ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR MAINTAINING CIVIL RIGHTS/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION COMPLIANCE IN EXTENSION EDUCATION/RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND EMPLOYMENT

All Ag Center employees have responsibility for performing in a manner which is consistent with the AgCenter’s commitment to equal opportunity in programs and employment. This means that we do not exhibit behavior, make decisions or take actions that directly or indirectly have the effect of discriminating on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age or disability. It also means that we seek ways to incorporate and advance the principles of equal opportunity in the AgCenter’s programs and employment activities.

While certain personnel have specific responsibility for providing oversight in this area, all employees have the opportunity to participate in the development and implementation of activities and operating procedures that facilitate the objectives of equal opportunity and affirmative action. This can range from informal activities, such as the way we greet clientele and assist 4-H members with their needs, to formal activities, such as serving on search committees, participating in related training and ensuring wide publication of our employment opportunities and services. Immediate supervisors have additional responsibilities for ensuring that their supervisory practices are nondiscriminatory and that the activities of personnel under their supervision are consistent with the Ag Center’s commitment to equal opportunity.

Besides the general responsibilities all employees have in this area, the following personnel have line and staff responsibilities to ensure that LSU AgCenter is in full compliance with Title VI and VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Vice Chancellor & Director, LSU AgCenter, Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service (LCES) and Vice Chancellor & Director, LSU AgCenter, Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station (LAES)

• Directs overall system-wide policy (extension and research) and makes decisions relative to civil rights compliance and implementation in program and employment. Informs faculty and staff about civil rights and affirmative action requirements. Solicits and maintains nondiscrimination documents from statewide organizations and associations and sees that the Civil Rights pages on the AgCenter Web site contain current listing of statewide groups that have submitted non-discrimination statements. Adheres to LSU AgCenter’s affirmative action/diversity/strategic plan.
  
  
• Maintains policy guidelines, reviews regional “Annual Audit” compliance summaries and submits and maintains required reports.
  
  
• Reviews findings and recommendations from the comprehensive parish/research station civil rights reviews submitted by the Regional Directors following the Parish Chair’s/Resident Coordinator’s Administrative Review and responds to the report as appropriate.
  
  
• Co-chairs the LSU AgCenter’s Administrative team for Civil Rights (Associate/Assistant Vice Chancellors, EEO Coordinator(s), HRM Director, OMD Director, IROD Director, etc. with the development of EEO/Affirmative Action plan updates.
  
  
• Convenes the LSU AgCenter’s team responsible for the implementation of the minority internship program. Works with HRM Director, OMD Director, academic representative, EEO coordinator, and delegated Regional Director/Department Unit Head to assure that the program operates according to established guidelines.
  
  
• Provides day-to-day leadership for assuring that civil rights policies and procedures are communicated to and implemented by extension educators/researchers.
  
  
• Oversees the distribution of “And Justice for All” posters, nondiscrimination cards and other pertinent affirmative action and civil rights information.
  
  
• Ensures full participation by all designated employees with formal recruitment outreach program and other related activities.

Associate/Assistant Directors/State Program Leaders

• Responsible for assuring that the state level program planning, evaluation and reporting provide equal access and opportunities for participation in LSU AgCenter’s programs by diverse audiences and meet the objective set forth in the LSU AgCenter Civil Rights Performance Plan. This will ensure civil rights/affirmative actions plans are incorporated into program development process.
  
  
• Reviews regional “Annual Audit” compliance summaries and submits required reports.
  
  
• Assist the AgCenter Leadership Team in developing guidelines and procedures for assuring open access to programs and services offered by extension educators/researchers

Regional Directors/Department Unit Heads

• Responsible for administrative and programmatic responsibilities relative to civil rights compliance within an assigned geographic region of the state or a campus department.
  
  
• Assist the LSU AgCenter Leadership Team for Civil Rights in developing guidelines and procedures for assuring that minorities and underrepresented groups have access to and can participate in LCES and LAES programs and services.
  
  
• Ensure equal opportunity in the hiring of extension specialists/agents, researchers/scientists and staff employees who have extension and research program responsibility. Complete timely annual evaluations.
  
