Civil Rights Compliance: A Commitment to Equality and Fairness
At the heart Civil Rights Compliance is the principle of equal opportunity, a belief that everyone should have the same chance to succeed, regardless of their race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age. For Extension, this means an obligation to provide educational programs thoughtfully crafted to be attractive and available for all people in our communities. It also refers to equal employment and diverse and equitable volunteer engagement opportunities.
Together, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), CCE, and Cornell University demonstrate how institutions can uphold the principles of equal opportunity and civil rights.
NIFA’s Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights
NIFA’s Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights provides leadership in implementing federal nondiscrimination laws and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) equal opportunity policy. This office is responsible for enforcing several civil rights laws which, together, prohibit discrimination based on race, color, national origin (including Limited-English Proficiency [LEP]), sex, disability, or age, as well as retaliation for civil rights activities. CCE falls under the general leadership of USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Periodically NIFA will complete a Civil Rights Review or audit for state extension programs that assesses compliance. This enforcement is for any recipients of NIFA’s federal funding and conducted through annual compliance reviews. Understanding the laws and having a work process for staying in compliance helps us to more confidently and competently reach all people.
Training:
An updated civil rights training is available at https://cornell.box.com/s/k8ucyv0sxcyrmm82ddnjbhrxga66uwdk. This training was developed and produced by Adam Mastroleo, an attorney with Bond, Schoeneck & King. Please feel free to use this recorded training, or any other training that you have identified, to meet the civil rights training requirement.
Resources:
- https://www.nifa.usda.gov/equal-opportunity-civil-rights/civil-rights-policies
- https://www.nifa.usda.gov/equal-opportunity-civil-rights/equal-opportunity-and-civil-rights-resources