Policies, Handbooks & Procedures

Office of Equal Opportunity Programs

Equal Opportunity Policy

The University of Pennsylvania’s special character is reflected in the wide variety of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives of the Penn community. We seek talented faculty, students and staff who will constitute a vibrant community and help create an educational and working environment that best supports the University’s commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship. 

Penn’s commitment to equal opportunity and nondiscrimination is fundamental to the University’s mission of advancing knowledge, educating leaders for all sectors of society, and public service. The University of Pennsylvania prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

Penn is committed to ensuring that its academic, social, recreational programs and services as well as opportunities for admission and employment are available on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to an individual’s legally protected class status. The Office of Equal Opportunity Programs, in collaboration with the Division of Human Resources and the Office of the Provost, oversees the implementation and administration of the University’s equal opportunity and nondiscrimination policies and programs.

The University recognizes the right of members of the community to raise questions and pursue complaints of discrimination and adheres to a strict policy that prohibits retaliation for doing so. Questions, complaints of alleged discrimination, or concerns regarding these policies or their implementation may be directed to the Executive Director, Office of Equal Opportunity Programs, Franklin Building, Suite 421, 3451 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6205, (215) 898-6993 or Fax (215) 746-7088.


University of Pennsylvania's Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination Statement

The University of Pennsylvania seeks talented students, faculty and staff with a wide variety of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. The University of Pennsylvania does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected class status in the administration of its admissions, financial aid, educational or athletic programs, or other University-administered programs or in its employment practices. Questions or complaints regarding this policy should be directed to the Executive Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs, Franklin Building, 3451 Walnut Street, Suite 421, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6106; or (215) 898-6993.

Understanding and Applying the Equal Opportunity Policy

A. The University values all of the different perspectives, backgrounds and experiences embodied within our community. We want all members of our community to feel welcome, and we strive every day to create an environment that honors this commitment. For example, we have various Cultural Resource Centers, clubs, and other opportunities where students, faculty and staff can explore common interests. These Cultural Resource Centers, clubs, and other opportunities contribute significantly to the University’s vibrant community and its world-class educational and working environment. To ensure that anyone who is interested has the opportunity to join and/or participate, these Cultural Resource Centers, clubs, and other opportunities are open to all of our community and do not exclude any person based on that person’s race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any other class protected under applicable federal, state or local law. These Cultural Resource Centers, clubs and other opportunities are open to all. No member of the University community should be discouraged from joining or participating in our Cultural Resource Centers.

A. No. These types of events are not precluded by the Equal Opportunity Policy. However, attendance or participation cannot be restricted based on a person’s race, sex, color, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any other class protected under applicable federal, state or local law. Events that honor differences must be open to all. No member of the University community should be discouraged from attending or participating. 

A. The University is proud of the wide variety of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives reflected in the Penn community. Broad outreach is the best way to ensure that a wide range of prospective students, faculty and staff are aware of the opportunities that Penn has to offer.  However, all selection and other decisions must be made on a nondiscriminatory basis – i.e., without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any other class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

A. The University can offer programs to support individuals who have had limited prior opportunities so long as the decisions about access to these programs do not take into consideration an individual’s race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any other class protected under applicable federal, state or local law. Whether an individual has had limited prior opportunities may depend on the type of program being offered and the nature of the specific prior opportunities that are relevant to the program. In some cases, it may be appropriate to take into consideration whether individuals are the first in their family to attend college, attended schools that did not have resources of a certain type, did not have access to other relevant resources for financial, geographic or other non-discriminatory reasons, and/or had relevant challenges they needed to overcome. In no case should a person be precluded from consideration or given a preference to participate in a program – e.g., a pipeline program or internship opportunity – on the basis of their race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any other class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

A. No. The Equal Opportunity Policy does not restrict what subject matter can be researched, studied, examined, or taught, consistent with generally accepted principles of academic freedom.

A. Yes. Harassment based on the protected classes listed in the Equal Opportunity Policy is considered discrimination. Harassment is unwelcome conduct based on a person’s actual or perceived protected class (i.e., legally protected under applicable federal, state, or local law) that, in light of the totality of the circumstances, is subjectively and objectively offensive and so severe or pervasive that it limits or denies a person’s ability to participate in or benefit from the educational program or activity or has the effect of creating an academic or working environment that a reasonable person would find hostile or abusive. For more information regarding sexual harassment, and Penn’s policy regarding sexual harassment, please refer to the separate Sexual Misconduct Policy.(PDF)

Harassment may be verbal, physical, written, audio or visual, or occur over technology or social media. Some examples of harassment include, but are not limited to, the following when they satisfy the definition included above: verbal comments, insults, epithets, or slurs (including but not limited to use of racist, sexist, antisemitic, or Islamophobic slurs); physical acts (including but not limited to vandalizing property with a hateful symbol); negative stereotyping; threatening, intimidating, or hostile acts; denigrating jokes; the display or circulation of written, visual, or graphic material in any form related to one or more protected or perceived protected classes (including but not limited to using technology or social media – e.g., text messages, emails, and/or social media posts or comments).

