Civil Rights Compliance

The Institute of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Extension (IANRE) celebrates the rich diversity of its clients, students and employees. Please read this memo from our director describing our commitment to providing workplaces and programming free of discrimination.

MEMORANDUM

February 14, 2023

TO: IANRE faculty, staff and partners

FROM: Jodie Anderson, Director

SUBJECT: Civil Rights

The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution, employer and provider and adheres to federal civil rights laws regarding discrimination against people in protected classes. We are also committed to digital accessibility and meaningful language access. Read more about nondiscrimination at UAF: www.alaska.edu/nondiscrimination/

Complaints should be promptly documented in writing and reported to immediate supervisors, who will also contact UAF’s Office of Rights, Compliance and Accountability for guidance. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with UAF’s policies at www.uaf.edu/orca/ and our federal guidance from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, https://www.nifa.usda.gov/equal-opportunity-civil-rights

The UAF Institute of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Extension (IANRE) celebrates the rich diversity of its clientele and employees and is committed to providing workplaces and programming free of discrimination. Our faculty and staff provide research-based education to people of all backgrounds across the state of Alaska, from small villages to large cities.

Everyone involved in IANRE, including our faculty, staff and volunteers, has a key responsibility to support a welcoming and inclusive learning environment. It is an expectation that all reasonable efforts will be made to reach out to underserved and underrepresented groups. IANRE serves an educational mission. An environment of respect for and appreciation of difference helps advance the foundation of knowledge we are building in our communities. Thank you for joining me in making all Alaskans welcome in our programming.

NONDISCRIMINATION: If you would like more information about civil rights at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, or to make a discrimination complaint, contact the UAF Office of Rights, Compliance and Accountability at 907-474-7300 (TTY: 907-474-2660). You may also wish to speak to the director of IANRE at 907-474-7429 or contact United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) customer service at 1-866-632-9992. Here is a downloadable contact card with this info.

In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, and American Sign Language) should contact the responsible State or local Agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a complainant should complete a Form AD- 3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, which can be obtained online at https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-3027, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD- 3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by: (1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or (2) Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or (3) Email: program.intake@usda.gov. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

NOTICE TO STAKEHOLDERS: Because our programs and services are supported in whole or in part by financial assistance from the Federal Government, we are required to let you know that: 1. We may not discriminate against you on the basis of religion, a religious belief, a refusal to hold a religious belief, or a refusal to attend or participate in a religious practice; 2. We may not require you to attend or participate in any explicitly religious activities (including activities that involve overt religious content such a worship, religious instruction, or proselytization) that are offered by our organization, and any participation by you in such activities must be voluntary; 3. We must separate in time or location any privately funded explicitly religious activities (including activities that involve overt religious content such as worship, religious instruction, or proselytization) from activities supported with direct Federal financial assistance; 4. You may report violations of these protections, including any denials of services or benefits by an organization, by contacting or filing a written complaint with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Center for Civil Rights Enforcement, Program Compliant Division by mail, fax or email to the United States Department of Agriculture, Director, Center for Civil Rights Enforcement, 1400 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or Fax 202-690-7442 or e-mail program.intake@usda.gov and 5. If you would like to seek information about whether there are any other federally funded organizations that provide these kinds of services in your area, please contact the State of Alaska by visiting them online at https://alaska.gov