Oakland City University Investigated for Alleged Discrimination Based on Disability

OAKLAND CITY, INDIANA - According to Student and Military Advocate Gary Love, on May 20, 2021, a claimant was notified that the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights opened an investigation against Oakland City University for alleged discrimination based on disability.  The alleged discrimination took place between April 23, 2021, and May 14, 2021.  The Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights is responsible of enforcing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), 29 U. S.C. 794 and implementing regulation, 34 C.F.R., Part 104, which prohibits discrimination based on disability by recipients of Federal financial Assistance.  To learn more about the laws that the Office of Civil Rights enforces, visit http://www.ed.gov/ocr.

As recently as September 2019, the Office of Civil Rights completed a separate investigation against Oakland City University for discrimination based on sex in the athletic program.  In this investigation, the Office of Civil rights determined 5 of 11 component areas examined to have insufficient evidence of a violation.  The university signed an Agreement to resolve the remaining six areas.  To learn more about the outcome of the 2019 claim visit https://ocrcas.ed.gov/ocr-search. 

Those who feel they have been discriminated against need to understand that they have rights under that law so, please be encouraged to seek help using the appropriate filing process.  It is equally important for those filing claims to understand that the laws enforced by The Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights prohibit the University from harassing, coercing, intimidating, or discriminating against individuals because they filed a complaint or participated in the complaint resolution process.  If this happens, individual(s) may file a complaint against the University with the Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights.