Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and Nondiscrimination Policy
Lincoln Memorial University is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity educational institution. In support of its Mission Statement, LMU is committed to equal opportunity in recruitment, admission, and retention for all students and equal opportunity and affirmative action in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, and retention for all employees. In furtherance of this commitment, Lincoln Memorial University prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in all University programs and activities. Lincoln Memorial University prohibits retaliation against any individual for 1) filing, or encouraging someone to file, a complaint of discrimination; 2) participating in an investigation of discrimination; or 3) opposing discrimination. "Retaliation" includes any adverse action or act of revenge against an individual for filing or encouraging someone to file a complaint of discrimination, participating in an investigation of discrimination, or opposing discrimination. The Office of Institutional Compliance investigates allegations of prohibited discrimination, harassment, and retaliation involving members of the LMU community.
This policy is widely disseminated in University publications, including the employee handbook and all LMU student catalogs and handbooks. All members of the University community bear responsibility for compliance with this policy. Compliance is monitored and reported annually through the offices of the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Executive Vice President for Administration, the Assistant Vice President for Academic and Student Support Services, the Office of Human Resources, and the Office of Institutional Compliance.
This policy is in compliance with federal and state law, including the provisions of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, Executive Order 11246, the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Act of 1974 as amended by the Jobs for Veterans Act, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, as amended, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, and the Tennessee Human Rights Act.
Non-Title IX Discrimination Complaint Procedures
LMU's procedures for non-Title IX complaints can be found here. These procedures will be used to investigate non-Title IX discrimination complaints at Lincoln Memorial University (LMU). Non-Title IX discrimination includes but may not be limited to discrimination on the basis of those classes and statuses included in the above-outlined LMU Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and Nondiscrimination Policy. Non-Tlte IX discrimination complaints must be filed with the Institutional Compliance Officer via the online Discrimination Complaint Form—which can be found below on this webpage.
Other Forms of Discrimination
Other discriminatory harassment is verbal or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual because of race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, age, sexual orientation, military status, disability, or other protected discriminatory factor when such conduct (1) has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work or academic environment; (2) has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work or academic performance; or (3) otherwise adversely affects an individual's employment or academic opportunities.
Examples of discriminatory harassment include but are not limited to: using epithets, slurs, negative stereotypes, threatening, intimidating or hostile acts or words, or showing, exhibiting or creating written or graphic material that denigrates or shows aversion or hostility toward an individual or group because of race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, age, sexual orientation, military status, or disability.
All students, faculty, and staff must avoid any action or conduct that might be viewed as discriminatory harassment (whether sexual or other). Approval of, participation in or acquiescence to conduct constituting such harassment is a violation of University policy. Note: Individuals may be disciplined for behavior which is not so severe as to independently constitute unlawful harassment (whether sexual or other), but which is nonetheless offensive.
The Office of Institutional Compliance oversees the University's compliance with federal law and handles all complaints of discrimination. To make a complaint of discrimination or harassment to the Office of Institutional Compliance, please use the form below.