Civil Rights Resource Center

Even though every county extension office is responsible for keeping civil rights files up-to-date, all New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service employees are responsible for civil rights. The value of commitment to civil rights includes diversity of programming, reaching out to new audiences, and a dynamic Extension program.

New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service is driven to supply quality programs to ALL residents of New Mexico. The civil rights process ensures that we are reaching out to all potential audiences and are achieving parity.

• Director's Memos

Why Does NMSU CES Maintain Civil Rights Documentation?

The CSREES department has civil rights specialists that audit all land grant universities. We conduct state audits to help counties prepare for federal audits. IF we fail to comply we risk losing funding. NMSU receives federal funding for our programs which subjects us to federal audits to ensure we are reaching out to all. "Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) and its land-grant partners recognize the importance of diversity and inclusion in the development and implementation of Extension programs. These Extension programs must be handled in a manner that treats every customer and employee with fairness, equality, and respect" (CSREES Program Review Guide 2005). The big question that may be running through your mind, is why do we conduct civil rights reviews? FIRST and foremost, it is the right thing to do. Civil Rights is reaching out to ALL potential audiences. It is our duty and obligation to notify and invite all citizens in our great state to our programs. SECOND, we are mandated by the federal government as a land grant university.

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