Oct. 15, 2025
Dear URI Community:
For the past three years, the Office of Equal Opportunity has worked diligently with University stakeholders to review applicable laws and regulations, including federal actions, and introduce civil rights compliance programs in alignment with our focus areas.
Our team, which serves as the civil rights liaison to the state and federal government, is here to support you. Each of us plays a vital role in creating and maintaining an environment free from discrimination and harassment, in alignment with the University’s mission.
As you prepare for mid-terms, and continue to support students, faculty, and staff this academic year, we encourage you to consider the following resources.
Responding to Allegations of Discrimination and Harassment
The discrimination tab on our website offers a menu of resources to help you:
- Identify individuals benefiting from protection by law (also, “covered individuals”).
- Determine scope, jurisdiction, and appropriate triaging if an individual reports allegations of discrimination or harassment to you.
- Refer students and employees who wish to appeal the denial of a reasonable accommodation request.
- Offer consultations to individuals alleging discrimination, harassment, or retaliation, as outlined in the Policy on Nondiscrimination.
- Provide support resources to those navigating the grievance process.
- Clarify grievance process options under the Policy on Nondiscrimination, which include the informal complaint option (mediation) and a formal complaint option (investigation).
- Provide answers to frequently asked questions, in alignment with our legal obligations.
We encourage you to report complaints of sex-based discrimination and sex-based harassment by contacting the Title IX coordinator, who is responsible for review and triaging.
For additional information, please refer to the Policy on Nondiscrimination and the Policy on Sexual Misconduct, which were introduced to ensure the University meets reporting obligations and remains in good standing, while also facilitating the re-routing of complaints.
Accessibility Compliance
The University’s ADA compliance page provides a menu of options you may consider. Each resource has been designed to position you and your team to promote compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964:
- The University of Rhode Island Event Planning Accessibility Toolkit provides a general framework to support you and your team in ensuring events meet accessibility standards. The University’s official accessibility statement may be found on page 12.
- The University of Rhode Island language access website includes a list of vendors you may engage for interpretation and translation services for languages other than English, as well as American Sign Language (ASL). Learn more about our civil rights compliance obligations by reviewing the Language Access Guidelines. Our team is available to provide technical assistance and answer your questions.
- Consider saving the Adverse Weather Accessibility Guidelines in preparation for the winter season. The Policy on Adverse Weather and Other Emergencies is also available as a resource.
Our team is pleased to provide contact information for the ADA Partners across campus. We hope you find the information helpful as you refer students and staff to the appropriate department or office if concerns are brought to your attention.
Achieving full participation and integration of people with disabilities is the responsibility of all of the University’s departments, offices, and personnel, and we thank you for your contributions.
Civil Rights Compliance Training
Self-Paced Training: Please visit the education and training website to access new civil rights training modules introduced during the summer, made possible thanks to important contributions of the Office for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, the Office of Research Administration, the Office of Human Resources, and the Office of Community, Equity, and Diversity.
- Civil Rights Laws and Research Activities: A Guide for Inclusion and Compliance
- Building a Safe Workplace: Discrimination, Violence, and Hazing Prevention
Last summer, our team partnered with the Office of Human Resources to introduce a new training resource titled “Civil Rights Compliance Training for Employee Recruitment, Selection, and Hiring.” While the training is under review under the direction of the Office of Human Resources, it is still available on Brightspace. The Civil Rights Compliance Toolkit for Employee Recruitment, Selection, and Hiring is being updated, following the revocation of Executive Order 11246, and will be published on the Office of Equal Opportunity website in the coming weeks.
In-Person Training: Our team offers in-person training to department chairs, faculty, staff, and students on the topic of “Recognizing, Reporting, and Responding to Complaints Intersecting with Civil Rights Laws and Regulations,” and other civil rights compliance topics. The interactive sessions allow ample time for participation and questions. Please contact a member of our team to schedule a training session for your college or department, or invite us to attend one of your team meetings to answer frequently asked questions on the topics of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and accessibility compliance.
Our team is here to support you and wishes you a successful semester. We have moved to a fully accessible space, located in Suite 1 on the garden level of the Carlotti Building. To learn more about the scope and jurisdiction of the Office of Equal Opportunity, please visit our website or contact a member of our team to schedule a meeting at equalopportunity-group@uri.edu or 401-874-4009. For TTY assistance, contact R.I. Relay Services at 711.
We look forward to working with you during the 2025-26 academic year and beyond.
Sincerely,
Dorca P. Smalley
Director, Office of Equal Opportunity
ADA Coordinator
Language Access Coordinator
Equal Employment Opportunity Coordinator
Affirmative Action Program Coordinator