Equal Opportunity Institution

I. POLICY:

The Technical College System of Georgia and its constituent technical colleges do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, gender, religion, disability, age, political affiliation or belief, genetic information, disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam Era, or citizenship status (except in those special circumstances permitted or mandated by law). This nondiscrimination policy encompasses the operation of all TCSG and technical college-administered programs, federally financed programs, educational programs and activities involving admissions, scholarships and loans, student life and athletics. It also applies to the recruitment and employment of personnel and the contracting for goods and services.

All work and campus environments shall be free from unlawful forms of discrimination, harassment and retaliation as outlined under Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended, Executive Order 11246, as amended, the Vietnam Era Veteran’s Readjustment Act of 1974, as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, the Equal Pay Act, Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, the Georgia Fair Employment Act of 1978, as amended, the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and other related mandates under TCSG Policy, federal or state statutes.

TCSG and the technical colleges are expected to promote the full realization of equal opportunity through affirmative and continuing practices. TCSG and each technical college shall develop Affirmative Action Plans based on federal guidelines to ensure compliance with applicable mandates. Each is required to report and monitor Affirmative Action Plan data as directed by federal compliance guidelines.

II. APPLICABILITY:

All work units and technical colleges associated with the Technical College System of Georgia.

III. PROCEDURE:

1. Publications, advertisements, job announcements, and job and enrollment applications shall contain a statement of equal opportunity and shall contain no indication, either, explicit or implied, of a preference for one class of persons over another.
2. Notices shall be conspicuously posted in public places at the System Office and in the technical college buildings, informing job applicants and employees that the organization is an equal opportunity organization and advising students, applicants and employees of their rights to notify an appropriate college official, local, state, or federal agency if they believe they have been subjected to unlawful discrimination.
3. Prior to the beginning of each school year, the college is required to publish the Statement of Equal Opportunity in the local newspaper(s) in the college’s service area with a statement that all vocational opportunities will be offered regardless of race, color, national origin, sex or disability. The notice must include a brief summary of program offerings and admission criteria and the name, office address, and phone number of persons designated to coordinate compliance under Title IX and Section 504.
4. Each college shall appoint individuals to act as Coordinators to ensure compliance with federal laws including but not limited to Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended. The names, locations and contact information for these Coordinators will be widely published in materials/information distributed by colleges.
5. The Commissioner shall develop procedures for implementing the requirements of this policy and addressing employee and student complaints of unlawful discrimination.
6. This policy and applicable procedures will be published and executed by each technical college.
7. Inquiries concerning the administration of this policy and applicable procedures may be addressed to any of the following offices or designated individuals:
   • TCSG Office of Human Resources
   • TCSG Office of Legal Services
   • College Title IX Coordinators
   • College Disabilities Coordinators
   • College Office of Human Resources
   • College Veteran’s Benefits Coordinators

IV. RECORD RETENTION:

None