Preamble

POLICIES ON EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, ADA AND POLICY FOR EMPLOYEE SEXUAL MISCONDUCT
Adopted October 1998
Updated December 2008
Revised July 2014
Updated August 2020

Preamble

Pacific Lutheran University is committed to providing an educational and employment environment which is fair, consistent, caring and supportive of professional and personal growth.  The University is further committed to protecting the rights of its community members to engage in dialogue and express ideas in an environment which is free from harassment, discrimination and exploitation.  Freedom of expression does not entail freedom to threaten, intimidate, harass or assault.  The University community will not and does not tolerate such behaviors.  Finally, the University is committed to expanding and maintaining diversity in its student, faculty and staff populations and to accommodate, whenever possible, persons with disabilities.

To honor and implement these commitments, the University Board of Regents has adopted policies on Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, Discriminatory Harassment, and Accommodation of Persons with Disabilities as well as policies prohibiting Sexual Misconduct.  Sexual Misconduct as defined by PLU includes sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking and certain consensual sexual relationships.  The success of these policies requires the cooperation of every member of the University community.

Specifically, each member of the University community is expected to read and follow the directives in these policies.  The process of providing equal employment and educational opportunity as well as providing working, learning and living environments free of harassment, discrimination and intimidation requires that every member of the University community respect the rights of others and report violations of the University’s policies.  Failure to report violations may inhibit the University’s ability to take prompt, corrective action.

Throughout these policies, references to “employee(s)” shall mean any regular or temporary member of the University’s workforce including faculty and staff.