Adverse Impact.  Adverse impact, according to the federal uniform guidelines, exists where "a substantially different rate of selection in hiring, promotion, or other employment decisions works to the disadvantage of members of a racial, gender or ethnic group.  If such a rate is less than 80 percent of the selection rate of the racial, gender, or ethnic group with the highest rate of selection, this is generally regarded as evidence of adverse impact." 

Affirmative Action.  The written document through which management ensures that all persons have equal opportunities in recruitment, selection, appointment, promotion, training, discipline or termination.  This plan is specifically tailored to the University's work force and available skills and contains specific actions with objectives, responsibilities and resources to meet identified needs.    
This plan details the steps that will be taken to ensure equal employment opportunity.  An affirmative action plan requires three elements

1.         A self-analysis.         
2.         A basis for determining whether remedial action is needed.     
3.         Actions to be taken in response to the problems disclosed by the self-analysis. 

Assessment.  A process used to review and evaluate current University conditions and the results of past actions in order to establish a basis for developing an affirmative action plan. 

Complaint. Notification of alleged discrimination to the proper authority.  The complaint should contain enough information to warrant an investigation and is usually considered filed when it is delivered to the proper official or office.  It does not always have to be in writing and the charging party does not have to be identified. 

Disability.  A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of an individual, a record of such impairment or being regarded as having such an impairment. 

Discrimination. Unequal treatment of a person or a class of persons. If the result of an action, policy, or practice is unequal treatment of a particular protected class, then that action, policy or practice is discriminatory. Discrimination may involve a single act or a continuing policy or practice. 

Discrimination Complaint. A written statement alleging unlawful discrimination in the terms and conditions of employment based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender or disability. 

Disparate Impact.  Employment practices that are facially neutral in their treatment of different groups but have a significantly adverse effect on a protected group when compared with others. 

Disparate Treatment.  Employment practices which are applied or administered in a discriminatory manner. 

Eight-Factor Analysis.  Mathematical computations which determine the availability of minorities and/or women for job groups. 

Eighty Percent Rule.  A means to identify when hiring goals should be set. When the workforce-to-availability ratio is less than 80 percent, underutilization is established for that employee category and an increase should be expected.  

Equal Employment Opportunity. A system of employment practices under which individuals are not excluded from any participation, advancement, or benefits because of their race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender or disability.  This includes, but is not limited to recruitment, selection, appointment, promotion, training, discipline, and termination. 

Equal Employment Opportunity Occupational Categories. The standard job categories defined by the equal employment opportunity commission. 

Grievance.A complaint filed under the provisions of a labor contract. 

Labor Force. Those persons 16 years or older who are employed or seeking work within a designated area. 

Labor Force Availability.The number or percentage of employable persons in the civilian labor force with required skills and abilities needed by an agency within an area of reasonable recruitment.  The availability area varies according to the position. 

Major Life Activities.  Functions such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, socializing, walking, communicating, seeing, breathing, learning and working. 

Monitoring. A process used to determine the degree to which planned objectives are being achieved. 

Objectives.  Projections of the desired representation of minorities and women in the work force and conditions in the workplace as a result of the University's good faith efforts to make all aspects of the Affirmative Action Plan work. 

Outreach. Efforts exerted to identify and recruit qualified, potential employees who are not currently employed by the University.  

Reasonable Accommodations.  Includes such actions as making facilities accessible and purchasing or modifying equipment or devices. 

Regular Employees. All employees (salaried, wage, full-time and part-time) hired with the expectation of being in an active-pay status for more than 12 consecutive months, or from nine to 12 consecutive months inclusive on an annually recurring basis. 

Recruitment.  A program designed to attract candidates for employment, to provide them with information regarding employment opportunities and to assist them in applying for employment. 

Sexual Harassment. Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when:

1. Submission to such conduct is made explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an   individual's employment;
2. Submission to, or rejection of, such conduct by an individual is used as the  basis for employment decisions affecting the individual; or
3. Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an    individual's work performance or of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive  work environment.  

Substantially Limits.  A disabled person may be less able to perform certain major life functions as compared to non-disabled persons. 

Underutilization. The condition of having fewer members of a specific race/gender in particular EEO categories than reasonably would be expected by their availability in the labor force. 

UtilizationAnalysis.  A comparison, by race and gender, of the skills of regular employees with the availability of the same skills in the labor force. 

Workforce Analysis.  Job titles listed by classification and department with the total number of employees, and the number of male, female and minority employees in each classification. .