Discrimination Complaint Policy and Procedures

Source: Offices of the Chancellor, the Provost and Vice Chancellor, Office of Equal Opportunity, Equal Opportunity Committee.

Any employee or student who has reason to believe that he or she has been discriminated against in a University education program or activity or in their employment, may contact the Equal Opportunity Officer in the Office of Human Resources. Discussion or complaint can be verbal and informal; confidentiality can be preserved unless the complaint becomes written and formal. Informal solutions may be agreed to as an appropriate means to resolving an issue. If resolution cannot be obtained informally, the following formal procedures may be utilized:

1. Send a detailed written complaint to the Equal Opportunity Officer, stating the specific actions considered discriminatory including time, date, place, manner, and parties who witnessed or would know about the events.
2. This University follows EEOC and state guidelines. To be timely, the complaint must be filed within 300 days of the last incident complained about.
3. Upon review of the initial facts, if the EO Officer concludes that, under the law, discrimination may have occurred, an investigation will be carried out. If the Officer concludes discrimination has not occurred, a written report of reasons will be made to complainant. Complainants may have recourse to state or federal agencies if they are dissatisfied with the "no discrimination" finding.
4. If an investigation is commenced, it will include notice of the particulars of the complaint to the party complained against, and the party complained against will have 30 calendar days to respond; complainant confidentiality cannot be preserved at this time.
5. The time frame for findings, conclusions, and recommendations based on the investigation is 30 calendar days from time of receipt of the written complaint by the EO Officer. In the spring semester, that may have to entail accommodation of summer break into the time frame.
6. If the complainant is satisfied with the EO Officer's recommendations, they will be submitted to the Chancellor for consideration and decision. The Chancellor's decision, which may include specific actions or recommendations for discipline, is final. A party disciplined has resort to normal appeal procedures by policy. At that point, the EO Office phase of the case is closed.
7. If the complainant is not satisfied with the findings and recommendations, within 15 days after receipt of them, a request for an administrative review by the Equal Opportunity Committee will be sent to the Chair of the Equal Opportunity Committee, who will convene the Committee.
8. Within 45 days of receipt of the request by the Chair, the Equal Opportunity Committee will be convened, review the record and other documents, and render its recommendations. If the Committee needs any further information to clarify matters, the Chair will request it and receive it in writing.
9. The Committee will make its recommendations to the Chancellor, who will make the final decision within 30 days.
10. If the complainant is not satisfied, he or she can request administrative review by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Milwaukee, WI, when Title VII issues are involved, or the Office of Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C. when Title IX issues are involved, or the Division of Equal Rights of the Wisconsin Department of Employee Relations in Madison, WI.

 Discrimination Complaint Procedures Diagram