Title VI
Title VI, 42 U.S.C. § 2000d et seq., was enacted as part of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. As President John F. Kennedy said in 1963:
“Simple justice requires that public funds, to which all taxpayers of all races [colors, and national origins] contribute, not be spent in any fashion which encourages, entrenches, subsidizes or results in racial [color or national origin] discrimination.”
Discrimination can be defined as “making a difference in treatment or to favor on a basis other than individual merit.” The role of the Office of Access and Compliance is to create awareness through training and other communication methods, investigate complaints and ensure compliance across campus. Because the University of Tennessee Health Science Center receives a variety of federal funding, protection under Title VI exists in all environments affiliated with our campus.
Your Rights under Title VI of The Civil Rights Act of 1964
"No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the-benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."
If you suspect that you have been discriminated against, please contact our office at 901.448.2112. You may also review our complaint procedure.
It is the practice of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center to provide language access services to populations of persons with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) who are eligible to be served by our programs. Such services will be focused on providing meaningful access to our programs, services, and/or benefits.
In August 2011, AVAZA Language Services Corporation was awarded the state-wide contract for telephone interpreting services for all of State of Tennessee government. The contract allows state users to contact the AVAZA 24-hour call center for foreign language interpretation in over 150 language and dialects. All agencies and departments, all counties and all programs in the State of Tennessee are covered under SWC 176. As a federal contractor, UTHSC, use of the interpretation services are covered under Title VI of the Civil Rights of 1964 addressing discrimination based race, color or national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.
DeafConnect is a private, non-profit interpreter referral agency, with funding provided by United Way of Memphis. UTHSC has used DeafConnect’s sign language interpreter services for assistance with patients, graduation and other events. Emergency interpreting is also available 24 hours a day. Use of the interpretation services may qualify as a reasonable accommodation under the Americans’ with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 depending on the circumstances for UTHSC sponsored events or programs.