Policies Updated in Support of Diversity and Inclusion
‘Gender expression’ added to Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
Duke University has adopted a new statement in support of diversity and inclusion and added “gender expression” to the Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action policy.
The changes were recently approved by the Board of Trustees following engagement with a wide range of students, staff and faculty.
The new “Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion” statement, posted on the Office for Institutional Equity website, expresses the values and expectations for members of the Duke community:
Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.
Duke’s Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action policy has been amended to include “gender expression” as a protected class. The term references how individuals express their gender, which may differ from the gender they identify as.
These changes, as well as minor changes to the Compliance and Temporary Employment policies, have been updated in the Online HR Policy Manual. A listing of all the changes can be found on the Polices section of the Human Resources website.