Reporting a Concern to Equal Opportunity
Appalachian State University is committed to providing an institutional environment free from discriminiation and harassment to members of the Appalachian community, including students, faculty, staff and others who participate in University Programs, activities, or conduct business on behalf of the University.
The Equal Opportunity (EO) unit within Access & Equity is the designated office to receive and navigate concerns of:
- discrimination or harassment based on protected status,
- workplace bullying,
- and sexual misconduct (Title IX and Non-Title IX).
Intital Review: Individuals may report incidents they are personally experiencing or which have been witnessed. Reporting an incident to EO does not mean that a formal investigation process must be pursued. Upon receipt, an assessment is completed to determine if the alleged conduct falls under the purview of discrimination, harassment, workplace bullying, or Sexual Misconduct. EO will determine applicable next steps which may include: outreach to parties, supportive measures, resource referrals, and information about resolution options.
Privacy: Anonymous reporting is an option but the ability to respond or take further action may be impacted by the level of available information regarding the incident or individuals involved. EO values trust and works diligently to respect privacy, however, anonymity is unable to be guaranteed. Through the resolution of concerns, EO maintains privacy to the fullest extent possible but may need to partner with other areas such as Academic Affairs, Human Resources, or Student Affairs to best resolve the concern.
Reporting: Reports may be made by completing the Access & Equity: Equal Opportunity Report Form or by phone, in-person, or mail directly to the EO office.
Other Reporting Options
Please note that reporting to these departments may not be confidential
- If it is an emergency, call 911 or Campus Police (828)262-8000.
- If you have experienced an incident of harassment that may be a crime under state criminal law, such as a physical assault, sexual assault, relationship violence or stalking, you can report the concern to Law Enforcement.
- If you have concerns for an employee’s behavior in association with their position at Appalachain, report to Employee Relations within the Office of Human Resources.
- If you have concerns for a faculty's behavior in association with their position at Appalachain, report to the Senior Vice Provost of Faculity Policies, Development and training within Academic Affairs.
- If you have concerns for a student’s behavior or conduct, report to the Office of Student Conduct.
External Complaint Processes
An individual may also file a complaint with the appropriate external federal, state, or local agency within the time frame required by law. Depending upon the nature of the complaint, the appropriate agency may be the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the U.S. Department of Education.
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Headquarters
131 M Street, NE
Washington, DC 20507
Phone: 202-663-4900
Email: info@eeoc.gov
Web: http://www.eeoc.gov(link is external)
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
Office for Civil Rights, National Headquarters
U.S. Department of Education
Lyndon Baines Johnson Dept. of Education Building
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-1100
Telephone: 800-421-3481
Fax: 202-453-6012; TDD: 800-877-8339
Email: OCR@ed.gov