PSU Affirmative Action Services

Workshops, Lectures and Consultations
The Office of Affirmative Action provides workshops, one-on-one consultation, and guest lectures on employment and diversity related topics such as...

Understanding and combating sexual harassment
Affirmative action employment policies
Legal issues for deans and department chairs
Underrepresented faculty retention
Intercultural awareness
Accommodating disabilities in higher education

Discrimination Complaints

The PSU Office of Affirmative Action works to resolve discrimination related concerns on an informal basis if it appears that both parties are willing to participate and the desired outcome is negotiable. Sometimes such concerns are misunderstandings that are best corrected through education, and an informal process is the better way for resolution.

The PSU Office of Affirmative Action uses a formal non-advocacy, fact-finding investigation process that primarily includes interviewing witnesses and compiling supporting documents. If there is a preponderance of evidence indicating a finding of discrimination or sexual harassment, many different actions could be recommended. These range from requiring the respondent to enroll in related educational programs to the more severe consequence of termination. Even if the investigation has not resulted in a finding of discrimination, the process can sometimes reveal a behavior on the part of those involved that is not illegal, but nevertheless, is undesirable and needs to be changed. See Grievance Information link for additional resources.

Affirmative Action Plan

The Affirmative Action Plan is comprised of four sections: the Workforce Analysis, the Goals and Timetables, the Utilization Analysis and the Narrative. The first three sections include campus information and national census data and are used to analyze the demographics of the Portland State University workforce in relation to the demographics of the qualified and available regional and national workforce. These data are used to determine what group(s) are underrepresented for a given job classification in a specific unit on campus. The PSU Affirmative Action Office uses this information to advise search committees about their outreach and which group(s) they should target. The Narrative portion of the Plan provides details as to the problem areas that impede equal representation among groups on campus and the University's commitment towards ways of remedying inequities.

Hiring

The PSU Office of Affirmative Action ensures that campus hiring is done according to federal employment guidelines which aim to make the hiring process as objective as possible. In doing so, the Office assists search committees in the following ways:

Provide advice on publicizing positions to underrepresented groups through informal networking and non-traditional paid advertisements, and ensure that good faith effort to outreach has been made.

Provide advice on developing the appropriate selection criteria to be used in choosing the recommended candidate.

Provide advice on facilitating equitable and appropriate interviewing experiences.

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