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University Daily Kansan, April 20, 1983
THE HANDBOOK OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROCEDURES IS BEING REVISED. THE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION ADVISORY BOARD HAS BEEN ASKED TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING SUBSTANTIVE DELETIONS, CHANGES, OR ADDITIONS TO THE HANDBOOK. A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MATTER OCCURS AT 3:00 P.M. ON APRIL 27 IN THE COUNCIL ROOM OF THE KANSAS UNION. ALL ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND AND COMMENT.
Suggested Changes
SECTION TITLE CONSIDERATION OF:
Unclassified Positions
- having the Office of Affirmative Action (OAA) assist units in drafting job descriptions
- specifying lead times and turn-around times for searches OAA will attempt to process documents within two days of receipt
- specifying procedures for internal promotion, layoff and rehire of unclassified personnel
- defining when searches must be external
- defining what records must be kept and for how long
- expanding local advertising requirements in internal searches
- specifying deadline by which search committee must submit to OAA a report of recruitment efforts
Job Descriptions and Advertisements
- specifying appropriate advertisers for particular positions
- adding a sample job description to the Handbook
- detailing deadline requirements and possible exceptions
- naming groups or organizations helpful in identifying affected class members of job openings
- abbreviating in advertisements the affirmative action statement to read: "An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer"
- requiring a salary figure or range in all job descriptions, except with written exemption from OAA
- deleting all salary figure requirements from job descriptions
- deleting absolute starting dates from job descriptions
- deleting specific requirements in job advertisements and descriptions
Searching, Screening, Interviewing, and Evaluating Candidates
- requiring that efforts to include members of affected classes on search committees be reported to OAA
- specifying what interviewers may discuss about salary
- specifying appropriate inquiries into family and marital status, as regards needs applicants may have in relocating
- adding a stricture prohibiting inquiries during interviews concerning an applicant's sexual orientation
- specifying appropriate inquiries in interviews with foreign nationals as regards impediments to employment in the United States
- reinforcing the need to consider the underutilization of affected classes by having appropriate vice chancellors lend assistance in the recruitment process
- adding appropriate and inappropriate examples of explanations as to why unsuccessful finalists were rejected
- including a sample case study of hiring
- specifying an age requirement in job descriptions when law requires such for a particular job
- explaining how to detect the presence of affected class members in job pools when it is forbidden to make such inquiries directly
- dropping advertising requirements in searches for persons to conduct prestigious institutes
Recruitment and Selection Precis
- devising a new Precis form that explains how information about affected class members in job pools is to be obtained
- dropping the requirement that candidates be ranked before interviews are conducted
Acting Positions
- restricting acting positions to a maximum of one year, with exemptions only with permission from a vice chancellor or director and OAA
- adding a policy statement about appointing people to acting positions
SECTION TITLE CONSIDERATION OF:
VIII
Student Positions
- developing procedures for promoting people from student to unclassified positions
- adding a statement that grading jobs are not handled by the Student Employment Center
- including student hourly employment policies in the Handbook or specifying where to find them
- creating policy for recruitment, selection and reporting of all student monthly positions
- making it optional to list with the Office of Student Financial Aid all student monthly appointments
Recordkeeping
Reporting Committee Membership
- requiring all University committees to report a profile of their membership to OAA
- merging section with Unclassified Positions section
Federal and State Regulations
- making section an appendix or deleting it
Grievance Procedures
- inserting the words underlined in the following sentence: "No person shall be subjected to discharge, suspension, discipline, harassment, or any form of discrimination for in good faith having utilized or having assisted others in the utilization of the grievance process."
- inserting the words underlined in the following sentence:
  "The complaint arguably involves discrimination on the basis of race, sex, national origin, religion, alienage, veteran status, disability, age, or sexual harassment."
- adding cautionary statements concerning when and why parties to a grievance proceeding might wish to employ legal counsel
- spelling out the qualifications of mediators
- elaborating upon the responsibilities—especially with regard to impartiality of mediators
- defining—especially in the stages of the grievance procedures preceding formal hearing—the appropriate levels of confidentiality
- defining the word "frivolous" in the criteria for entering the grievance procedure which excludes "frivolous" complaints from access to the procedure
- defining the term "no probable cause" used in setting aside a claim as the result of a formal
- defining the roles of the mediator and the Ombudsman in grievance cases so as to point up the difference between the two
- defining more clearly the role of the Office of General Counsel in relation to the Discrimination Hearing Board
- removing apparent inconsistencies in the specification of deadlines and time limits in the section on formal hearings
- expanding Discrimination Hearing Board membership
- adding cautionary statements concerning legal liability of Discrimination Hearing Board members (and others involved in the grievance process)
- clarifying possible points of conflict of interest for the General Counsel's office, which provides general advice about procedures unrelated to a specific case, yet may provide representation to a person involved in a specific case
- spelling out what bodies may hear appeals in grievance cases
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