  
• Review individual parish “Annual Audit” including onsite review of files on an annual basis. Summarize and submit regional report to the Directors’ Offices (Extension and Research) stating summary of Parish Office/Research Station “Annual Audits” and best practices from the region.
  
  
• Working with the OMD Director, OMD Director develops and conducts recruitment programs to aggressively recruit women and racial minorities into internships and permanent employment opportunities within the LSU AgCenter. Assists OMD Director to conduct recruitment outreach activities at appropriate and designated 1890 institutions, national conferences, local high schools and also assists with other related activities.
  
  
• Analyze annual participation data for achieving extension and research program parity as required by the state affirmative action plan.
  
  
• Conduct an onsite civil rights program review in a campus department or in conjunction with the administrative review of the Parish Chair/Resident Coordinator and submit report of findings and recommendations to the Director.
  
  
• Responsible for providing oversight to ensure that academic programs support program delivery that addresses clientele diversity and serves the needs of underrepresented groups. Complete individual plan of work.

Parish Chairs/Resident Coordinator

• Responsible for administrative and programmatic responsibilities relative to civil rights compliance in a particular parish or multi-parish unit or at a research station within a region (targeting minority benefits report). Services will reflect the diverse population of the parish (s).
  
  
• Provide leadership to complete the “Annual Audit” – including Certification of All Reasonable Efforts and Annual Compliance Verification and Proposed Corrective Actions. Identify and report at least two “best practices” for diversity outreach during the past program year.
  
  
• Ensure that all parish groups being served, Parish Advisory Boards, program committees and 4-H clubs have signed statements of non-discrimination on file.
  
  
• On annual basis, review staff action plans to assure that affirmative action goals are appropriately addressed. Review program participation data and diversity efforts to obtain information for the “Support of Diversity” core performance factor during the Staff Review and Development Plan annual performance review.
  
  
• Ensure equal opportunity in the hiring of parish association paid employees who work with extension educators and researchers at the local level to develop and implement LCES education and LAES programs. Assist with recruitment outreach activities at appropriate designated 1890 institutions, national conferences, local high schools and also assists with other related activities.
  
  
• Monitor information/materials being developed and disseminated to ensure that appropriate civil rights and affirmative action statements are being used by all extension educators in a parish or multi-parish unit or by researchers on a research station.

Note: While the Regional Directors will ultimately hold Parish Chairs/Resident Coordinators accountable for all of the above mentioned tasks, other employees may be assigned these tasks with written permission from the assigned Regional Director.

Faculty, County & Extension Agents, Research Associates and Paraprofessionals

• Develop programs, carry out support and delivery responsibilities relative to civil rights compliance within a department, program area, research station, parish, multi-parish office/or regional office (reaching diverse clientele in community of assignment). Complete individual plan of work.

Associate Dean for the College of Agriculture

• Fosters and encourages activity to improve the College’s environment for minorities and women including developing programs that raise the level of awareness of majority students, faculty, staff, and administrators.
  
  
• Enhances diversity within the College by developing strategies to attract and retain highly qualified minority students, faculty and staff.

Director of Human Resources

• Responsible for ensuring equal opportunity for employment. Adheres to all federal, state and university EEO laws, policies and procedures.
  
  
• Directs service unit which provides support to regional and academic units on civil rights matters relative to employment, affirmative action, staff training and development, grievance compliance processing and resolution (including lawsuits when applicable).
  
  
• Leads policy preparation, generation of statistics and assists the AgCenter’s administrative team for Civil Rights with the development of EEO/Affirmative Action plan updates.
  
  
• Assists LSU AgCenter’s team responsible for the implementation of the minority internship program. Works with Vice Chancellor and Directors (Extension and Experiment Station), OMD Director, academic representative, EEO coordinator, and delegated Regional Director to assure that the program operates according to established guidelines.

LCES and LAES Civil Rights/Affirmative Action Coordinator

• Serves as a member of the AgCenter’s administrative team for Civil Rights to ensure that extension and research programs are being carried out in accordance with CSREES recommendations. Assists in federal reporting efforts.
  
