Policies, Guidance, and Memos

Oregon State University, in compliance with state and federal laws and regulations, including Title IX and its regulations, does not unlawfully discriminate and prohibits discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates, including in academic admissions and employment. The university prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin (including ancestry and ethnicity), citizenship, marital or family status, pregnancy or related conditions, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status / service in the uniformed service, or any other status protected by law or OSU policy.

Inquiries about Title IX and other types of discrimination based on protected status may be referred to OSU’s Title IX Coordinator, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, or both. OSU’s Title IX Coordinator is the Executive Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access (EOA). For information on OSU’s nondiscrimination policy and procedures, including how to report information about conduct that may constitute discrimination or make a complaint of sex discrimination under Title IX, contact EOA by phone: 541-737-3556, email: [email protected], mail/location: 330 Snell Hall, Corvallis OR 97331, or visit EOA’s website.

Dear OSU Community Members,

Welcome back for an exciting and busy academic year at Oregon State University! We are writing to share a reminder regarding religious holidays and observances and to confirm that the university is committed to providing support for students, faculty and staff whose religious observance may have an impact on classes, schedules and dietary needs. 

We request that faculty work with all undergraduate and graduate students, regardless of learning modality, as outlined in OSU’s Religious Accommodation of Students Policy. It is incumbent on the student making the request to notify their faculty member or supervisor as soon as possible prior to the need for accommodation, although we recognize that holidays closely aligned with the start of a term may make that difficult. Students should work directly with their faculty member on these requests, and we ask that faculty provide reasonable accommodations to allow for the completion of any missed course deliverables. Faculty and staff are able to approve requests for religious accommodations without consultation, but must first contact the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access before denying a request.

Below we provide information regarding dining and food options available on the Corvallis campus and at OSU-Cascades.

If you have any questions, concerns or recommendations, please do not hesitate to directly contact the Office of the Dean of Students or Office of Equal Opportunity and Access.

Thank you for assisting our students in balancing their academic schedules, employment duties and religious observances. We wish you all a great conclusion to winter term.

We wish you all a great start to fall term.

Stephen Jenkins, Ed.D.

Associate Vice Provost for Student Affairs

Acting Dean of Students

[email protected]

Alix Gitelman

Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

Senior Vice Provost

Becky Bangs

Executive Director

Equal Opportunity and Access

Corvallis Campus Resources

Quiet Spaces:

Quiet spaces are offered on the third floor of the Student Experience Center (SEC hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the winter and spring academic terms and Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during spring break) and in the International Living Learning Center (ILLC) Multi-Faith Room, located on the fourth floor. Foot-washing stations are located in the restrooms on the fourth floor of the ILLC as well as the third floor of the SEC. Residence Hall lounges are available to serve as quiet spaces for on-campus residents as well. No reservations are required and these spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Dining and Food Options:

Residential students in Corvallis practicing a faith-based diet who need to develop a plan that will meet dietary needs for upcoming holidays and beyond should visit the housing portal and fill out a dietary needs request for assistance. Students can also use the housing portal to submit suggestions about specific foods that could be added to campus convenience stores and dining centers or access to spaces for meal preparations, etc.

Food in all UHDS dining centers is labeled for dietary preferences and allergen needs. UHDS carries many Halal-Friendly and Kosher-certified packaged goods, as well as a variety of whole foods (fruits, vegetables, dairy and grains) at Cascadia Market in the International Living Learning Center building. Visit University Housing & Dining Services for more information about all available food options, restaurants and menus.

OSU-Cascades Resources

Any residential student at OSU-Cascades practicing a faith-based diet and who needs to develop a plan that will meet dietary needs for upcoming holidays and beyond, should email [email protected] for assistance with special food needs or dietary concerns.

Andy Frei and Madi Mather also can help students living in residence who need access to meal preparation space and students can submit requests to [email protected].

To request this information in an alternative format please contact [email protected].

TO: The OSU Campus Community

FROM: Equal Opportunity and Access and Academic Affairs

RE: 2024 - 2025 Disability Accommodation Memo

Dear Oregon State Colleagues,

Oregon State University is committed to providing equal educational opportunities for all students with disabilities. It is the university’s responsibility to ensure that no qualified student with a disability is excluded from participating in university programs or activities and to reasonably accommodate where needed. Providing equal educational opportunity is an important and shared responsibility. Faculty and staff play a critical role in ensuring equal access.

Please refer to OSU's policies related to disability, the Disability Access Services (DAS) Faculty and Staff Guidelines for more in-depth information, and the DAS Student Handbook for more in-depth information.

Syllabus Statement

DAS and Faculty Senate provide a model accommodation statement that must be included in all syllabi.

Disability Access Services Instructor Information

DAS has implemented an instructor online services portal to provide a single space for instructors to review all DAS-related accommodation notifications for students in their classes. The DAS Notification Letters will still be emailed, this is an additional way to access the information.

