Equal Opportunity and Diversity

by | Sep 26, 2018

The Texas A&M University System is committed to and promotes equal opportunity for all. This commitment includes equal employment opportunity, affirmative action, and program accessibility. The System Equal Opportunity and Diversity Office is responsible for the Equal Opportunity programs of the universities and agencies of the A&M System. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity serves as the liaison between System members and various local, state and federal civil rights agencies. These include the Civil Rights Division of the Texas Workforce Commission, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (U.S. Department of Labor), and the offices of civil rights within the various federal departments. The Texas A&M University System is dedicated to the provision of discrimination-free workplaces and learning environments. It has adopted a proactive approach to prevent discrimination, sexual harassment and related retaliation through training and other programs. It is also committed to make its workplaces, campuses, and programs accessible to all, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation or gender identity.

Reporting

  • Federal

Affirmative Action Plan for Minorities and Women

Authority: Executive Order 11246; System Regulation 08.01.01
Oversight: Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, U.S. Department of Labor
Required For: Federal contractors and subcontractors having 50 employees or more and a covered federal contract or subcontract (thresholds apply).
Description: AAPs must contain both a narrative and a statistical section. The narrative section must include a) designation of responsibility; b) identification of problem areas; c) action-oriented programs; and d) internal audit and reporting system. The statistical section may be either an organizational profile or a workforce analysis showing the distribution of minority and female employees within its units and a statistical analysis to determine if placement goals may be necessary for minorities or women. AAPs must be updated annually.

Affirmative Action Plan(s) for Individuals with Disabilities and for Veterans of the Vietnam Era

Authority: 38 U.S.C Section 4212 Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act; Section 503 Rehabilitation Act of 1973; System Regulation 08.01.01
Oversight: Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, U.S. Department of Labor
Required For: Federal contractors and subcontractors having 50 employees or more and a covered federal contract or subcontract (thresholds apply).
Description: As a result of new regulations promulgated in 2014, these AAPs must also contain both a narrative and a statistical section. The narrative section must include a) designation of responsibility; b) identification of problem areas; c) action-oriented programs; and d) internal audit and reporting system. The statistical section may be either an organizational profile or a workforce analysis showing the distribution of employees who are protected veterans and those with disabilities, and a statistical analysis to determine if placement goals may be necessary for minorities or women. AAPs must be updated annually.

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System Fall Staff Survey (previously EEO-6)

Authority: 34 CFR 100.13, 20 USC 1094(a) (17)
Oversight: National Center for Education Statistics, U. S. Department of Education
Required For: All institutions which receive, are applicants for, or expect to be applicants for federal financial assistance as defined in the Department of Education regulations implementing Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Description: IPEDS consists of nine components. One of its components, the Fall Staff Survey, is required to be completed in odd-numbered years, and may be completed (optional) in even-numbered years. (http://www.nces.ed.gov/ipeds/)
Notes: The survey must be completed on-line.

VETS-4212 Federal Contractor Reporting

Authority: Title 38 U.S. Code, Section 4212(d) and PL 105-339
Oversight: Veterans’ Employment and Training Service, U.S. Department of Labor
Required For: All nonexempt federal contractors and subcontractors with contracts or subcontracts for the furnishing of supplies and services or the use of real or personal property for $25,000 or more. Services include research contracts, irrespective of whether the government is the purchaser or seller.
Description: Federal contractors are required to report at least annually the numbers of employees who are disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, Armed Forces service medal veterans,  and active duty wartime or campaign badge veterans. These are reported by defined job groups. New hires are reported over a twelve month reporting period. In addition, over a twelve month period, the total number of new hires, both protected veterans and non-veterans, is required to be reported, along with the minimum and maximum total of employees.
Note: The System Office of Equal Opportunity prepares and submits this report on behalf of all members.

  • State

Workforce Analysis

Authority: Texas Code Sec. 21.501
Oversight: Division of Civil Rights, Texas Workforce Commission
Required For: State Agencies (including State Universities)
Description: Each state fiscal biennium, each state agency shall analyze its current workforce and compare the number of African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and females employed by the agency in each job category to the available African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and females in the statewide civilian workforce to determine the percentage of exclusion or underutilization by each job category.
Notes: This is similar to the analysis required in E.O. 11246 affirmative action plans, although the latter factors in recruitment area availability (vice statewide across the board availability). Statewide civilian workforce statistics are available on TWC/CRD’s web site. The Division of Civil Rights of the Texas Workforce Commission (formerly, the Texas Commission on Human Rights) has advised that these statistics are NOT required to be posted electronically (see Recruitment Plan notes below).

Recruitment Plan

Authority: Texas Code Section 21.502
Oversight: Division of Civil Rights, Texas Workforce Commission
Required For: All State Agencies (including State Universities)
Description: Based upon a workforce availability analysis under Section 21.501 that demonstrates the exclusion or underutilization of African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and females, or court-ordered remedies, or supervised conciliations or settlement agreements, each state agency, other than a public junior college as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code, shall develop and implement a plan to recruit qualified African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and females. The plan must comply with this chapter. The commission shall monitor state agencies to determine compliance with this section.
Notes: TWC accepts affirmative action plans as “recruitment plans.” While state law does not specify what must be contained in the plan, TWC has accepted and approved plans that meet federal requirements. Section 2052.0021 of the Texas Code requires that each report required by law must be available to members of the legislature in an electronic format. TWC’s Division of Civil Rights (formerly, the Texas Commission on Human Rights) has advised that the narrative section of each agency’s recruitment/affirmative action plan must be posted on the agency’s website.

