Equal Opportunity and Inclusion Policy

Purpose:

To prevent discrimination and promote equal opportunity, affirmative action, and inclusion for all members of the Lesley University Community.

Scope:

Lesley University

Policy Statement:

Lesley University is committed to preventing discrimination and promoting equal opportunity, affirmative action, and inclusion for all current and prospective faculty, students, and staff. Lesley University strictly prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, pregnancy or parental status, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, veteran or military status, membership in Uniformed Services, and all other categories protected by applicable state and federal laws in admission to, access to, participation in, or employment in its programs and activities. Lesley also prohibits retaliation against any person who brings a complaint of discrimination or harassment against anyone who cooperates in a complaint investigation.

Manager and Employee Responsibility:

A manager is anyone who supervises one or more employees or whose job duties include management responsibilities.

Managers and employees at Lesley are required to act in furtherance of Lesley’s commitment to equal opportunity, affirmative action, and inclusion and to ensure that all personnel actions and all educational programs and activities are administered in conformity with this Equal Opportunity and Inclusion Policy and the Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Violence Policy. Personnel actions include but are not limited to recruiting, hiring, promotion, upgrades, compensation, benefits, transfers, terminations, layoffs, University sponsored training, tuition benefits, grievance procedures, and social and recreational programs.

Managers are also required to make good faith efforts to achieve Lesley’s affirmative action and inclusion goals. However, preferences based on race, gender, or other personal characteristics are prohibited. Good faith efforts to achieve affirmative action and inclusion goals include outreach and recruitment initiatives to broaden the pools of qualified candidates from which employment decisions are made to include underrepresented populations.

Self-Identification:

Applicants for admission and employment at Lesley are encouraged to identify their personal characteristics solely for purposes of advancing Lesley’s affirmative action and inclusion goals. Disclosure of this information is entirely voluntary. Any information provided will be kept confidential and used only in a manner consistent with the law.

Protection:

Employees, students, or applicants for employment or admission who believe that they have been discriminated against in the employment or admissions process may contact the Equal Opportunity & Title IX Coordinator by email at equalopportunity@lesley.edu.

Retaliation is prohibited. At no time will employees, students, or applicants for employment or admission be subject to discipline or have their opportunities for admission or employment adversely affected by exercising their rights pursuant to this Equal Opportunity and Inclusion Policy.

Further, employees, students, and applicants for admissions or employment shall not be subject to harassment, intimidation, threats, coercion or discrimination because they have engaged in, or may engage in, any of the following activities:

1. Filing a complaint in good faith through the Lesley University Complaint Resolution Procedure for resolution of harassment and discrimination complaints or pursuant to any federal or state law;
2. Assisting or participating in good faith in an investigation, compliance review, or any other related activity; or
3. Engaging in any activity protected by law.

If an employee is found responsible for retaliation, that employee will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from employment at Lesley.

Inquiries:

Questions regarding this policy should be directed to the Office of Human Resources at (617) 349-8785 or hr@lesley.edu or to the Equal Opportunity & Title IX Coordinator at equalopportunity@lesley.edu.

Duty of Good Faith:

Lesley University prohibits any member of the Lesley community from knowingly or recklessly bringing a false complaint against another member of the Lesley community. Any such action can lead to disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion from the University or dismissal from employment.

Lesley University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action educator and employer. This Equal Opportunity and Inclusion Policy is not intended to create a contract between Lesley and its students, employees or other persons. Lesley reserves the right to amend or revoke its policies at any time without notice.