Equal Opportunity and Diversity
Evergreen is dedicated to creating and fostering a community that is free of discrimination.
The Evergreen State College is steadfastly committed to equal opportunity and diversity as principles necessary for a just society and a quality education. An important goal of the College is to create a learning and working environment that is inclusive, hospitable to, and reflective of our diverse society – an environment that nurtures respect for diversity and encourages excellence.
Discrimination and harassment on the basis of sex, age, race, color, creed, religion, disability, pregnancy, marital status, veteran status, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, genetic information or any other legally protected status are against college policy.
If you believe you have been subjected to discrimination, harassment, or retaliation, please file an incident report using the Equal Opportunity Complaint form or contact the college's Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Officer
Affirmative Action: Ensuring a Diverse Workforce
The Evergreen State College annually implements an Affirmative Action Plan (AAP) to achieve this goal and to employ and retain members of underrepresented affected groups among its administration, faculty and staff.
Evergreen’s Affirmative Action Plan does not establish quotas or any kind of timelines for the achievement of goals, but identifies the levels of diversity present in labor markets relevant to College recruitment and establishes those levels as goals the College aspires to in its employment of administrators, staff and faculty.
The current Affirmative Action Plan is available for viewing in the Human Resource Services Office. For additional information, see the Affirmative Action Policy.
Equal Opportunity: The Non-Discrimination Policy
Evergreen is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
In all employment-related and student-related transactions, including the operation of all College programs, activities and services, the Evergreen State College will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, marital status, age, disability, pregnancy, use of a trained service animal, or status as a disabled veteran, a Vietnam era veteran or other covered veteran. Harassment on any of the above-stated grounds is a form of prohibited discrimination. For additional information, see the Non-Discrimination Policy.
Reporting Discrimination: Complaint and Resolution Procedures
If you have experienced discrimination, harassment, or retaliation, please contact the Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Officer to discuss your concerns.
A person within the Evergreen Community who believes they have experienced discrimination or harassment based on a legally protected status, or retaliation for participating in a complaint investigation, is urged to use the complaint procedures provided by the College.
How to File a Complaint
Complaints must be filed within 300 days of the alleged act of discrimination, harassment or retaliation.
Persons wishing to report discrimination are encouraged to complete the Equal Opportunity Complaint Form.
The Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Officer will contact you to schedule an appointment to discuss your complaint and the complaint resolution process, including opportunities for resolution or mediation.
Violations of the Non-Discrimination Policy may result in disciplinary action for employees and sanctions for students.
For more information, please see the College’s Non-Discrimination Policy.
Confidentiality
Our staff will make every effort to maintain confidentiality in the complaint investigation process. All parties to an investigation are asked to maintain confidentiality. However, the College cannot guarantee confidentiality to any individual.
If you have questions regarding confidentiality prior to filing a complaint of discrimination, please contact the Affirmative Action & Equal Opportunity Officer.
Retaliation
Retaliation for filing a complaint of discrimination or participating in a complaint investigation is prohibited. If you feel you have experienced retaliation, please contact the Affirmative Action & Equal Opportunity Officer.
What is Harassment?
- Behavior that is characterized by unwelcome conduct
- Based on race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, marital status, age, disability, pregnancy, or status as a disabled veteran, a Vietnam era veteran or other eligible veteran
- That could be reasonably be expected to create an intimidating, hostile or offensive working or learning environment