Annual Report

Authority: Texas Code Section 21.504
Oversight: Division of Civil Rights, Texas Workforce Commission
Required For: All State Agencies (including State Universities)
Description: Not later than November 1 of each calendar year, each state agency shall report to the commission the total number of African Americans, Hispanic Americans, females, and other persons hired for each job category by the agency during the preceding state fiscal year.
Notes: This report is generated by the Comptroller’s Office based on data submitted through B/P/P-HRIS. It does not require any additional action on the part of components, other than verifying that what was entered into B/P/P is correct.

Biennial Report on Statewide Civilian Workforce

Authority: Texas Labor Code Section 21.0035
Oversight: Division of Civil Rights, Texas Workforce Commission
Required For: All State Agencies (including State Universities)
Description: The Texas Workforce Commission submits a report to the Governor and Legislature on the percentage of the statewide civilian workforce composed of Caucasian Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, females, and males in the job categories of state agency administration, professional, technical, protective services, paraprofessionals, administrative support, skilled craft, and service and maintenance.
Notes: This report is generated by the Comptroller’s Office automatically and does not require additional action on the part of A&M System members.

Veteran Workforce Summary Reports for State Agencies and Institutions of Higher Education

Authority: Texas Government Code Ann. §657.008(b)
Oversight: Comptroller’s Office
Required For: All State Agencies (including State Universities)
Description: The Veteran Workforce Summary Report compiles and analyzes information about the hiring and employment of veterans by certain public entities on a quarterly basis.
Notes: This report is generated by the Comptroller’s Office based on data submitted through B/P/P-HRIS. The System B/P/P office downloads the reports and sends them to system members for verification. The HRIS office requests that agencies make appropriate changes (through B/P/P) and submit an electronic acknowledgement on a quarterly basis.

A&M System Reports

Reaffirmation of Commitment to Equal Opportunity and Access

Authority: A&M System Regulation 08.01.01
Oversight: Office of Equal Opportunity
Required For: All members
Description: The Chancellor and other administrators shall reaffirm the equal employment opportunity and affirmative action commitment of the System whenever appropriate. It is recommended that this commitment be reaffirmed in writing on an annual basis by the Chancellor and by System Chief Executive Officers.

Resources

Links

Coordinators

Documents

 

  • Contact

    Dr. Nicole Roberson, Ph.D., SHRM-CP, Sr. CAAP, Director, Equal Opportunity and Diversity, nroberson@tamus.edu

    Janet Gordon, System Ethics and Compliance Officer  janetgordon@tamus.edu Phone: 979-458-6008

Resources

TAMUS Affirmative Action Plan

TAMUS EmpowerU

TAMUS Veterans Support

Strategic Plans 

System Member Rules and Policy Compliance Officers

by | Jun 5, 2014

System Member Rules and Compliance Officers Please click on the appropriate institution/agency link below to be directed to that member’s rules. Please direct questions or comments regarding specific university or agency rules to the appropriate policy compliance...

Frequently Referenced System Policies/Regulations

by | May 28, 2014

Naming Of Buildings/Parts Of Facilities/Organizational Entities

All recommendations for naming buildings, definable portions of buildings, geographical areas or academic entities (e.g., colleges, centers, institutes and organizational units) must be submitted to the Executive Director, Board of Regents through the Chancellor at least six (6) weeks prior to the Board meeting.

Recommendations should be submitted in memorandum form (see Samples) and include biographical material and reasons for the nomination.

Refer to System Policy 51.06, Naming of Buildings and Other Entities for additional information.

Appointments

Please refer to System Policy 01.03, Appointing Power and Terms and Conditions of Employment for those appointments that may or may not require agenda item submission.

System Member Acronyms/Abbreviated Names

See System Policy 02.04, System Members of The Texas A&M University System, for correct member acronyms/abbreviated names for usage upon second and subsequent references within agenda item documents.

System Ethics and Compliance Officer

by | May 28, 2014

Janet Gordon

The Texas A&M University System
Moore/Connally Building, 4th Floor
MS 1230
301 Tarrow
College Station, Texas 77840
(979) 458-6008
janetgordon@tamus.edu

Janet Gordon was appointed System Ethics and Compliance Officer on May 4, 2012, by Chancellor John Sharp.  In this role, Gordon is responsible for planning, developing, implementing, and overseeing a comprehensive compliance program for the institutions and agencies within The Texas A&M University System.  She is instrumental in determining the ongoing direction of the compliance program, which includes updating and revising policies and procedures to ensure compliance in accordance with the A&M System.

Gordon is also responsible for facilitating training and educational initiatives for all A&M System members. She works collaboratively with members to develop innovative and effective ways to mitigate ethics and compliance risks; identifies risks and makes recommendations for policies, regulations and rules.

Career
2012-present System Ethics and Compliance Officer, The Texas A&M University System
2006-2012 Chief of Staff, Office of the Chancellor, The Texas A&M University System
1998-2006 Executive Assistant to the Chancellor, The Texas A&M University System
1994-1998 Executive Secretary, Office of Communications and Strategic Programs, The Texas A&M University System
1987-1994 Office Manager, 82nd Judicial District Community Supervision and Corrections, Franklin, Texas
1983-1986 Secretary, Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas

Ethics and Compliance

by | May 28, 2014

Mission

The System Compliance Office is dedicated to promoting the highest standards of ethics and compliance in operational areas throughout The Texas A&M University System by:

  • Enhancing partnerships among A&M System members through shared services, resources, and information to facilitate an ethical and compliant culture in all operations;
  • Creating opportunities for professional development, education and training in areas of ethics and compliance for faculty, staff and students;
  • Developing written policies and procedures to provide guidance and ensure compliance with federal and state laws, and regulations and other requirements;
  • Providing appropriate oversight and monitoring to assist the A&M System member community and respond to non-compliance.