4. Complaint Procedure
UMaine Cooperative Extension has three complaint procedures available for clientele use. The first is listed on the And Justice For All poster. This involves direct written communication with the secretary of agriculture. The second procedure is part of the official UMaine non-discrimination statement and involves directing questions and complaints to the director of equal opportunity and diversity at the University. For the director’s contact information, visit the UMaine’s Office of Equal Opportunity website.
The third method is listed below:
Procedure For Handling Complaints Of Discrimination In Violation Of Title VI Of The Civil Rights Act Or Title IX Education Amendments
- Listen carefully to the complaint (if the complaint can be rectified to the client’s satisfaction, the next steps are not necessary).
- Ask for the complaint in writing, or assist the client to write the complaint.
- Write down a statement of the circumstances of the complaint with as much detail as possible, including date, place, who was involved, specific circumstances, and the specific way in which the complainant feels his or her rights were violated.
- Read the statement back to the complainant and ask for the statement to be signed.
- Notify the office of the Assistant Director of Employee Engagement, beth.hawkyard@maine.edu, and Human Resources and Civil Rights Coordinator, ext.civilrights@maine.edu, immediately and send a copy of the complaint with additional explanatory details. The complaint will be forwarded to UMaine’s Office of Equal Opportunity and to the Civil Rights Division of National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) USDA.