UNC revises discrimination policies to make reporting simpler

University officials have revised UNC’s discrimination policies to make the process of reporting discrimination and harassment more approachable.

Chancellor Holden Thorp sent an email to students, faculty and staff Tuesday outlining revisions to the general policy statement on non-discrimination. The email also included an adapted, more detailed policy on prohibited harassment and discrimination.

The primary goal of revising the policies was to clarify which resources are available to students and faculty if they feel the need to file a complaint, wrote Ann Penn, director of the Equal Opportunity/Americans with Disabilities Act Office, in an email.

“This recent review focused primarily on issues raised by students that our processes were not as visible or helpful to them in coming forward with concerns about harassment or discrimination,” Penn said.

The review was conducted by the University’s harassment advisory committee, which included faculty, staff, graduate student and undergraduate student representatives.

The process for reporting complaints from students and employees is described at length in the document and made much clearer by the revisions, Penn said.

The updated document dictates that students or faculty who wish to file a discrimination or harassment complaint go directly to the Equal Opportunity/ADA Office or the Dean of Students Office for information.

Prior to the revision, the policy listed multiple campus offices for students and faculty to contact, which left many confused about who to talk to, Penn said.

Thorp stressed in the statement that the Equal Opportunity/ADA Office staff is available to train campus groups about topics surrounding harassment and discrimination.

Another motivation for revision came from students who were concerned that if they filed a complaint against a faculty member, the faculty member would be reviewed by the chairman or chairwoman of his or her department, Penn said.

In the old policy, the head of the department was permitted to conduct such a review. The revised investigation procedure requires that the complaint be heard by someone outside the department.

Penn said staff who investigate a complaint will be “appropriately trained.”

Clearer time frames for the investigative process are stated more explicitly in the appendices of the document as well, as students requested clarification on how long a review process for a complaint would take, Penn said.

Concerns surrounding the non-discrimination policy for student organizations emerged last week when Psalm 100, a Christian a cappella group, voted to remove member Will Thomason because of his views on homosexuality.

Jon Curtis, associate director of student activities and organizations, wrote in an email that the policy revisions and the investigation into Psalm 100 are unrelated. In fact, the non-discrimination policy for student organizations was untouched by the revisions.

The case of Psalm 100 is still under investigation by the University, which has asked all parties involved to submit information for the investigation by 5 p.m. Friday, Curtis said.

Contact the University Editor at university@dailytarheel.com.