II. Equal Opportunity & Anti-Discrimination Policies

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are fundamental to advancing intellectual rigor, learning, and scholarship. Tulane University is committed to creating a community and culture that fosters a sense of belonging for all. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, ancestry, color, disability (including mental disorder, learning disability, or physical disability), gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, military status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other status or classification protected by federal, state, or local law. In fact, our commitment extends beyond mere compliance with the law.

We encourage all qualified candidates to apply. We are intentionally seeking candidates who are committed to fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion in support of Tulane’s Strategy for Tomorrow. 

We are committed to providing access and opportunity for disabled persons to participate in their educational pursuits or employment. Information on services provided by Tulane to prospective and current students with a disability can be obtained by contacting goldman@tulane.edu. Faculty and staff in need of an accommodation may contact ADAaccess@tulane.edu. Prospective employees in need of accommodation during the application or recruitment process may contact tucareers@tulane.edu. 

Questions regarding Title IX, Section 504, or any other non-discrimination policies can be directed to these offices: Office of Institutional Equity by email: oie@tulane.edu or telephone: 504-862-8083; Title IX Office, Marcus Foster, JD, Assistant Provost for Title IX Compliance and Education by email: mfoster9@tulane.edu or telephone: 504-865-5615; and The Office of Campus Accessibility, Andrea Vassar, Executive Director for Campus Accessibility and ADA/504 Coordinator by email: ADAaccess@tulane.edu or telephone: 504-47-1774. 

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

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, 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. For types of protected statuses, as used in this policy, see Appendix A: Definitions in the Equal Opportunity/Anti-Discrimination policies located at: http://tulane.edu/handbooks-and-policies. 

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 policy. Individuals must promptly report possible discrimination, harassment (including sexual harassment and violence), and/or retaliation so prompt and appropriate action can be taken. Conduct prohibited by this policy does not have to rise to the level of illegal conduct in order for it to be actionable and a violation of this policy. Tulane affiliates are encouraged to file a concerns report (http://tulane.edu/concerns) or contact the Office of Institutional Equity at 504-862-8083 or oie@tulane.edu. 

Personality differences, conflicts, or general mistreatment not based on a status protected by this policy or a response to poor performance are usually employee relation issues, not discrimination matters. Contact the Office of Human Resources by telephone at 504-865-4748 or by email at hr@tulane.edu for help determining what type of issue you may be experiencing, and they will refer you to appropriate resources. 

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

Tulane University is committed to creating and maintaining a campus environment where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity and where all are free to participate in a lively exchange of ideas. Each student has the right to learn, and each employee has the right to work in an environment free from all forms of unlawful harassment or discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual misconduct. At Tulane University, harassment or discrimination, whether verbal, physical, written, or visual, is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Discrimination is unlawful, hurts all members of the educational community, and contributes to a negative atmosphere where victims and others may feel their safety and equality are compromised. Discrimination has no legitimate educational purpose. Anyone who engages in conduct prohibited by this policy shall be disciplined as provided by law, university policies, and applicable employment agreements.

This policy prohibits harassment. Harassment based on an individual’s protected status (age, 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 of 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, 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 will not tolerate unlawful discrimination or harassment by anyone affiliated with Tulane (including non-employees, such as vendors and independent consultants) and will not tolerate adverse academic or employment actions, including but not limited to termination of anyone reporting discrimination or providing information related to such a complaint. 

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

The University is committed to equal employment and educational opportunity and nondiscrimination of qualified faculty, students, and staff with physical and mental disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and state and local laws and ordinances. An individual is considered to have a disability if they have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, have a record of such impairment, or are regarded as having such impairment.

The ADA prohibits discrimination against a qualified individual with a disability in employment practices such as job application procedures, hiring, promotion, discharge, compensation, training, benefits, and other conditions of employment. A qualified individual is one who can perform the essential functions of their job with or without a reasonable accommodation. The ADA also requires that employers provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with known disabilities. A reasonable accommodation is designed to assist an employee in the performance of their job without placing an undue hardship on Tulane or posing a direct threat to the employee or to other individuals.

In addition, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 states that no otherwise qualified individual with a disability shall, solely by reason of their disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Education.

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

It is the policy of Tulane University to comply with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination (including sexual harassment and sexual misconduct) based on sex in the University's educational programs and activities. Title IX also prohibits retaliation for asserting claims or sex discrimination. Tulane has a designated Title IX Coordinator. The Title IX Coordinator oversees the University’s centralized review, investigation, and resolution of reports of sex discrimination, including sexual harassment and violence.

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