Welcome to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access (OEOA). Penn State University is committed to ensuring equal opportunity in all aspects of employment and education, and to advancing diversity and inclusion efforts across the University community.

Our office supports Penn State’s strategic goals of maintaining a diverse and inclusive community by overseeing the University’s compliance with federal Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) regulations, which includes providing continuous guidance and consultation to all campuses, colleges, non-academic and administrative units regarding their adherence to EEO regulations. We oversee relevant University policies and implement associated University processes, such as responding on behalf of the University to investigate allegations of discrimination and harassment filed against University employees internally or with external administrative agencies. The OEOA also assists with the development and delivery of continuing education and training for University employees to foster an environment of respect, responsibility, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace and the classroom.

The OEOA’s vision is to be recognized for advancing innovative recruitment and hiring practices, enhancing approaches to facilitate access and provide reasonable accommodations, and contributing to the creation of a truly diverse and inclusive community, in order to situate Penn State as a leader among peer institutions in efforts designed to achieve equal employment opportunity.

The OEOA houses the University’s ADA Coordinator, who is responsible for coordinating all employee requests for reasonable accommodations related to a qualified disability. We also house the University’s American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreter, who provides services for employees directly and for University events. If you should need any information and resources regarding a disability, please don’t hesitate to contact the office. Our Equal Employment Opportunity Specialists provide information and guidance to employees and students related to concerns of potential discrimination and harassment and conduct formal investigations into such allegations when needed. We also provide guidance and oversight regarding federal employment laws as they relate to Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action. This information is particularly important for faculty who may be serving as members of a search committee or who have questions about the University’s hiring practices.

Primary Strategic Goals

Identify, research, socialize, and assess innovative practices for the recruitment and hiring of a diverse workforce across Penn State.
Develop innovative strategies and initiatives that result in increased access and opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
Assess the office’s education and prevention programs and assist with developing a transformative approach to enhance the working and learning environment across the University, particularly for minoritized populations.

New faculty may want to contact OEOA to:

Seek information about, or request, a reasonable accommodation for a disability
Request a sign language interpreter for individual employees or unit events
Receive information/consultation regarding Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action regulations and related policies
Consult with an EEO Specialist regarding a concern related to discrimination, harassment, or bias
File a report of discrimination or harassment based on a protected category (e.g., gender, sex, race, religion, age, disability, etc.)

Top Items Faculty Should Know About OEOA

*Top Items faculty should know about OEOA*
	We provide guidance and oversight regarding federal employment laws to ensure equitable practices related to recruiting, hiring, promotions and compensation. The OEOA’s faculty search committee training, Ensuring Equitable Searches for Faculty Positions, can be found in the Learning Resource Network (LRN). Relevant Policies: AD91 Discrimination and Harassment and Related Inappropriate Conduct AD85 Title IX Sexual Harassment AD67 Disclosure of Wrongful Conduct and Protection From Retaliation HR09 Reasonable Accommodation For University Employees
	We provide guidance and support to individuals and units regarding best practices for maintaining environments where community members feel included, respected, and valued. A unit may experience challenges related to interactions between employees, between students, or between students and employees, which can impact the unit’s climate and culture and it’s important to address such challenges as soon as possible. Our office is available to answer questions regarding situations that units might be unsure how to address, particularly when issues arise related to protected categories (e.g., gender, sex, race, religion, age, disability, etc). Relevant Policies: AD102 Consensual Relationships AD91 Discrimination and Harassment and Related Inappropriate Conduct AD85 Title IX Sexual Harassment AD67 Disclosure of Wrongful Conduct and Protection From Retaliation HR09 Reasonable Accommodation For University Employees

Relevant Programming for New Faculty

OEOA Fun Facts

The OEOA created the University’s first American Sign Language Staff Interpreter position.

The OEOA has had 2 different leaders, whose name is Suzanne.

The OEOA reports to the Office of the President but has always been housed in large classroom buildings that have a high volume of traffic, rather than in Old Main, which provides a level of anonymity for those who visit the office to seek services or who are participating in a University investigation or some other process.

The OEOA was created in 1973 and has become known as the unit that former employees return to after working in other units across the University or outside of Penn State, because they think of the OEOA staff as “family” and they remain passionate about contributing to the OEOA’s mission.

Additional Resources and Contact Information

Resources

OEOA Website

OEOA Contact Information

328 Boucke Building
University Park, PA 16802
(814) 863-0471
aao@psu.edu