The Daily Bulletin Archive

I. Introduction

A. Purpose

The purpose of this document is to set forth Buffalo State College’s continuing commitment to nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy regarding veterans. The affirmative action plan for qualified veterans is reviewed and updated annually by the Equity and Campus Diversity Office in conjunction with the college affirmative action plan.

B. Reaffirmation of Policy

Buffalo State College will make every effort to assist employees identified as veterans with disabilities, recently separated veterans, veterans who were awarded the Armed Forces Service Medal pursuant to Executive Order 12985, and other protected veterans to reach their full employment potential (Policy Number: VI:01:01 May 1986) (Revised March 2004; revised June 2010).

In accordance with applicable federal laws* and with Buffalo State’s own policies and programs of equal employment opportunity and nondiscrimination, the college reaffirms its policies, responsibilities, and commitments to veterans. The college will not discriminate because of status as a veteran with a disability, recently separated veteran, other protected veteran, or veteran who was awarded the Armed Services Service Medal and shall take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment of such veterans at all levels of employment, including executive level of employment. The college will recruit, hire, train, and promote persons in all job titles and ensure that all other personnel actions are administered without regard to such veterans and will ensure that all employment decisions are based solely on valid job requirements.

*Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 (VEVRAA) as amended by the Jobs for Veterans Act (JVA) of 2002, effective September 2007.

C. Definitions

JVA eliminated the category of Vietnam era veterans under VEVRAA.

Veteran with a disability, for the purpose of this policy, means (1) a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the secretary of veterans affairs, or (2) a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

Recently separated veteran means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran’s discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

Armed Forces Service Medal veteran means any veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service, participated in the United States military operation for which an Armed Forces Service Medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Other protected veteran means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized, under laws administered by the Department of Defense.

D. Responsibility

The senior adviser to the president for equity and campus diversity is given the responsibility for implementation of the college’s affirmative action activities for eligible veterans. The office is located in Cleveland Hall 415, 1300 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, New York, 14222. Those who believe that they have been discriminated against in application or employment because of their status as veterans are able to file a complaint in the Equity and Campus Diversity Office. The college will follow the SUNY Grievance Policies for the Review of Allegations of Discrimination to resolve complaints of unlawful discrimination based on veteran status.

Administrative- and supervisory-level employees have the responsibility to ensure that all necessary actions are taken to achieve equal employment opportunity and affirmative action for persons with veteran status.

II. Implementation

a) Review of personnel processes

All personnel processes involving veterans shall follow the policies and procedures established for all employees of the college. Only that portion of the applicant’s military record relevant to the requirements of the position will be reviewed in employment evaluations.

b) Training

All persons involved in the recruitment, screening, selection, promotion, disciplinary, and related processes are trained in the college’s affirmative action program. All search and selection committee chairs are provided with a copy of the Guide to Administrative Faculty and Staff Searches, which contains information on the administration of affirmative action searches and contacts for increasing the pool of eligible veterans.

c) Physical and mental qualifications

d) Reasonable accommodations to physical and mental limitations

All physical and mental qualifications for positions will be job-related and are consistent with business necessity. The college will make reasonable accommodations to the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified veterans unless it can be shown that the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the college.

Revised June 2010