  
• Assists both research and extension Vice Chancellor & Director to provide day-to-day leadership for assuring that civil rights policies and procedures are communicated to extension educators/researchers and in developing EEO/Affirmative Action plan updates.
  
  
• Assists LSU AgCenter’s team responsible for the implementation of the minority internship program. Works with Vice Chancellor and Directors (Extension and Research), HRM Director, OMD Director, academic department representative, and delegated Regional Director to assure that the program operates according to established guidelines.
  
  
• Develops and provides training and consultation to Regional Directors to conduct an onsite civil rights program review in conjunction with the administrative review of the Parish Chairs/Resident Coordinators and submit report of findings and recommendations to the Director.
  
  
• Provides training and consultation to Parish Chairs/Resident Coordinators in completion of the “Annual Audit” – including Certification of All Reasonable Effort and Annual Compliance Verification and Proposed Corrective Actions. Identify and report at least two “best practices” for diversity outreach during the past program year.
  
  
• Assists with the delivery of civil rights and affirmative action policies and procedures to extension educators/researchers during the formal new staff orientation program.
  
  
• Assists OMD with and conducts formal recruitment outreach activities at appropriate and designated 1890 institutions, national conferences, local high schools, and other related activities. Also assists with the development of opportunities to recruit potential qualified candidates.
  
  
• Distributes “And Justice for All” posters and other pertinent affirmative action and civil rights information.
  
  
• Develops and conducts an exit interview program for employees who leave the employment of the AgCenter to seek improvement opportunities.
  
  
• Assists in processing of complaints of discrimination filed by individuals with various state and federal agencies.
  
  
• Develops and implement complaint process for program complaints and employment.
  
  
• Establish a procedure for and coordinates regular analysis of workforce and programmatic statistics.

Director of OMD (Office of Multicultural Diversity)

• Provides leadership for the design and development of parish and statewide multicultural diversity training educational programs for the faculty and staff. Provides leadership for the LSU AgCenter’s Diversity Council and Action Groups.
  
  
• Provides leadership for training faculty and staff on outreach, recruitment of diverse clientele.
  
  
• Assists the AgCenter’s administrative team for Civil Rights with the development of EEO/Affirmative Action plan updates.
  
  
• Works with the LSU A&M College ’s Office of Student Recruitment to acquire reliable data that speaks to the availability of minorities for the College of Agriculture’s sciences disciplines; assists Associate Dean and Department Heads in establishing recruitment goals where under-use exists.
  
  
• Through the work of the Diversity Council’s Recruitment Action Group, OMD Director develops and oversees recruitment programs and other related activities to aggressively recruit women and racial minorities into internships and permanent employment opportunities within the LSU AgCenter.
  
  
• Through the work of the Diversity Council ’s Recruitment Action Group , OMD Director will provide policies and procedures to LSU AgCenter’s team responsible for the implementation of the minority internship program. Works with Vice Chancellor and Directors (Extension and Experiment Station), HRM Director, academic representative, EEO coordinator, and delegated Regional Director to assure that the program operates according to established guidelines.
  
  
• Works with the LSU A&M College in university-wide functions and cooperatives with the other university offices to enhance the Ag Center’s commitment to affirmative action, e.g., Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Campus Diversity, Office of Multicultural Affairs, Black Caucus, Minority Faculty and Staff Development programs, etc.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Counselors

• Serve as a source of information to staff and faculty concerning EEO laws and the complaint process, as well as employee rights and responsibilities. The counselors will listen to employees’ concerns and seek resolution at the lowest possible level. Counselors will be trained in policies, laws, procedures and diversity and be able to refer employees to appropriate AgCenter personnel if the issue is not an EEO violation.
  
  
• Institutional Research and Organization Development (IROD)
  Assists the AgCenter’s administrative team for Civil Rights with the generation of statistical reports through the Planning and Reporting System (PARS).
  
  
• Conduct annual, systematic Parish Program Reviews with special emphasis on civil rights.
  

Prepared by:
The LSU AgCenter Office of Multicultural Diversity – 11/02

Approved by:
The Chancellor & the EEO/AA Steering Committee – 01/03