Office for Equal Opportunity
North Carolina
State University

Location & Hours
1 Holladay Hall
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Monday - Friday

Mailing Address
Campus Box 7530
Raleigh, NC
27695-7530

Phone Numbers
Main: 919-515-3148
Fax: 919-513-1428
TTY: 919-515-9617

Equal_Op - February, 2004, Volume 4, #3

Guidelines Regarding Religious Prayer

One memorandum that has sparked a lot of discussion during the 2003-04 academic year has been the “Religious Prayer and State-Supported Institutions” document. This document was not meant to stir up controversy; indeed, the need for this memorandum actually came from a complaint that was made by a faculty member regarding religious prayers to which he had been subjected during university-sponsored meetings and functions over the course of his ten-plus years at NC State University. The Office for Equal Opportunity consulted with the Office of Legal Affairs on this issue, and it was decided that information regarding these concerns be shared with the university community. Legal cases have also been taken into consideration in the development of these guidelines, more specifically Mellen v. Bunting 181 F. Supp. 2d 619 (WD Va. 2002); Anderson v. Laird, 151 U.S. App. D.C. 112, 466 F. 2d 283 (D.C. Cir. 1972); Tanford v. Brand, 104 F.3d 982 (7th Cir. 1997); and Chaudhuri v. Tennessee, 130 F.3d 232 (6th Cir. 1997).

Feedback regarding this memo has ranged from “…thank you for doing this…” to “…it’s a sad day when anybody complains about praying…”. Due to the various interpretations of the memorandum, it may be useful to share further information regarding decisions the courts have made and how these decisions guide our practices at work. The Establishment Clause, one of several clauses of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, mandates separation of church and state in the sense of any and all religion. As state employees, we need to adhere to the Constitution. Here are some guidelines, developed by both the Office for Equal Opportunity and the Office of Legal Affairs; all university employees need to take these guidelines into consideration regarding religious prayer and religious activity:

• There should be no prayers at university meetings, departmental functions or other events within the realm of employment. However, a moment of silence or thanks for the blessings we enjoy, without more and without any religious context, would likely be constitutionally acceptable.

• The above statement applies to class sessions and other events or gatherings where people are expected to attend for curricular purposes.

• The above statement does not prohibit anyone from engaging in personal prayer on his or her own. It applies to situations where someone wants to lead or encourage others to pray or engage in religious activity. People should not feel compelled to participate or acquiesce in religious activity, such as prayer, as part of their employment or education at a government institution.

• Where attendance at a university meeting, event, function, etc. is entirely voluntary, an ecumenical inclusive invocation is likely to be constitutionally acceptable provided no one feels compelled to attend and the invocation is broadly inclusive and does not reference a specific God or deity or type of religion (e.g., Christianity, Buddhism, etc.).

• Suggested language for an ecumenical, inclusive invocation could be: “We will now take a moment to contemplate why we are here and what has brought us together. I invite each of you to take a moment for silent reflection before proceeding with our meeting.”

If you have questions regarding these guidelines, you may contact the Office for Equal Opportunity at 919-513-1234 or the Office of Legal Affairs at 919-515-3071.

What Would You Do?
Accommodation Procedures for Students with Disabilities

Scenario: You are a professor, and on the first day of class, a student who wears dark glasses and carries a cane informs you that she has a disability and requires accommodations. The student begins listing the accommodations she needs, but none of them seem related to the fact that she appears to have a disability related to vision. Should you provide the requested accommodations?

Correct Procedure: As the professor, you should tell the student that you have not received a letter from the DSS office informing you of her functional limitations due to disability. If the student does not have a student copy of the letter to share, you should refer her to the DSS office. It is the student’s responsibility to provide documentation to support required accommodations. Accommodations should not be implemented without obtaining appropriate verification from DSS.

Free Professional Development Opportunities

The Office for Equal Opportunity sponsors numerous programs that are free to NC State University faculty, staff and students. Upcoming programs include:

• Accessible Web Design
• Assistive Technology at NC State
• The EEOC (Equal Opportunity Employment Commission)
• Legacies + Layers = Lenses (Campus Diversity Conflicts: Methods for Managing the Unmanageable)
• Millennium Game
• NCBI Building Bridges – Prejudice Reduction Workshop
• The Protected Class of National Origin
• The Protected Classes of Race and Color
• The Protected Classes of Religion and Creed
• The Protected Class of Veteran Status

To learn more and to register, visit www.ncsu.edu/equal_op/education/oeo_reg.html.

Staff Spotlight: Attorney Sarah Ann Lannom

Sarah Ann Lannom, Associate General Counsel, joined the NC State Office of Legal Affairs in December. Ms. Lannom graduated from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1991. After passing the North Carolina State Bar that summer, she served for two and a half years as a law clerk for the Honorable Jack Cozort (an NC State alumnus) on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. She joined the Attorney General’s Office in 1994, and, after a one-and-a-half-year hiatus to Northern Virginia after she was first married in 1995, she returned (with husband) to North Carolina and rejoined the Attorney General’s Office. There, Ms. Lannom represented the North Carolina Department of Transportation in labor and employment matters for almost seven years before coming to NC State.

Among the NC State offices for which Ms. Lannom provides legal services are the Office for Equal Opportunity and Disability Services for Students. OEO and DSS will be looking to Ms. Lannom for assistance with legal issues in the course of carrying out their duties and providing services to the University. We recently interviewed Ms. Lannom about her role at NC State.

Q: What motivated you to become an attorney?

