|
Affirmative action officer on defensive
 Media Credit: Christine Johnson/Editor SCSU Affirmative Action Officer Laurel Allen recently wrote a letter to the EEOC, addressing the complaints about her office that were cited in the EEOC report.
|
|
SCSU Affirmative Action Officer, Laurel Allen, issued a letter to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission last week in reply to what she believes is an unwarranted attack on her office.
Allen wrote the letter to EEOC district director, Chester Bailey, because she felt that the commission's recent report on discrimination at SCSU had made her the scapegoat for the university's perceived problems in handling bias.
Copies of the letter were also sent to SCSU President Roy Saigo and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system Chancellor, James McCormick.
"I felt like, with all the statements in the report that found fault with my office, I had to say something," Allen said. "I think the letter shows some actual data and facts that support the job we are doing here and the (EEOC) report is based on perceptions."
Allen's letter attempts to address each complaint cited about the Affirmative Action Office in the EEOC report, including that the AAO is ineffective in dealing with complaints, that its process is shrouded in secrecy, that it discourages complaints, that it is understaffed and that Allen herself is unqualified for the job.
"At no time has the AAO evaded the task of ensuring equal employment opportunity," Allen said in her letter. "It is satisfying to know that while the campus has a number of issues to address in becoming a more inclusive environment, the EEOC's extensive review found no violation of equal employment law."
Bailey said it was unfortunate that Allen felt that the report was an attack on her.
"That was not what we set out to do," he said. "We were contracted by (SCSU) to look into areas of contention, identify hostile and discriminatory environments and to report to the school about our findings. We were not asked to determine whether or not (violation of equal employment opportunity law) had occurred."
In response to Allen's comments questioning the diversity of the witnesses interviewed for the report, Bailey said that the sampling was diverse and inclusive, and did not focus only on people who had filed complaints.
"We had separate investigators on this," he said, "and all of them reported back that people felt there were significant problems with the AAO. That was the one consistent factor in everyone we talked to."
Bailey did not comment on whether or not Allen's letter refuted the charges made about her office in the EEOC report.
"I wouldn't say that the findings of this report are necessarily 'charges,'" Bailey said. "We went in to this to identify problem areas, and there were strong perceptions that the AAO was a problem area."
Bailey acknowledged that the report makes some very strong recommendations concerning the AAO, including the recommendation that the investigation of complaints should be moved to a different part of the university. Allen expressed concern that even though the report is based on perceptions, the EEOC found that there was enough perception of ineffectiveness to recommend overhauling her office.
Lisa Foss, SCSU director of marketing and communication, said that Saigo will keep Allen in the loop, but that he might not necessarily consider this letter.
"Ms. Allen's input will definitely be factored in to President Saigo's decisions about the AAO," she said. "We don't want this to be a personal issue."
Foss also said that Saigo is "happy and satisfied" with the report and the job that the EEOC did.
"President Saigo plans to implement all of the recommendations of the report," she said. "He feels that the report has helped him develop a systemic response to complaints and the overall complaint process."
But Allen is still wary.
"I know people are upset and they are perceiving different things, but I hope there is not a sort of blind acquiescence to the EEOC's recommendations," she said. "That is part of why I wrote the letter. I was feeling like a scapegoat, and I wanted to provide ([Bailey, Saigo and McCormick) with some factual data to show that all the perceptions of the report might not necessarily be accurate."
Jake Zisla can be reached at: [email protected]
|
|
|
|
Privacy Policy Network Advertising Article Syndication
|
|
