Racism, Discrimination, and Diversity
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) is an equal access, equal opportunity institution fully committed to diversity in education and employment. All students, employees, and the campus community at UMES are valued, respected, and have the opportunity to receive an equitable experience in an inclusive, welcoming environment of openness and appreciation.
Should a student, faculty, or staff experience discrimination based on a protected class (race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or genetic information), he/she or a third party is encouraged to report the incident to the UMES Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance (OIE). He/She can do so by calling 410-651-6135, emailing equity@umes.edu, or visiting the Early Childhood Research Center, Suite 1129.
Refer to the following links for more information: UMES Policy Prohibiting Discrimination and UMES Procedure Prohibiting Discrimination
Sexual Assault Policy
A student who has been the victim of sexual assault may go through a range of emotions, which impacts their decisions with regard to reporting the incident. Therefore, it is very difficult to have a procedure to cover all possibilities. It is best to refer to the UMES Sexual Misconduct Policy for guidance via the following link: https://www.umes.edu/Student/Pages/Sexual-Misconduct-Policy—Procedures/.
Title IX
UMES Title IX is housed in the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance. If you or someone you know has experienced sex discrimination or sexual misconduct, Title IX has options to support you. The Title IX Office works to provide prompt, thorough, and equitable resolutions of all formal complaints of violations of the Sexual Misconduct Policy. Supportive measures are available to individuals experiencing prohibited conduct (Complainant) and to those accused of prohibited conduct (Respondent). Supportive measures are non-disciplinary, non-punitive, and are individually tailored to meet each individual’s unique needs.
To take the pledge and learn more refer to the following link: https://itsonus.org/.
If you have been subject to, made aware of, or bore witness to an incident of sexual misconduct, report the incident by clicking the following link: Title IX Incident Report or visiting the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance website, https://wwwcp.umes.edu/oie/title-ix/. This includes gender based harassments, relationship violence and stalking. Refer to the following link for reporting resources: https://wwwcp.umes.edu/oie/title-ix/resources/.
Supportive measures include:
- Assistance with accessing counseling or medical services
- No-contact orders
- Course-related adjustments and extensions
- Changes in housing and seating
- Increased monitoring of certain areas of the campus
Conduct Violations and Harassment
The UMES Physician Assistant Program adheres to the same policy adhered to by University. This can be found in the UMES Student Code of Conduct found at https://stg15.umes.edu/ConductAffairs/Content/Code-of-Conduct/.
It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to create a safe and inclusive environment that is free from gender-based harassment, sexual misconduct, relationship violence, and stalking. Individuals who report violations of this policy in good-faith will be protected from retaliation.
Zero Tolerance Policy
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore maintains and strictly enforces a policy of zero tolerance with regards to fighting, the use, possession and/or distribution of illicit drugs, and the possession of dangerous weapons, firearms, and explosives. If a student is found guilty of using, possessing, selling or distributing illegal drugs; initiating a fight, or using any object (weapon) with the intent to cause harm, the minimum sanction may be suspension from the University and dismissal from the UMES PA Program, and where appropriate students may be referred to local policing authorities for criminal prosecution. Suspension from the University for a violation of the zero-tolerance policy may result in the cancellation of the accused student’s housing contract, loss of tuition and fees, grades attempted, and denial of a housing contract in the future. If a student is found guilty of drug distribution or the possession of dangerous weapons, firearms, or explosives, the maximum sanction may result in expulsion from the University and dismissal from the Program.