In addition to the OSU Critical Training for Promoting Equal Opportunity & Inclusion, DAS offers a concise (30-minute) self-paced online course about accommodations: Disability Access Services Faculty Training.

If you have any questions, connect with DAS either by Zoom drop-in from 10:30 AM -12:30 PM (M-F) (PST), email [email protected], or phone at 541-737-4098.

Canvas and Remote Teaching Material Accessibility

Courses created in Canvas, as well as electronic documents and media, need to be accessible for students with disabilities. Multiple OSU offices have developed resources on making materials accessible. Resources include: Canvas – Improving Accessibility in Your Course; Ally for Canvas, an accessibility checker and tool for Canvas; and Creating and Editing Captions in Kaltura and Zoom.

Aira Visual Interpreting

OSU has partnered with Aira, a company that provides 24-hour-a-day on-demand remote visual interpretation services for the blind and low-vision community. This new service is free for all OSU community members and visitors.

OSU’s Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability policy states

...no qualified person shall, solely by reason of disability, be denied access to, participation in, or the benefits of, any program or activity provided by the University. Each qualified person shall receive the reasonable accommodations needed to ensure equal access to employment, educational opportunities, programs and activities in the most integrated setting feasible.

Thank you for your attention to understanding our obligations.

Becky Bangs

Executive Director, Equal Opportunity and Access

Alix Gitelman

Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

13 February 2024

Hello colleagues,

We are writing to ensure everyone is aware that an Oregon bill (SB 569) was passed during the 2023 legislative session which expands existing requirements regarding the use of closed captioning on televisions in public spaces. Specifically, the bill now requires that closed captioning be activated on all public televisions in use (or at least 50% of all televisions if there are multiple televisions within the same area). This includes televisions, display screens, or monitors broadcasting audio content in all public areas inside or outside of OSU buildings, dining halls, the memorial union, athletic spaces, etc. 

There are a few exceptions, including if the screen is less than 12 inches or if the television does not have the technical capability to display closed captioning (see the bill for details or let us know if you have questions).

If you have any questions or concerns or if you would like to receive additional training on this topic, please let us know.

Thank you,

~ Becky & Gabe

Becky Bangs (she/her/hers)
Executive Director for Equal Opportunity and Access, Title IX & ADA Coordinator
Office of Equal Opportunity and Access
Direct line: 541.737.9334

Gabriel Merrell (he/him)
Director, Access and Affirmative Action, Deputy ADA Coordinator
Office of Equal Opportunity and Access
Direct line: 541.737.3671

Dear OSU Colleagues,

Respect is a core value within Oregon State community and the university is committed to contributing to a respectful environment that is safe, inclusive and welcoming.

Although the core value of respect is reflected in most daily interactions, the university provides resources to assist employees who may be subjected to inappropriate conduct such as discriminatory, threatening, harassing or abusive behaviors.

Each year, we remind employees of resources available to assist them when inappropriate conduct occurs. Any employee who believes they have been subjected to inappropriate workplace conduct should immediately take their concerns to their supervisor or unit head. Alternatively, or additionally, employees can obtain assistance from the following offices:

• The University Ombuds Office is an informal resource available to employees who feel they are being subjected to disrespectful or inappropriate conduct. The University Ombuds Office is a neutral and confidential resource. Please note that the University Ombuds Office is not an office of notice and with limited exceptions, has no duty or responsibility to report incidents to any person or authority. More information on the scope and limits of this office can be found on the Ombuds Office website.
  The Ombuds Office is the first recommended step for employees who feel they have been the target of conduct that might violate the university’s bullying policy. Ombuds staff can assist employees to identify the type of conflict occurring, discuss options for informal resolution, and refer employees to more formal options when they are ready.
• Employee and Labor Relations, within University Human Resources, assists employees with concerns related to inappropriate workplace conduct and unprofessional behavior. Employee and Labor Relations staff encourage employees and supervisors to share concerns and will offer support with a variety of coaching tools and, when appropriate, corrective action. Employee and Labor Relations also assists with interpretation of the applicable collective bargaining agreement, as appropriate.
• The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access assists employees with concerns of discrimination or discriminatory harassment, sexual misconduct and retaliation. Following an initial meeting, EOA staff can help employees address these types of behavior through formal or voluntary informal resolution processes when appropriate.
• The Office of Institutional Diversity coordinates the university's Bias Response Team, which is responsible for the university’s Reported Bias Incident Response Protocol. This protocol provides an educational process to provide care and to comprehensively, collaboratively and consistently address bias incidents that affect Oregon State University students, faculty and staff.

Of course, the most effective way to sustain a respectful community is through the good faith efforts of each one of us. We appreciate and thank you for your efforts to contribute to, foster and sustain a respectful and inclusive work and learning environment at OSU.
Sincerely,

Heather Horn
Vice Provost for Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer
Office of University Human Resources

Rick Settersten
Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs
Office of Faculty Affairs

Becky Bangs
Executive Director
Office of Equal Opportunity and Access