Our Role in Embracing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility
The Personnel Commission provides for the selection and promotion of employees on the basis of merit and fitness, classification maintenance and salary allocation based on the concept of like pay for substantially similar work, without regard to race, ethnicity, gender, gender identify, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, disability, religion, or other protected categories.
Efforts
To minimize barriers to employment that are not job-related, and to ensure compliance with the California Education Code Sections relevant to merit system operations (88060 – 88139), we carry out these responsibilities through the following practices:
- Establishing minimum requirements for each job, based on job analysis data, to ensure that these requirements are relevant to the type and level of the job and do not unduly restrict candidate pool diversity.
- Ensuring hiring decisions are based solely on job-related factors. We utilize a content validation process outlined in the EEOC’s Uniform Guidelines for Employee Selection Procedures to link test and interview content and scoring standards to the most critical job requirements. We also utilize a competency modeling approach to job analysis that helps define a broader area for assessment.
- Monitoring hiring committee outcomes to ensure decision criteria is job-related, driven by evidence, and not based on potential biases.
- Allowing candidates to review their results, and to formally protest if they feel an evaluation was biased. The Director of the Personnel Commission has the authority to overturn any rating if evidence shows it was the result of a biased judgment.
- Utilizing a classification system for classified positions to facilitate pay equity by ensuring that everyone with the same job title is paid within the same salary range.
- Utilizing a position study process as a remedy to address complaints related to pay equity within a job series. If our findings show that an employee has been performing duties regularly that are paid at a higher level, we have the authority to grant temporary working out of class pay or permanent reclassification to the higher-paying job.
- Monitoring and analysis of hiring process outcomes to assess their impact on candidate diversity and inform continuous improvement efforts.
Ongoing Initiatives
In our commitment to continuous improvement in this area, Personnel Commission staff is actively pursuing the following initiatives:
- Adding a common group of knowledge and skills to all class descriptions that will more effectively represent the District’s DEIA priorities.
- Increasing the number and variety of recruitment sources we utilize in order to attract more diverse applicant pools, particularly in areas which are historically underrepresented.
- Expanding our analysis of applicant and candidate pools in order to better identify tools and processes which have the greatest impact on improving the diversity within our workforce.
- Committing ourselves to participate in ongoing DEIA training and development.
EEO Statement
The Santa Monica Community College District is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity. All qualified applicants for employment, as well as District employees, shall have full and equal access to employment opportunity. No person shall be subjected to unlawful discrimination in any program or activity of the District.
The District's Board Policy 3410 (Nondiscrimination), Board Policy 3420 (EEO), and Board Policy 7100 (Commitment to Diversity) may be accessed on the Board Policy Manual webpage
Equity Statement
Santa Monica College encourages candidates that are equity-minded to apply. SMC is a minority-serving, Hispanic-serving institution. We actively seek to attract candidates from minority groups that value equity, diversity, and inclusion. Equity, diversity, and inclusion are built into the culture at SMC, and are an essential component of the work that we do. SMC is committed to racial and socioeconomic diversity as it is a reflection of our student population and we strive to hire candidates that share this commitment.
Title IX Updates
Individuals participating in or attempting to participate in an educational program or activity at Santa Monica College, including applying for employment at Santa Monica College, are protected from all forms of sex discrimination under Title IX. If you have any questions related to Title IX, or wish to file a Title IX formal complaint, please contact Lisa Winter, Title IX Coordinator at (310) 434-4225, or Winter_Lisa@smc.edu