placeholder
About Leadership & Administration Affirmative Action

Affirmative Action

WSU ensures that everyone has opportunities to pursue academics, apply for jobs and maintain employment, and use University services without discrimination.

Winona State University is committed to providing a campus environment where all people are welcomed, valued, respected, and unobstructed in their education and employment.

Our policy of equal opportunity and nondiscrimination prohibits discrimination or harassment based upon:

  • race
  • sex
  • color
  • creed
  • religion
  • age
  • national origin
  • disability
  • marital status
  • use of public assistance
  • gender identity
  • gender expression

In addition, discrimination in employment based upon familial status or membership or activity in a local commission as defined by law is also prohibited.  ​

Affirmative Action Plan
Through Affirmative Action, we actively take steps to overcome the present effects of past practices, policies, and barriers to equal education and employment opportunities.

Affirmative Action policies and programs are tools to make additional efforts to recruit, hire, and promote qualified women, people of color, and people with disabilities.

WSU Affirmative Action Plan (PDF)
A group of students talk and laugh in a classroom.
Reasonable Accommodations
WSU is committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for students, faculty, staff, and visitors with disabilities.

We will provide reasonable and appropriate accommodations to people with disabilities in compliance the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Purple banners with the WSU mission and Flaming W logo hang from campus light poles.

Under the ADA and Section 504, a person is considered to have a disability if they:

  1. have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity (such as hearing, seeing, speaking, breathing, performing manual tasks, walking, caring for oneself, learning, or concentrating)
  2. have a record of having such impairment
  3. are regarded as having such an impairment class

WSU will provide reasonable accommodations in accordance with:

Please contact Lori Mikl at lmikl@winona.edu or 507.457.2766 if you have any questions.

WSU will provide reasonable accommodations in accordance with:

Please contact Lori Mikl at lmikl@winona.edu or 507.457.2766 if you have any questions.

Students with documented disabilities can request an accommodation, so that they can be successful in their academic programs.

For information and support, contact Access Services at 507.457.2957 or access@winona.edu.

It is the responsibility of employees with disabilities to seek available assistance and to make their needs known.

To request an accommodation, contact Human Resources team member Jessica Wenzel at 507.457.5005 or jwenzel@winona.edu.

Concerns & Complaints

If you have any concerns about disability accommodations, reach out to ADA/504 Compliance Officer Lori Mikl at lmikl@winona.edu or 507.457.2766.

You could also access the Office of Civil Rights Complaint Portal to file a complaint.

File a Complaint

The Affirmative Action Office provides services to faculty, staff, and students who believe they have been harassed or discriminated against because they are a member of a protected class.

We are also responsible for investigating Title IX allegations of discrimination, harassment, sexual violence, and sex discrimination. ​

You may file a discrimination or harassment complaint verbally or in writing by contacting the Affirmative Action Office.

Lori J. Mikl
Title IX Coordinator | Director of Affirmative Action, Equity & Legal Affairs

202 Somsen Hall
507.457.2766

Email

While not required, you are encouraged to complete the Discrimination & Harassment Complaint Form (PDF) and deliver it as part of your complaint to the Office of Affirmative Action/Equity and Legal Affairs located in Somsen 202.

All complaints received will be handled in a timely and appropriate manner in accordance with the Minnesota State 1B.1.1 Investigative Procedure.

For more information, please see Minnesota State Policies and Regulations and Winona State University Policies and Regulations.

In addition to the internal complaint process, you may also file a complaint with the following organizations.

MN Department of Human Rights

612.296.5663 or 800.657.3704​
TTY: 651.296.1283​

190 East 5th Street, Suite 700​
St. Paul, MN 55101​

Learn More
U.S. Department of Education
Office for Civil Rights

312.730.1560 or TDD: 877.521.2172​
Fax: 312.730.1576​
Email: OCR.Chicago@ed.gov (preferred)​

Learn More
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Chicago District Office​

1.800.669.4000
TTY: 1.800.669.6820​

Learn More