance and Education & Title IX Coordinator 
  Julia Broussard
  Office of Academic Affairs & Provost
  Jones Hall 308; Tulane University
  New Orleans LA, 70118
  Phone: (504) 865-5611; email: titleix@tulane.edu
• Deputy Title IX Coordinator for employees 
  Ruth Riley
  Associate Vice President, Human Resources
  1555 Poydras St., Suite 964
  New Orleans, LA 70112
  Phone: (504) 862-8083; email: rariley@tulane.edu