1,920: Affirmative Action Plan

Revised: February 2010

The University of Nevada, Reno is a federal government supply and service contractor subject to the affirmative action requirements of Executive Order 11246, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, and the Vietnam Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, Section 4212. Because the University has $50,000 or more in annual contracts with the federal government and employs 50 or more employees, we are required to prepare annual written Affirmative Action Plans (AAP's) for minorities and women, for covered veterans, and for persons with disabilities.

Failure to comply with these laws and their implementing regulations, which are enforced by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), can result in debarment of the University from future contracts and subcontracts.

Affirmative Action is a term that encompasses any measure adopted by an employer to correct or to compensate for past or present discrimination or to prevent discrimination from recurring in the future. Affirmative Action goes beyond the simple termination of a discriminatory practice. As stipulated in federal regulations, a prerequisite to the development of a satisfactory Affirmative Action Plan is the evaluation of opportunities for protected group members, as well as an identification and analysis of problem areas inherent in their employment. Also, where a statistical analysis of the employee workforce reveals a numeric disparity between incumbency and availability of minorities or women, an adequate AAP details specific affirmative action steps to guarantee equal employment opportunity. These steps are keyed to the problems and needs of protected group members. For minorities and women, such steps include the development of hiring and promotion goals to rectify the disparity between incumbency and availability.

Responsibility for the development of the Affirmative Action plan resides with the Office of Human Resources. Communication of placement goals and action oriented programs shall be communicated to the various constituencies. 

President's annual endorsement:

It is the policy of the University of Nevada, Reno and my personal commitment that equal employment opportunity be provided in the employment and advancement of disabled veterans, other veterans, and persons with disabilities at all levels of employment, including the executive level. The University of Nevada, Reno does not and will not discriminate against any applicant or employee because he or she is a disabled veteran, other veterans, or because of a physical or mental disability in regard to any position for which the applicant or employee is qualified. In addition, the University of Nevada, Reno is committed to a policy of taking affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified disabled veterans, other veterans, and individuals with disabilities. Such affirmative action shall apply to all employment practices, including, but not limited to hiring, upgrading, demotion or transfer, recruitment, recruitment advertising, layoff or termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation, and selection for training, including apprenticeship and on-the-job training. Decisions related to personnel policies and practices shall be made on the basis of an individual's capacity to perform a particular job and the feasibility of any necessary job accommodation.  The University of Nevada, Reno will make every effort to provide reasonable accommodations to any physical and mental limitations of individuals with disabilities and to disabled veterans.

Our obligations in this area stem from not only adherence to various state and federal regulations, but also from our commitment as an employer in this community to provide job opportunities to disabled veterans, other veterans, and persons with disabilities.