Mississippi State University Title VI Program

Statement Of Commitment

Mississippi State University hereby provides its assurance of nondiscrimination in its programs and activities to the effect that no person shall on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, age, handicap/disability or income status be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination or retaliation under any federally or nonfederal funded program or activity administered by Mississippi State University and/or its contractors.

Title VI Coordinator

The University’s Director of Diversity and Equity Programs is designated to serve as the Title VI Coordinator. The Title VI Coordinator is the focal point for the Title VI implementation and monitoring of programs and/or activities receiving federal financial assistance from the Mississippi Department of Transportation. Key responsibilities of the Title VI Coordinator include:

  1. Coordinating of Title VI compliance activities.
  2. Providing technical assistance, guidance, and training on Title VI and other nondiscrimination authorities upon request of a University department head or higher level University official.
  3. Developing and disseminating Title VI information to the public in languages other than English, when the applicable University department head determines it necessary to do so.
  4. Coordinating and executing Title VI educational and outreach activities.
  5. Maintaining statistical data of participants and beneficiaries of federally assisted programs.
  6. Complying with developed University procedures to resolve determinations of noncompliance.
  7. Complying with developed University procedures for the prompt processing of Title VI discrimination complaints.
  8. Complying with MDOT processing guidelines by accepting all formal and informal, written or oral, discrimination complaints.
  9. Requesting and recording information listed below upon receipt of a complaint:
    1. The complainant(s) name, address and phone number.
    2. A description of the incident
    3. The basis of the complaint (i.e, race, color, national origin, age, sex, disability, religion, veteran status or retaliation).
    4. The date(s) on which the allegation occurred.
    5. The name(s) and contact information of individuals who may have knowledge of the alleged discrimination.
  10. Coordinating with the applicable University administrator to assist the administrator in responding to the complaint after an informal investigation has been concluded and recorded by the University administrator. The record of the investigation, upon completion, shall be provided to the Title VI Coordinator and shall be maintained thereafter by the Title VI Coordinator.

Public Involvement

The University shall provide an opportunity for public involvement and access to its transportation decision-making process in the planning and development of a transportation project so that the public may understand the project and articulate any concerns with any project that affects them.

Contracts

The University shall include notification in all solicitations for bids of work or material and agreements informing contractors that they, and their subcontractors, are subject to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other nondiscrimination authorities and that the contractor(s) and any subcontractor(s) may not discriminate in the selection and retention of any subcontractors and further may not discriminate in their employment practices in connection with highway construction projects or federal financial assisted projects.

Data Collection

The University shall develop and maintain procedures to collect statistical data (race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, and veteran status) of participants and beneficiaries of their programs. Data include, but is not limited to, public meetings and limited English proficient individuals served.

Annual Report

The University shall submit an annual report of Title VI accomplishments for the past year and goals for the upcoming year to MDOT. An annual work plan shall be prepared and submitted outlining the Title VI monitoring and review activities planned for the upcoming year, when each activity will be accomplished and a target date for completion.

Mark E. Keenum, President