>> A-Z INDEX

Online PDF Forms

 

Welcome to the Office of Compliance Programs' Website

The main responsibilities of the staff in the Office of Compliance Programs are:

  1. Researching, writing, updating, evaluating, and monitoring the affirmative actions in the Affirmative Action Plan(s) for Equal Employment Opportunity. Two Plans are prepared: the EPA (Exempt from the Personnel Act) Plan is for faculty and administrators, and the SPA (State Personnel Act) Plan is for staff. The EPA Plan is rewritten every five years but it is monitored every year and the tables are updated annually as well. The SPA Plan is rewritten every year and must be certified as "acceptable" by the North Carolina Office of State Personnel.
  2. As the "Equal Employment Opportunity (Non-Discrimination and Affirmative Action) Officer," the Compliance Officer effectuates the affirmative actions in the two Plans (EPA and SPA). He also works closely with the Equal Opportunity Associate (EOA) in each of the thirty-five academic departments and with all administrators as well. His work addresses the areas of non-discrimination and affirmative action, and policy and procedural questions and challenges.
  3. The Compliance Officer serves as the Section 504 and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Compliance Officer for the University. The main responsibilities of the position are in the areas of public governmental relations; processing accommodations; complaint and grievance resolution; consultation/collaboration; professional development; administrative; training/education; facilities access; assistive technology; and, information dissemination. He is ably assisted in the student area by staff in the Office of Disability Services for Students which is housed in the Learning Assistance Program.
  4. The Compliance Officer serves as the "Chancellor’s HUB (Historically Underutilized Businesses) Liaison" on the campus, and is responsible for effectuating guidelines for recruitment and selection of minority businesses for participation in University of North Carolina construction contracts (G.S. 143-128.2). He works closely with Dr. Clyde Robbins, Director, Office of Design and Construction.
  5. The Compliance Officer serves as the "Chief Privacy Officer" on the campus to effect the requirements of the 1996 HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). The law, among other requirements, includes provisions designed to encourage electronic transactions and requires new safeguards to protect the security and confidentiality of health information. He works closely with the University HIPAA Oversight Committee.
  6. The Compliance Officer oversees all EPA faculty and administrative, and SPA staff recruitment and employment searches for the campus—some 450 searches each year (150 faculty and administrative, and 300 staff)—and is ably assisted by the Associate Compliance Officer for SPA, Mrs. Doris Greer, Office of Human Resource Services.
  7. The Compliance Officer helps to defend the University against allegations of unlawful discrimination lodged by people with several federal agencies—e.g., DOL (Department of Labor), EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission), HHS (Department of Health and Human Services), and OCR (Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights).
  8. There are several other ongoing responsibilities, including numerous ad hoc inquiries and meetings, as well as conducting several annual research studies such as the equal pay study of faculty salaries, tenure and promotion studies based on the "eighty percent rule," etc.
  9. Although not a formal, required responsibility, the Compliance Officer periodically writes and publishes editions of The Appalachian Faculty Emeriti book. Six editions have been published to date: 1985, 1987, 1990, 1994, 1999, and 2004.
  10. Finally, personnel in the Compliance Office write or edit several documents and books to help effectuate their responsibilities:
    • Equal Opportunity "Charge," 2006 [This document includes the "EPA Job Description Form and Recruitment Plan" (Part 1 of 2) which opens a position, and the EPA Compliance Report (Part 2 of 2) which closes a position.]
    • The Affirmative Action Plan for Equal Employment Opportunity (EPA), 2004 [This document includes the responsibilities of the Equal Opportunity Associate (EOA) in each of the thirty-five academic departments at pages 13-16.]
    • The Affirmative Action Plan for Equal Employment Opportunity (SPA), 2005
    • Resource Guide for Students with Disabilities, 2005
    • A Descriptive Analysis of The Accessibility of The Buildings and Grounds of Appalachian State University for People with Mobile, Hearing and Visual Impairments, 2002


Director of AA/EEO Compliance : Linda M. Foulsham, J.D. foulshamlm@appstate.edu
Administrative Assistant: Terri Lockwood lockwodtl@appstate.edu


Office of Equity, Diversity and Compliance
Appalachian State University
401 Academy Street
123 I. G. Greer Hall
P.O. Box 32053 | Boone, NC 28608
Office: (828) 262-2144 | Fax: (828) 262-6646