A single or isolated incident of harassment may create a hostile environment if the incident is sufficiently severe, particularly if the harassment is physical. Any alleged incident(s) of harassment are assessed based on the totality of the circumstances surrounding the incident(s) to determine whether the alleged incident(s) occurred and, if so, whether they constitute harassment and are a violation of the Equal Opportunity Policy.

 

The Equal Opportunity Policy prohibits discrimination based on all applicable federal, state and local laws. There are a number of federal laws that prohibit discrimination, including but not limited to Title VI, Title VII and Title IX:

  • Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – Prohibits any program or activity receiving  federal financial assistance from causing any person to be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin.
  • Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – Prohibits employers from discriminating against applicants and employees with respect to hiring, discharge, compensation, and other terms, conditions and privileges of employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex and national origin.
  • Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 – Prohibits any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance from causing any person to be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination on the basis of sex, including sexual harassment and sexual violence.

Questions about Existing and New Programs and Practices

A. It is the responsibility of each School and Center to ensure that its programs and practices are consistent and compliant with the Equal Opportunity Policy and to contact the Senior Vice President for Institutional Affairs, the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs, Vice Provost for Faculty, or Vice President for Human Resources, with any questions regarding particular programs or practices. School and Center compliance with the Equal Opportunity Policy will be subject to periodic audit by the University’s Office of Audit, Compliance and Privacy.

A. Questions can be directed to the Senior Vice President for Institutional Affairs, Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty, Office of the Vice President for Human Resources, or the Executive Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs. The Office of Equal Opportunity Programs, which reports to the Senior Vice President for Institutional Affairs, is responsible for ensuring that the implementation and administration of the University’s programs and practices are compliant with the Equal Opportunity Policy. This will be accomplished in conjunction with the Office of General Counsel, the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs, the Office of Ethnic and Religious Interests (Title VI), the Office of the Associate Vice President for Equity and Title IX Officer, the Division of Human Resources, the Office of the Provost, and other University partners, as applicable.

Submitting Complaints of Discrimination, Harassment and/or Retaliation

Reports of alleged discrimination can be submitted using any of the following. These offices will review the report and may refer it to a different office for handling depending on the nature of the concerns raised:

The University has offices that focus on different types of alleged discrimination, and reports of alleged discrimination can also be reported directly to those offices: 

If a report involves an urgent safety risk, please immediately contact Penn Police: (215) 573-3333 or 511 from a campus phone.

A. Anonymous complaints can be made by phone or online using 215-P-COMPLY, Penn’s Confidential Reporting and Help Line, or the Bias Incident Reporting Form.  While anonymous complaints may be submitted, please note that the University may not be able to investigate anonymous reports as thoroughly as reports from a named source. Complaints made through these sources will be reviewed and, if appropriate, investigated consistent with the appropriate process for investigating discrimination concerns. 

Additionally, the University has confidential resources that can provide support, assistance, and information for members of the University community upon request.

A. The Equal Opportunity Policy expressly prohibits retaliation against members of the University community who raise questions and pursue complaints of discrimination. The University will not tolerate adverse action being taken against any member of the University community for making such a report or for participating in an investigation related to a possible violation of the Policy. Violations of the anti-retaliation provisions of the Equal Opportunity Policy should be reported in the same manner as any other violations of the Policy and will be investigated in the same manner. Additionally, the University’s Policy Against Retaliation would apply to incidents of retaliation under the Equal Opportunity Policy.


Penn's Policies, Procedures and Protocols provide guidance for fair and consistent treatment of everyone within the Penn community. The listing provides useful information and links to key policies and procedures that apply to members of the Penn community and guests on our campus.

University-wide Policies, Procedures and Protocols

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend, modify, or rescind any policy and to create new policies and procedures at its sole discretion.

Selected Handbooks, Manuals and Guides

  • Faculty Handbook The University of Pennsylvania Faculty Handbook has been prepared in order to provide essential information concerning the philosophy, objectives and organization of the University of Pennsylvania, and the details of responsibility and procedure which are expected of members of the University Faulty. Faculty members are expected to comply with the policies and procedures contained herein.
  • Resources for Every Stage of Your Career

  • Hiring and Recruitment A resource for hiring officials that guides them through the recruitment and selection process. Please note that your PennKey is needed to access this manual.
  • Human Resources Policy Manual This is the link to the benefits and policies for University of Pennsylvania employees.

  • Pennbook Handbook for students regarding most of the University policies, procedures, and University resources.
  • Graduate Student Center Resource Guide Provides descriptions of all the resources available to graduate and professional students on Penn's campus.