Philosophy Department Commitment to Equality
The University of Arizona has strict policies regarding nondiscrimination, anti-harassment and equal employment opportunity. A full statement of the University’s Nondiscrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy can be found on the webpage for the Office of Institutional Equity. The Philosophy Department at the University of Arizona is fully committed to ensuring that all members of the department, whether students, faculty, or staff, are able to perform their work and pursue their professional endeavors in a comfortable environment. The Philosophy Department is also committed to dealing fairly with all parties involved in situations of actual or perceived harassment or discrimination. Members of the department are aware of their obligation, under University policy, to refrain from harassment or discriminatory conduct and to report cases of known or suspected harassment or other discriminatory conduct to the Director of the Office of Institutional Equity or other appropriate university official. See also the Statement from the Graduate Climate Committee.Steps to take if you have concerns
In order to effectuate its aim of ensuring equal opportunity and to address concerns not fully addressed by University policy, the Philosophy Department is committed to the following additional measures:
- All department members will be expected to familiarize themselves with the University’s policy and to have completed the University’s online course, Preventing Sexual Harassment.
- An individual who has concerns about possible harassment or discrimination may choose to discuss those concerns with the Director of the Office of Institutional Equity or may decide instead to speak with a department member or other member of the UA community that he or she chooses. Nevertheless, because the department recognizes that individuals may feel most comfortable speaking first to someone within the department but may be uncertain whom to approach with their concerns, several faculty members, as well as a graduate student selected by the graduate students, will be available to talk. The names of the faculty members and graduate student who have volunteered to be available in a given year will be announced at the beginning of the academic year and will be posted to the website, below this statement of departmental commitment. Any meetings between an individual and a volunteer are purely informal. Volunteers have no official position within the University and are not to keep a record or undertake to do anything that must be handled by University officials in accordance with the University’s prescribed procedures. In their informal capacity, faculty and graduate student volunteers will be available to:
- Remind individuals of the channels the University provides for raising their concerns;
- Provide answers, or try to find out the answers, to an individual’s preliminary questions about University policy and procedure;
- Listen to concerns about possible harassment or other discriminatory behavior;
- Explore what might be advisable for the individual by consulting with the Director of the Office of Institutional Equity in a manner that protects the individual’s privacy, insofar as this can be done consistently with the duty to report.
- Provide support for the affected individual, at his or her request, by accompanying him or her to the Office of Institutional Equity and, insofar as University policy and procedure permit, to any subsequent meetings with University Officials.
- The Department recognizes that individuals, and especially graduate students, commonly decline to report incidents of harassment or discriminatory treatment out of a concern that doing so may negatively affect their position in the department or the profession. The Philosophy Department is committed to ensuring, as best it can, that a reporting individual suffers no adverse departmental or professional consequences as a result of making a good faith report.