Deepening our commitment
The Fox School of Business is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. As part of our Strategic Plan 2025, we identified Inclusive Culture as a key pillar to guide us forward.
We aim to be a place where all members of our community can grow, develop and thrive in their careers. In the recruitment, development and retention of our faculty and staff, we also prioritize diversity, equity and inclusireon to ensure that everyone is part of a positive, open-minded and respectful environment.
We welcome your feedback and insight through this feedback form so that you can share your thoughts on how we can enhance our efforts.
Our plan in action
As we continue to implement our plan, the school is deepening its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion through activities that support Inclusive Culture. The Fox School is in the process of developing a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Council to advise the school’s leadership on policies, procedures and best practices. The DEI Council will not only provide an internal-facing, formal structure for partnering with and leading culture shifts with the Center for Ethics, Diversity and Workplace Culture (CEDWC) but will advocate and lead initiatives to ensure DEI values are embedded into our culture. More information will be available soon.
B4USoar, a program spearheaded by Senior Vice Dean Debbie Campbell, introduces high school students to high-quality education while illustrating how they can thrive in higher learning institutions. High school students who enroll in one of the courses are paired with current college students in the class who help them plan projects, study and offer support.
The Fox School recently launched the Center for Ethics, Diversity and Workplace Culture (CEDWC), a hub for research, dialogue and innovation. The center aims to bring together leaders in industry, government and academia to focus on diversifying workforces and building ethical, healthy workplace cultures. An advisory board of executive leaders, employment law specialists and government officials will advise the center on its education and research agenda pertaining to diversity, inclusion, discrimination, harassment and work-life balance.
Resources for our community
Temple University offers a variety of resources for all students and employees of the university, including ethics and compliance reviews, counseling, financial support, and accessibility resources. Temple’s Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, Advocacy and Leadership (IDEAL) offers virtual conversations, training and programming for our professional and student populations.
What is Temple University’s Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance?
Implementing Temple’s nondiscrimination policy and the University’s Affirmative Action Program is a cooperative endeavor that extends to every school, college, office, and organization at Temple. The Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance serves as a focal point of Temple’s institution-wide efforts for equal opportunity, equal access and affirmative action, providing direction through information, assistance, and complaint investigation.
Information
Temple’s Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance manages the preparation of internal and external compliance reports that inform administrators’ nondiscrimination and equal opportunity effort. For employee orientation and supervisory training, the office staff provides the reference materials and examples from University practices that explain Temple’s commitment to nondiscrimination and equal opportunity. The department maintains reference materials on the implementing regulations and guidance for federal, state, and municipal laws prohibiting discriminaation and requiring affirmative action.
Assistance
Anyone in the Temple community who has a question or concern about compliance with nondiscrimination, equal opportunity or affirmative action obligations is encouraged to call a staff member or one of the Fox School’s Ombudspersons, Jodi Weisberg, Manager, Staff Affairs (Dean’s office), 215-204-7993, jodiw@temple.edu or Wayne Williams, Associate Professor, Accounting Department, 215-204-4231, tug88600@temple.edu. Consulting the Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance at the outset helps assure equal opportunity in the procedures for recruitment, advertising, hiring, employee testing, promotion, and helps prevent discrimination in individual decisions and actions.
Complaint Resolution
The Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance is responsible for investigating the complaints of Temple employees and students who believe they have been subjected to unlawful discrimination on the basis of age, color, disability, marital status, national origin or ethnic origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status and genetic information. The staff will attempt to resolve the complaint informally or formally. If a complaint of discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation cannot be resolved informally, a formal investigation will be conducted. The Ombudspersons at the Fox School can assist you in navigating the process for filing a complaint.
Discrimination/Harassment
What is unlawful harassment?
Excerpt from U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC): Harassment
Harassment is a form of employment discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, (ADEO), and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, (ADA).
Harassment is unwelcome conduct that is based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, and/or age. Harassment becomes unlawful where 1) enduring the offensive conduct becomes a condition of continued employment, or 2) the conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive. Anti-discrimination laws also prohibit harassment against individuals in retaliation for filing a discrimination charge, testifying, or participating in any way in an investigation, proceeding, or lawsuit under these laws; or opposing employment practices that they reasonably believe discriminate against individuals, in violation of these laws.
Sexual harassment in any form or context will not be tolerated. Sexual harassment subverts the mission and the work of the university and can threaten the career, educational experience, and well-being of students, faculty, and staff.
Sexual harassment also constitutes a form of sex discrimination that is illegal under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Elementary/Secondary Education Act of 1972, and state law. Sandra Foehl, Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance is the Title IX Coordinator for Temple University. In addition to any sanctions that may be imposed by the university for violation of this policy, a person who sexually harasses another person may be held personally liable to the victim and be subject to sanctions independent of those imposed by the university.
