Office of Equity and Employee Relations

We ensure equity and inclusion are valued and integrated into university policies, practices, and culture.

Workplace Complaint Process

• Intake
• Report review
• Referral
• Fact gathering based on type of case
• Investigation plan
• Discuss role of outside attorney / investigator (if needed)

Informal Resolution (Mediation & Dialogue Facilitation)

Formal Investigation (Due Process)

This office provides oversight and support for the University’s efforts to comply with all applicable federal and state civil rights laws and SEU’s policies prohibiting discrimination, harassment and retaliation.

DEI Education and Training

• Search Committee Training
• DEI Dialogue and Reflection Sessions
• Individually Customizable Training / Workshop Facilitation
  E.g.: Activating Your Values and Personal Power to Impact Positive Change, Creating a Culture of Inclusion, Creating a Culture of Respect, Emotional Intelligence & Diversity
  Inclusive Conversations, Awareness, Acceptance, Authenticity and Conscious Choice
• Professional Coaching Sessions
  Coaching sessions are centered around identifying behaviors that may be hindering the full alignment with SEU’s mission, values and operational principles.The sessions held determine ways of enhancing or changing behaviors in critical factors of DEIJ success.

By cultivating a safe environment open to discussion, understanding and transparent communication the office encourages collaboration and constructive feedback from individuals and departments and will leverage employee insights for process and practice improvements.

• Community Dialogue Sessions - Create space for community building and dialogue opportunities for leadership, faculty, and staff.

This office collaborates with the Hilltop campus community and offers targeted and thoughtful experiences where individuals from all backgrounds are engaged, integrated, and valued. 

The Office of Equity and Employee Relations consistently follows a formal complaint and investigative process in order to promptly and effectively resolve employee concerns. 

Intake / Assessment Process -

After receipt of a complaint, the complainant will be contacted by the Investigator to help clarify details related to the incident reported.  Once an accurate overview of the incident is established this office will determine if the case remains in the Office of Equity & Employee Relations or if it will be referred to Human Resources (for performance-based cases), Dean of Students (for cases involving students), or the Provost (for specific academic related cases).The complainant will be notified if the case has been referred to another department. If the facts of your situation fall within the purview of the Office of Equity & Employee Relations, we will provide you with details related to our investigation process and your options for resolution.

Complaint Investigations -

This office acts on behalf of the University to conduct prompt, fair and unbiased investigations into allegations of workplace discrimination, sexual misconduct, retaliation and employee relations concerns. It also facilitates the complaint resolution process including employee experience concerns and investigations of alleged prohibited discrimination, discriminatory harassment, sexual harassment, failure to accommodate disabilities, and violation of consensual relations policy brought against employees. (Refer to Complaint Process Procedures)

If needed, here is the link to the Complaint Form

This office promotes informal resolution practices designed to create space and dialogue for parties to work toward voluntary and consensual agreements.

St. Edward's University's Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT) serves our community to create and maintain a safe, inclusive educational environment in alignment with our Holy Cross mission. BIRT operates as a cross-functional consulting body that actively addresses bias incidents and their impact on the St. Edward's community by monitoring, reporting, assessing, and recommending responses to potential incidents of bias.  

What is an incident of bias? An incident of bias is defined as conduct or behavior (verbal, nonverbal, written) that is threatening, harassing (pervasive unwelcome behavior), intimidating, discriminatory, or hostile and is based on a person's identity or group affiliation, including but not limited to, race, age, disability status, gender*, gender identity/expression*, national origin, sexual orientation or religion.

When to make a report:

• when you want to make an official report of a potentially biased incident.
• when you have personally experienced conduct or behavior that may be biased in nature.
• when you witness conduct or behavior of another person that may be biased in nature.
• when you have concerns about the welfare of a specific community member or group due to a possibly biased incident.
• when you know of a recent event in which something of a biased nature may have occurred.
• when you have concerns related to an upcoming event or program that may target or alienate a specific identity or group.
• when you come across vandalism on campus that may be biased in nature or targets a specific identity or group.

How to make a report about a:

• A university employee or third-party contractor - To report an incident or a concern about a university employee or a contracted employee to Human Resources
• Student - To report an incident or concern about a university student to the Dean of Students Office
• General incident of bias - To report an incident in which you are unsure of persons involved or whether it meets the standard of bias, but you are seeking resources or want to make the university aware 
• Immediate emergency or to make a police report - call 911 or the University Police Department at 512-448-8444 / TTY: 512-233-1444

What happens when I make a report? For bias incident response cases, here is a visual flow chart of the reporting process when making a complaint of possible bias.

If you have any questions about a situation or how to report, please contact the Office of Equity and Employee Relations at 512-448-8540.

Bias Incident Response Team

Dr. Melissa Esqueda
Associate Vice-President of Equity and Employee Relations

Dr. Monique Jiménez-Herrera
Associate Vice-President of Faculty Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Erica Zamora 
Director of Student Belonging and Inclusive Excellence

* May also fall under Title IX.

Federal Laws ( can be linked to a box document with a list or simply list on this site with links included)
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990
Civil Rights Act of 1866, 42 U.S.C.A Section 1981
The Civil Rights Act of 1991
The Equal Pay Act of 1963
Executive Order 11246: Equal Employment Opportunity, as amended
Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009
Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972

Recommended Reading

Recommended Training on LinkedIIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning

Lactation Accommodation Policy 
There are currently two lactation rooms on campus, Fleck Hall room 202 and John Brooks Williams South (JBWS) room 272. Each room is marked with the international breastfeeding symbol of a mother holding a baby and provides direction on how to gain entry to the rooms. The lactation rooms are equipped with door locks, chairs, tables, electrical outlets, refrigerators, and storage cabinets (JBWS only). These are shared lactation spaces, available on a first-come-first-served basis. Individuals with need of the rooms are required to review the Lactation Accommodation Policy.