The university is required to include certain statements of compliance with civil rights laws on its websites and in certain publications. While these statements appear elsewhere, we also include them here for convenience.
Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination
The university’s full statement on equal opportunity and nondiscrimination appears in Operating Policy 3.02. It provides, in part:
Mississippi State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, pregnancy, gender identity, status as a U.S. veteran, and/or any other status protected by applicable law. The University will not tolerate unlawful discrimination, harassment, or retaliation and is committed to preventing or stopping them whenever they may occur at the University or in its programs.
Further, it is the policy of Mississippi State University to comply with applicable civil rights laws, regulations, and orders, including but not limited to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Executive Order 11246, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Adjustment Assistance Act, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008.
Affirmative Action
Mississippi State is an equal opportunity employer. It is a priority of the university to insure that employees are treated fairly and equally, without regard to their race, age, disability, or other protected status. MSU’s Operating Policies and Procedures confirm its commitment to equal employment opportunity, diversity, and affirmative action.
Affirmative action refers to measures adopted by an institution to correct underrepresentation of groups such as racial minorities, women, persons with disabilities, or protected veterans through steps that include recruiting diverse applicant pools and proactively ensuring fair consideration in areas such as hiring, promotion, and compensation.
Per federal regulations, MSU’s Affirmative Action Plan (AAP) evaluates opportunities for members of underrepresented groups, identify and analyze problem areas, and where statistical analysis reveals a disparity between availability and incumbency, identify affirmative steps aimed at ensuring equal opportunity.
Title IX and Sexual Misconduct
It is the policy of Mississippi State University to comply with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, including sexual harassment and assault and other forms of sexual misconduct, in the University’s programs and activities.
Policies and procedures for responding to reports of sexual misconduct are found in the university’s Sexual Misconduct Policy (OP 3.04). Concerns about sexual assault or other forms of sexual misconduct, or inquiries about Title IX or gender equity generally, should be directed to the university’s Title IX Coordinator, Lateshia Butler, Director of Civil Rights Compliance, at 231 Famous Maroon Band Street, Mississippi State, MS 39762. The Coordinator can be reached by phone at 662-325-5839, or by email at lateshia.butler@msstate.edu.