A copy of the Affirmative Action Plan for the University of Tennessee Space Institute is available from the Human Resources Office. This plan outlines affirmative action goals and sets forth guidelines for achieving these goals. The Human Resources Director functions as the UTSI Affirmative Action Officer and works with the Associate Vice President of UTSI to ensure provision of equal opportunity through the guidelines of this plan. Included in this plan is the Statement of Policy on equal employment and affirmative action approved by the Board of Trustees September 28, 1979.

An equal employment opportunity of affirmative search complaint, including a complaint on sexual harassment, may be filed by any present employee, former employee, or applicant for employment at the University of Tennessee Space Institute who believes that discrimination in employment has been practiced against him/her, or who feels that employment practices at the University of Tennessee Space Institute will result in discrimination against him/her. The complaint must be filed within 300 days of the alleged discrimination. In certain circumstances, at the discretion of the Affirmative Action Officer, complaints filed outside of this time limit or that are not put in writing may be investigated informally.

The equal employment opportunity or affirmative action complaint procedure for the University of Tennessee Space Institute is as follows:

1. The employee should first discuss the complaint with his or her immediate supervisor. If the complaint is not resolved, the employee will submit the complaint in writing within five (5) working days to the Affirmative Action Officer. Applicants for employment or former employees should also submit their complaints to the Affirmative Action Officer.

2. The Affirmative Action Officer will conduct an investigation and render a decision within a reasonable period of time.

3. If the employee or job applicant is not satisfied with the decision of the Affirmative Officer, he or she may file an appeal within five (5) working days after notice of the decision with the Associate Vice President, UTSI.

4. A non-exempt employee who alleges discrimination (including claims of racial and sexual harassment) in work assignments or conditions of work may, as an alternative to the above appeal, enter the grievance process at step 3 as outlined in Human Resources Procedure 640, Grievances, step 3(b). The request to enter the grievance procedure must be initiated within 15 workdays after receiving the decision of the Associate Vice President.

5. The decision of the Associate Vice President may be appealed to the Vice President for Research and Information Technology.