APPENDIX A
NATIONAL PARK COLLEGE
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION POLICY
STATEMENT OF INTENT
It is the intention of National Park College to assure that all applicants for full-time positions receive equitable consideration through the Search Committee process. All employees, both full and part-time, are treated equally during employment without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, religion, age, reliance on public assistance, physical disability, marital status, handicap, or sex unless one of those factors is a bona fide occupational qualification. Pertinent areas of equal opportunity shall include recruitment, selection, appointment, advancement, transfer, layoffs, downgrading, compensation, selection for training, or any other personnel action at the College.
The College shall, in exercising such responsibilities, consider only the availability and qualifications of individuals involved. All employees should conduct themselves in accordance with this policy in all day-to-day relationships with fellow employees and shall not by word or action, deprecate another individual or interfere with the performance of job assignments because of race, creed, color, national origin, religion, age, reliance on public assistance, physical disability, marital status, handicap, or sex.
ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY
The Affirmative Action Officer for the College shall be a staff member appointed by the President and responsible to the President.
It shall be the responsibility of the Affirmative Action Officer to provide leadership and general supervision for this Affirmative Action Policy. The President of the College shall be responsible for the implementation of the policy.
The President of the College or his designee shall:
- Recruit, select, and employ personnel without discrimination because of race, creed, color, national origin, religion, age, reliance on public assistance, physical disability, marital status, handicap, or sex unless one of those factors is a bona fide occupational qualification.
- Wherever feasible, provide orientation and in-service training for new employees until an acceptable level of adjustment to the College has been reached.
- Uniformly apply rules and regulations concerning employment, including but not limited to, equality of wages, advancement, promotion, assignment of work, job performance, imposition of penalties, disciplinary action, and other aspects of the College's employment program administration.
- Take affirmative action to provide equal opportunity in employment.
- Assure that qualified members of minority groups and women are proportionately represented on committees concerning ratings, grievances, appeals, awards, promotions, etc.
- Hold exit interviews with all employees to determine the reason for termination.
- Submit reports as required by the Arkansas Division of Higher Education and other agencies.
COMMUNICATIONS
The President of the College, or his designee, shall undertake the following steps to ensure that all employees are advised and understand its policy of non-discrimination and the interest in actively and affirmatively providing equal opportunity in all employment practices.
A copy of this Affirmative Action Policy shall be made available to each employee, together with a memorandum from the President stressing the firm commitment of National Park College to enforce the policy.
The policy shall be included and thoroughly reviewed by the Affirmative Action Officer in the College's on-going or special employee training programs, to include:
- Orientation training required of each new employee on entry of duty.
- Awareness training sessions shall be conducted for all employees under the supervision of the Affirmative Action Officer.
The policy shall be prominently displayed on the employee bulletin boards.
The policy shall be made known to the agencies involved in the recruitment of personnel.
The President of the College or his designee shall:
- Participate in meetings with the Arkansas Division of Higher Education and/or other agencies.
- Internally communicate the College's equal employment policy in such a manner as to foster understanding, acceptance, and support on the College campus, and to encourage such persons to take the necessary action to aid in meeting the equal opportunity obligations.
- Engage in programs of positive recruitment and provide equal and objective consideration of all applicants.
OBJECTIVES
The overall purpose of National Park College's Affirmative Action Plan is to demonstrate its total commitment to a policy of equal opportunity, and in particular to take positive steps to obtain adequate representation of minority groups and females in all job categories. Therefore, the President of the College or his designee shall:
- Actively recruit, hire, and promote minorities and females into job classes where they are currently not adequately represented in the professional and supervisory categories.
- Work closely with the Arkansas Division of Higher Education in the establishment of procedures to facilitate the recruitment, hiring, and promotion of members of minority groups and females.
- Ensure that all applicants or present employees are not denied employment or promotion because of race, creed, color, national origin, religion, age, reliance on public assistance, physical disability, marital status, handicap, or sex.
- Utilize present training courses or develop new courses directed toward the upgrading of minorities and females, if needed.
- Be aware of periodic review of the Affirmative Action Plan.
- Commit to achieve established goals and timetables.
HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
- A Human Resources Committee has been established as designated in Chapter I, Page 1, of the Arkansas College and University Plan for Compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (March, 1977 edition).
- Grievance Procedure - A grievance process shall be available to employees in order to assure that consideration will be given to complaints concerning possible violations or failure to comply with this Affirmative Action Plan. This procedure is outlined in the College's Board of Trustee's Policy Manual.
RECRUITMENT
The College shall utilize techniques to improve recruitment of minorities such as:
- All personnel involved in recruiting and related processes shall be trained in, and sensitive to, the problems of minorities and females. The College President shall ensure that such training is provided.
- All College employees shall be encouraged to assist in the recruitment of minorities and females for positions.
- Recruitment areas for the employee classifications are as follows:
- Faculty and Administrators - The recruitment area is defined as the entire United States.
- Staff - The recruitment area is defined as those areas from which employees can reasonably be expected to commute to Hot Springs.
SELECTION, PLACEMENT, AND PROMOTION
Hiring practices at National Park College shall be structured so as to achieve the goal of employing a reasonable proportion of minority group members and women. The Affirmative Action recruitment, placement, and promotion processes shall include the following:
- Written job descriptions including responsibilities and qualifications shall be made available to all persons involved in recruiting, screening, and selecting employees. This information will be available to all applicants.
- A conscientious effort will be made to publicize available job opportunities, especially in ways which will make such opportunities known to qualified minority group members and women. Notices shall contain the statement that this is an equal opportunity employer.
- Minorities and/or women shall serve on search committees and such members are available.
- When interviews are part of the selection, placement, or promotion process, a uniform written record shall be maintained.
- A report, relative to the process utilized to assure fair and equal treatment in hiring, dismissal, or demotion, shall be submitted to the College President.
IMPLEMENTATION
The President with the assistance of the Affirmative Action Officer shall be responsible for implementation of the Affirmative Action Program at the College. It shall be the President's duty to carry out the mandate of the program through whatever means are appropriate. Duties of the President or his designee are:
- To develop plans, procedures, and methods for implementing equal opportunities for minorities and women at the College.
- To review and evaluate reports on the efforts and the progress made under the Affirmative Action Program and insist upon full compliance with the plan at all levels within the College.
- To report, as necessary, to the Arkansas Division of Higher Education and other agencies, progress toward equal opportunity at the College.
APPROVAL OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The President will report to the Board of Trustees of National Park College an annual status report on Affirmative Action procedure and impact.