Affirmative Action Committee  

            a.  Purpose:   

                        i.  to promote affirmative action and equal employment opportunity by bringing campus-wide perspectives and experience to the consideration of policies and procedures related to the selection, development and retention of a diverse workforce.

                        ii.  to advise the affirmative action officer and the associate vice-president for human resources on affirmative action initiatives that will aid the university in meeting its affirmative action goals.

                        iii.  to assist the affirmative action officer and the Human Resources Department with the development, implementation and monitoring of the Affirmative Action Plan.

                        iv.  to review current grievance processes through which individuals or groups may bring complaints regarding issues protected by equal opportunity and affirmative action law.

                        v.  to partner with Human Resources to recommend to the president and the affirmative action officer policies and procedures that will aid the university in meeting its affirmative action responsibilities.

                        vi.  to partner with Human Resources to ensure that the university is in compliance with equal opportunity/affirmative action guidelines and laws.

                        vii.  to review and disseminate the Affirmative Action annual report compiled by Human Resources for evaluation of progress made and identification of areas of further concern regarding affirmative action/equal opportunity employment goals, policies and practices.

                        viii.  to review and disseminate information about university actions to promote its affirmative action goals. 

            b.  Membership:  three full-time faculty members, one dean (selected by the Deans’ Council), one non-exempt staff member (elected by the Staff Council), one administrative staff member (appointed by the chief administrative officer), the associate vice-president for human resources, one Human Resources partner (appointed by the associate vice-president for human resources), one representative elected by the University Committee on Women (selected by that committee), the Director of the Luann Dummer Center for Women, the executive director of Institutional Diversity; and the affirmative action officer, who chairs the committee.

            In addition to attending committee meetings and participating in the activities listed in the “purpose” section above, committee members must be willing to become familiar with affirmative action/equal opportunity employment philosophy, practices and laws; to serve as an advocate for individuals or groups on sensitive issues of diversity and discrimination; and to maintain confidentiality in regard to committee deliberations and other sensitive information received in one’s role as a committee member.

Affirmative Action Committee Current committee members include: Standing Members Nancy Zingale, Chair Terry Snyder,  Debra Petersen, Edna Comedy Lawrence Potter Faculty Elected Members   to 5/31/07 Ted Ulrich to 5/31/08 Camille George to 5/31/09 Heid Erdrich Administrative staff   to 5/31/06 Pahoua Hoffman Dean Representative to 5/31/06 Barbara Shank Non-exempt staff   to 5/31/06 Carol Hagen Committee on Women  to 5/31/06 Patricia Reinhardt Students to 5/31/06 To be named   Last updated October 2006 Comments, questions, or feedback on each committee can be directed to the committee chair.   Please see directory above. Comments, questions, or feedback on the web site can be directed to committees@stthomas.edu © 2006 University of St. Thomas All rights reserved.

Affirmative Action Committee Nancy Zingale (651) 962-6031 NHZingale@stthomas.edu