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Our History

In 1970, a citizen of Mississippi, Kenneth Adams, filed a landmark civil rights lawsuit ergo the "Adams Case/Order," against the United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW). The suit alleged, among other things that the 1954 Supreme Court ban on school segregation was not being carried out. The suit further alleged that HEW, now the U.S. Department of Education, was in fact perpetuating a segregated system by continuing to provide the states with federal funds. The suit sought the withdrawal of all federal funds until such time as the state of Mississippi desegregated its educational system. The suit was immediately joined by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the Women's Equity Action League and later by other civil rights groups. The list of defendants was also expanded to include all southern and borderline states that maintained state supported historically black colleges and universities. It was for this reason that the public institutions in the state of Virginia, such as George Mason University, were required to abide by what has come to be known as "The Adams Case/Order."

Under the terms of a number of consent decree modifications entered as a partial settlement of the suit, George Mason, in 1978, had its affirmative action plan accepted by the State Council of Higher Education. The university's plan and that of the other colleges and universities in the Commonwealth, required that we take a series of specifically targeted activities and strategies that would result in numerical goals being met at the student, faculty and classified levels.

The modern precursor of the Office Of Equity and Diversity Services was established in 1977 when George Mason University created its first full-time staff position with responsibility for implementing these strategies.

The former position of Vice President and University Equity Officer (VPUEO) was elevated in status 1990. This was a purposeful attempt at sending a strong signal to the GMU community (external and internal) that the university is committed, without the use of quotas, to institutional diversity. Today, the Assistant to the President and Director, of OEDS is the principal contact in civil rights matters for the following federal and state agencies:

1. US Department of Education
2. US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
3. US Department of Labor - Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs
4. US Department of Justice
5. Office of Equal Employment Services - Virginia Department of Personnel and Training

Under the advocacy of the Office Of Equity and Diversity Services current staff, the university has experienced a substantial increase in minority undergraduate and graduate student enrollment, and an increase in employment for African American, Hispanic American, and Asian American faculty and staff. This was achieved without relying upon race as an criteria for admissions or employment.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 guarantees Equal Opportunity in all employment matters to all individuals regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, or sex. Later, through other legislative mandates, the same guarantees were extended to Veterans, the aged (those more than 40 years of age), and persons with disabilities. In an effort to establish a campus where civility is the watchword that meets the needs of all of our students and staff, GMU unilaterally extended protection from discrimination to individuals with a different sexual orientation in 1991. While the administration understands that discrimination based on sexual orientation is not covered under state or federal laws, the university believes that all our students and staff members deserve the protection and security from discrimination.

In recent years, several particularly onerous problems have emerged for all colleges and universities in the pursuit of campus civility including GMU. The Office Of Equity and Diversity Services has attempted to respond to these problems as follows:

• Sexual Harassment
  The Office Of Equity and Diversity Services, with the Faculty Matters Committee of the Faculty Senate, revised the Sexual Harassment Policy and Grievance Procedures in September 1997. The revision included establishing a Sexual Harassment Board comprising volunteer members representing all segments of the university and appointed by the President.



• Salary Equity and the Equal Pay
  During the Fall 1995 semester, the OEDS and Provost offices commissioned a Salary Equity Study after several female faculty members raised a number of concerns regarding salary equity at GMU. Although the results of this study did not disclose any true salary disparity based on gender, the methodology used to reach this conclusion has been scrutinized and challenged by concerned parties. To this end, the OEDS will continue to consider, on a case-by-case basis, any allegation of illegal discrimination in faculty compensation.



• Equal Employment Opportunity Issues
  Currently, the OEDS employs one (1) part-time and ne (1) full-time investigative fact-finders to assist the university in investigating and resolving allegations of illegal discrimination. The OEDS staff works closely and cooperatively with the Legal Affairs Office. The investigative fact-finders review allegations in cases that the Office Of Equity and Diversity Services or designee has assigned to them. After their review, they submit their findings to the Assistant to the President and Director of Office Of Equity and Diversity Services for disposition. The President is briefed on critical cases and the university's liaison for legal affairs is kept informed of all matters that have legal implications. Ultimately, the complaining party and the respondent are informed in writing by the Assistant to the President and Director of OEDS of the university's decision.



• Compliance Issues
  The Office Of Equity and Diversity Services has many compliance responsibilities that demonstrate that the university is responding to specific requirements of federal law and regulations. The responsibilities promote compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, monitoring and reporting on veterans, production of an annual federal Affirmative Action Plan under Executive Order 11246, monitoring and implementing the responsibilities associated with the Americans With Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1972, and monitoring, investigating and analyzing the university's compliance with Title VII.

For example, the following is a list of compliance responsibilities that consume most of the OEDS 's staff time:

1. The enactment of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, mandated that the university augment and expand its procedures as defined under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1972. To prepare for completion the university's ADA Transition Plan, the university conducted an architectural survey of physical barriers and an assessment of programmatic barriers was completed. The ADA Coordinator is a member of the Office Of Equity and Diversity Services and works closely and cooperatively with the Disability Resource Center, the Human Resources Department, Deans, Directors, Department Heads and other faculty on disability issues affecting students and employees.



2. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 requires the university to ensure gender equality in key aspects of university life including intercollegiate sports. Working closely with the Associate Athletic Director, a staff person within the OEDS serves as the Title IX Coordinator for the university and monitors Title IX issues throughout the university.



3. Under Executive Order 11246, the university is required to have a current equal opportunity plan as denoted in the Code of Federal Regulations Title 41, Chapter 60. Due to the increase of the university's share of federal dollars, the university should expect a corresponding increase in EEO audits. The OEDS staff works closely with the Office of Sponsored Programs in monitoring proposals and grants for adherence to federal regulations.