A: My undergraduate major was economics, and I was planning to become an accountant, until one day a friend told me that I was too much of a "people person" to sit in a room looking at someone's books all day. Also, back in 1988, the job market was bleak, the glamour of "L.A. Law" beckoned, and it just seemed like the natural step after graduation to postpone "real life."

Q: What are your areas of responsibility as an attorney for NC State, and how did you become interested in these areas?

A: My primary responsibility is to advise the University on labor and employment matters. I will also be working with the University in other areas that have yet to be determined. I first became interested in labor and employment law when I took a course on that topic at Wake Forest. Labor and employment law is always evolving and never dull, which is why I really enjoy this area of practice.

Q: What do you see as critical issues facing NC State regarding the areas of equal employment opportunity and/or affirmative action?

A: I think the U.S. Supreme Court’s decisions last term on affirmative action present some real challenges to the University with respect to reviewing admissions policies and other policies relating to the promotion of diversity. It will be fascinating to see how things unfold in that area and how universities respond to those cases. Also, I think that disability issues touching on both discrimination and accommodation are very prominent. Thankfully, both OEO and DSS have great track records in these areas, which makes my job much easier.

As for personal information, I have been married to Chris Lannom for eight years and have a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Olivia. When I have any spare time, I like to read, play golf, and cook. I love old James Bond movies with Sean Connery and am a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan.

One Voice: Shannon Doorhy Speaks About DSS

This column features an individual who has experienced or explored a service or opportunity provided by the Office for Equal Opportunity (OEO).

In this issue, we interview Shannon Doorhy, an NC State undergraduate. You may have read about Shannon’s remarkable story in the News & Observer last year. Diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, she not only progressed through her many treatments but is also continuing her studies at NC State.

Equal_Op: How has NC State’s Disability Services for Students assisted you in your studies?

Shannon Doorhy: When I was diagnosed in January 2002, we pretty much knew for sure that I would not be going back to classes in the Fall. I needed a transplant soon, so even though they weren't sure what kind of donor bone marrow I would get, they knew I would get some kind of transplant over the summer. This was very disheartening. Even before I was diagnosed, my goal was to finish undergrad in four years and this was completely blown out of the water after that January. So I immediately signed up for DSS and the distance education. I didn't want to have to prolong the time it took to get my degree any longer than necessary. DSS worked with me to set up my distance education, talk with my professors about my situation and needs to complete the courses, and figure out what options were available to me to help me complete my courses. They also helped me to finish out the courses that I was taking at the time that I was diagnosed. I couldn't keep up the full course load of 12 hours with my new treatment starting but I was able to finish 9 of my hours with the options that DSS gave me. These options included allowing medical related absences, extra time on tests and tests given a different room, tape recording lectures, giving me chairs to sit in during labs, and priority registration.

Equal_Op: What have you found particularly helpful about DSS?

Shannon Doorhy: The people at DSS really try to understand your situation and help you out. The letters that DSS sends out to your professors every semester are great because it takes away the anxiety about confronting your professors about what you need from them. I, particularly, do not much like asking for extra help and it’s hard even to take that letter to them, the first time you are going to talk to them, and tell them that you need extra help to get through their course. The letters really make it easy for me to ask for the things that I know I need. I do not feel like DSS gives me a head up on my classes; I believe it puts me on an even level with the rest of the students.

Equal_Op: What is your favorite aspect of DSS?

Shannon Doorhy: The best thing about DSS is the priority registration. Priority registration is great because it gives me options to schedule my classes so that I have breaks between and so that the classes are in buildings that are close together. This gives me a chance to rest and eat a snack in between classes to keep up my strength.

Equal_Op: Would you recommend DSS to other students with special needs?

Shannon Doorhy: Definitely. DSS is a resource that is available for people who need it. If you know you need it, the smart thing to do is use all of your resources.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Sharon Wright for winning our drawing, and thanks to all who completed our survey!

OEO Resource Directory

Office for Equal Opportunity (OEO)
1 Holladay Hall
Campus Box 7530
919-515-3148
www.ncsu.edu/equal_op

Disability Services for Students (DSS)
1900 Student Health Center
Campus Box 7509
919-515-7653
www.ncsu.edu/dss

Disability Hotline
To report a disability or accommodation issue or concern, send email to ADAHotline@ncsu.edu.

Harassment Complaints
For help with a harassment concern, contact Dr. Rhonda Sutton at 919-513-1234 or rhonda_sutton@ncsu.edu. [Update as of 11/2006: For help with a harassment concern, contact Amy Circosta at 919-513-1234 or amy_circosta@ncsu.edu.] You can also submit a harassment complaint online at www.ncsu.edu/equal_op/harassment/
harassment_complaint_form.html, or send email to report_harassment@ncsu.edu.

Hiring Procedures & Search Committee Orientations
If you are beginning a new search for a position, OEO encourages you to call 919-515-3148 to schedule a search committee orientation.

Training & Workshops
For information about our workshops and course offerings, please see www.ncsu.edu/equal_op/education.html or contact Beverly Jones Williams at 919-513-3836.

Faculty Exit Interviews
If you are a departing faculty member, please contact Dr. Rhonda Sutton at 919-513-1234 to schedule your exit interview. [Update as of 2/2007: For your exit interview, please contact Carson C. Cook at 919-513-2099 or carson_cook@ncsu.edu.]

About Equal_Op
This newsletter is published by the Office for Equal Opportunity at NC State University. It is available online at www.ncsu.edu/equal_op/pubs.html and in alternate formats upon request.

If you have questions or comments regarding this newsletter, please contact the Office for Equal Opportunity at 919-515-3148 or by email.