September 17, 2007
New procedures for reporting discrimination
The University has updated its policy against
discrimination and harassment to provide clearer definitions and to outline
new investigation procedures for formal complaints. All faculty and staff
will soon receive a booklet outlining the changes to HR Policy 106 and the
new process for reporting and investigating formal complaints.
Kathy Sweetland, University intercessor, says the
changes are the result of a general review by the Office of University
Counsel and Human Resources and subsequent consultation with deans from all
the schools. The goal, she says, is to increase awareness about what
constitutes discrimination and harassment, and to provide faculty and staff
with easy access to a process to resolve formal complaints.
“We not only wanted to make sure that the
distinctions between harassment and discrimination are clear, but to
establish a more formal procedure for reporting an event,”
says Sweetland.
The biggest change is that departments and Human
Resources will work directly with the Office of Counsel to resolve formal
reports. The Office of Counsel will assign a neutral third party to review
reports and conduct an investigation. The results of the
investigation will be given to the department who will work with Human
Resources if any disciplinary action is warranted.
This new procedure for formal investigations does not
apply to students. The dean of students’ office or director of
student affairs from each school will continue to handle reports against
students.
Report forms and the text of the complete policy are
available at www.rochester.edu/working/hr/policies.
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