Petty slights, annoyances, and isolated incidents (unless extremely serious) will not rise to the level of illegality. To be unlawful, the conduct must create a work environment that would be intimidating, hostile, or offensive to reasonable people.
For a copy of EEOC’s “Equal Employment Opportunity is THE LAW” poster, visit:
Equal Employment Opportunity Poster
Filing a Complaint
Temple University’s Complaint Resolution Procedures
Informal and formal complaint procedures are available through the Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance to members of the University community for the resolution of complaints of unlawful discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation.
These informal and formal complaint procedures are supplemental to, and are not intended to displace, other disciplinary procedures set forth in any applicable collective bargaining agreement or in the rules and regulations of the Faculty Senate.
Informal Resolution
Informal complaints may be oral or written. In many instances, informal discussion, counseling, and mediation can be useful in resolving perceived instances of discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. Problems are sometimes easier to resolve when an informal atmosphere encourages people to identify the difficulty, talk it out, and agree on how to deal with it.
Any person who believes that he or she is a victim of discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation may make an informal complaint to any EO Ombudsperson or the Fox School Ombudspersons, Chuck Allen, Assistance Dean, 215-204-8122, callen@temple.edu or Mary Anne Gaffney, Associate Professor, Accounting Department, 215-204-8129, gaffney@temple.edu.
During informal resolution, all reasonable efforts will be made to insure the confidentiality of information received, including the identities of the parties.
Formal Complaint Resolution
Members of the University community who believe that they are victims of discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation also may bring a formal administrative complaint by filing a written complaint directly with the University’s Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance. A person is not required to utilize informal resolution procedures before filing a formal complaint.
The Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance will be responsible for conducting a prompt investigation of a formal complaint. The purpose of the investigation is to establish whether there is a reasonable basis for believing that a violation of Temple policies has occurred. During such investigations, every reasonable effort will be made to protect the privacy rights of all parties, but confidentiality cannot be guaranteed.
The Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance will inform the parties promptly, in writing, about the outcome of the investigation.
Disabled Persons
What is available for persons with disabilities?
STUDENTS – DISABILITY RESOURCES AND SERVICES (DRS)
DRS is located on Temple University’s Main Campus in Ritter Hall, adjacent to Kiva Auditorium. The most efficient entry can be made from Cecil B. Moore Avenue between Broad and 13th Streets.
Refer to the Temple University website for map and directions. Map
Disability Resources and Services
100 Ritter Annex
1301 C. B. Moore Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19122
215-204-1280 (Voice)
215-204-1786 (TTY)
215-204-6794 (Fax)
drs@temple.edu
TEMPLE UNIVERSITY’S AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PLAN FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES – EMPLOYEES
Temple University is subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act, and to Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which requires employers to take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified disabled individuals. If you have a disability and would like to be considered under the affirmative action plan, inform the Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance. Disclosure is voluntary. The information obtained shall be kept confidential, except that (I) supervisors and managers may be informed regarding restrictions on the work or duties of disabled individuals, and regarding necessary accommodations; (II) medical and safety personnel may be informed if the condition might require emergency treatment; and (III) government officials investigating Temple’s compliance with the Acts shall be informed.
If you would like to be considered under the Affirmative Action Plan for employees with disabilities, please contact our office at (215) 204-8890, TTY: (215) 204-6772.
Other Resources at Temple
The Institute on Disabilities at Temple University is one of the sixty-one University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Service funded by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Tuttleman Counseling Services & Sexual Assault Counseling and Education
Temple University Psychological Services Center
Psychological Services at Temple Ambler
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Student Counseling Resources
Statements and Policies
Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Statement (pdf)
Ethnic Intimidation Policy
Nondiscrimination Policy
Sexual Assault Policy
Sexual Harassment Policy
Policy on Preventing and Addressing Discrimination and Harassment
Temple University Online Policies and Procedures Manual
Temple and the Fox School are home to many student professional organizations (SPOs) dedicated to supporting minority students and people of color by engaging them in our community and providing professional development opportunities such as workshops, hosting speaker/company meetings and networking events. This Instagram post links to the social media handles of the SPOs that have opted-in via tagging their SPO so you can read about each organization’s mission and goals and learn how to get involved.
Together we transform
The Fox School is committed to highlighting and amplifying the voices of all members of our community, including women, BIPOC, LatinX, all abilities and LBGTQ+ communities. We share the stories of and provide support for small business owners, entrepreneurs, business leaders and executives from all backgrounds and at all stages of their careers. Below are some recent examples.