Office of Equal Opportunity
The mission of the Office of Equal Opportunity is to assist the university in creating and maintaining a learning and working environment free from discrimination and harassment.
The Office of Equal Opportunity believes that all individuals have a right to enjoy equal opportunity in employment and equal access to all university programs, services, and activities, without regard to their protected status. Our work promotes compliance with the university’s Policy on Nondiscrimination, Policy on Language Access, the University’s Language Access Plan, and applicable civil rights laws and regulations. The areas of primary focus of the Office of Equal Opportunity include:
Function of the Office of Equal Opportunity
The Office of Equal Opportunity team investigates and addresses allegations of discrimination and harassment in service delivery and employment:
- Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
- The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
- The Rehabilitation Act of 1973
- Equal Opportunity
- Affirmative Action
Regulatory Compliance Responsibilities
In addition to conducting objective investigations in alignment with applicable statutes, and the Policy on Nondiscrimination, the Office of Equal Opportunity:
- Leads and directs the University’s civil rights compliance programs.
- Serves as liaison between state and federal civil rights enforcement and regulatory agencies and the University.
- Conducts internal civil rights compliance reviews to monitor compliance.
- Identifies areas of underutilization in the workforce.
- Works with the leadership to develop hiring and recruitment goals, and strategies to increase representation in the workforce.
- Provides training and counseling on civil rights topics.
Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation to access these materials in an alternative format may email equalopportunity-group@uri.edu or call 401-874-2316. For TTY assistance, contact R.I. Relay Services at 711.