The MiraCosta Community College District is committed to equal opportunity in educational programs, employment, and access to all institutional programs and activities.

Educational Programs and Services

The district, and each individual who represents the district, shall provide access to its services, classes, and programs without regard to national origin, religion, age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, race or ethnicity, color, medical condition, genetic information, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, or because he or she is perceived to have one or more of the foregoing characteristics, or based on association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.

In addition to the aforementioned legally protected characteristics, the district also has an interest in nondiscrimination based on additional factors such as accent, citizenship status, economic status, and ethnic group identification even though students or employees could not make a legal claim of discrimination based on these factors.

All courses, including noncredit classes, shall be conducted without regard to the gender of the student enrolled in the classes. As defined in the Penal Code, "gender" means sex and includes a person's gender identity and gender expression. "Gender expression" means a person's gender-related appearance and behavior whether or not stereotypically associated with the person's assigned sex at birth.

The district shall not prohibit any student from enrolling in any class or course on the basis of gender.

Academic staff, including but not limited to counselors, instructors, and administrators, shall not offer program guidance to students that differs on the basis of gender. Insofar as practicable, the district shall offer opportunities for participation in athletics equally to male and female students.

The superintendent/president shall establish administrative procedures that ensure all members of the college community can present complaints regarding alleged violations of this policy and have their complaints heard in accordance with the Title 5 regulations and those of other agencies that administer state and federal laws regarding nondiscrimination. (See Harassment & Unlawful Discrimination  and Student Rights & Grievances .)

Employment 

The district is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity and will implement a comprehensive program to put those principles into practice. The district shall provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, or military and veteran status.

The district will strive to achieve a workforce that is welcoming to men, women, persons with disabilities and individuals from all ethnic and other groups to ensure the district provides an inclusive educational and employment environment. Such an environment fosters cooperation, acceptance, democracy and free expression of ideas. Board Policy and Administrative Procedure 3420 address the plan that is maintained to ensure the implementation of equal employment opportunity principles that conform to federal and state laws.

All employment decisions, including but not limited to hiring, retention, assignment, transfer, evaluation, dismissal, compensation, and advancement, for all position classifications shall be based on job-related criteria as well as be responsive to the district's needs. The district shall from time to time as necessary provide professional and staff development activities and training to promote understanding of diversity.

(Source: MCCD Board Policy/Administrative Procedure 3410. All MiraCosta College board policies and administrative procedures are located on the Board of Trustees webpage .)