Annazette Fields, the second of four Office of Equal Opportunity director candidates, presented her qualifications, including discrimination investigation, educational background and experiences for the OEO office to University officials and students at a forum Thursday.
During the forum, Fields answered audience questions and outlined some of her plans if selected for the position. Fields also asked questions of the audience.
"The University of New Mexico will be challenge, due to the numbers and the diversity of the UNM," Fields said. "Murray State University has a student enrollment of approximately 10,000 students."
Fields is the current Director of Equal Opportunity at Murray State University. She is the University's sole investigator.
"One claim of discrimination is one too many," Fields said.
To become familiar with UNM and the student population, Fields took a tour of the University. During this time she spoke to students.
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"I enjoyed the different prospectives that the students had to offer," she said "It is important to keep the students informed and to educate them in any way necessary about the function of the department."
At Murray State University, the Department of Equal Opportunity works with student organizations, meets with groups and explains the reasoning for the department and how the office can help students with problems that may exist.
Concerning Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity, Fields is the Director of the Murray program. The office insures that the needs of students with disabilities are met.
Fields has completed her course work for her Ph.D in educational policy studies and Evaluation from the University of Kentucky. She has a Master's of Science in organizational communication from Murray State and a Bachelor's of Science in business administration from Langston University in Oklahoma.
The OEO monitors University activities to ensure the compliance with local, state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination. The office is currently headed by Interim Director Theresa V. Ramos.
The OEO director will be responsible for developing and directing a comprehensive affirmative action plan, serving as the coordinator for Americans with Disabilities Act and Title IX, of the Educational Amendments of 1972, and managing the investigation of complaints of alleged discrimination and sexual harassment.
The individual selected as head of the office will report directly to the president of the University.
Each candidate will be allowed to make a presentation to the University at individual forums.
The next candidate forum will be 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, in the Roberts Room at Scholes Hall. OEO candidate forms are open to the public.
