Policy Advisory Group

To fulfill the charge, members of the Policy Advisory Group created a survey in February 2024 to elicit feedback from campus members about the Policy on Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment and Related Misconduct (PPDHRM), the accompanying procedures, communication pertaining to the policy and procedures, and campus resources. The Policy Advisory Group sent the survey to 26 groups of campus partners, including offices that frequently work with the EOC, EOC staff, and identity groups on campus. Thirty individuals representing 13 areas of campus participated in the survey.

• Campus members want to learn about the policies and procedures from the EOC website, informational emails, and through trainings, information sessions and/or resource fairs.
• Participants know our resources well; most knew about 11 or more of our campus resources.
• Overall, participants find the Safe at UNC website helpful. A few participants didn’t know about the website; no participants stated the website was unhelpful.
• Participants stated they can understand the language and terminology in the PPDHRM and procedures.
• Participants overwhelmingly stated they are looking for definitions and steps in the process when they seek out the PPDHRM and procedures.
• Multiple participants stated the information could be condensed and that several definitions could be expanded to include assessment criteria.
• Multiple participants stated the process takes a long time.
• Multiple participants stated notifications and case updates could be improved. Participants had several creative ideas on how to do this, but all underscored the need for improvement.

The Policy Advisory Group reviewed the feedback in March 2024 and made the following recommendations:

• Update the PPDHRM in two phases. Phase 1 will include only non-substantive revisions; Phase 2 may include substantive revisions.

Phase 1 will:

1. Remove resource lists and link out to resources
2. Eliminate areas of duplication
3. Absorb the Policy on Non-Discrimination in Student Organizations and the Policy on Non-Discrimination for Program Participants into the PPDHRM and retire the standalone policies
4. Integrate, where appropriate, recommendations from the Ethics and Policy office Equity Audit

• Tentative Phase 1 timeline: implement by start of Fall 2024 semester

Phase 2 will:

1. Refine definitions of prohibited conduct to ensure they are still in line with regulations and contain assessment criteria as needed 
2. Better organize information between the appendix and body of the PPDHRM 
3. Eliminate areas of duplication between the PPDHRM and procedures
4. Integrate, where appropriate, recommendations from the Ethics and Policy office Equity Audit into the accompanying procedures  

• Explore improvements to EOC notification practices for reporting and responding parties, considering ways to minimize re-traumatization of parties and better inform them of what stage the case is in without overburdening EOC staff. Explore ways to increase support resources for responding parties who are going through EOC processes.  
• Explore ways to increase support resources for responding parties who are going through EOC processes.  
• Tentative Phase 2 timeline: implement by end of Spring 2025 semester 

The Policy Advisory Group will provide the EOC with complete data from the February 2024 feedback survey.  

2023-2024 Policy Advisory Group Members

Co-Chair	Human Resources and Equal Opportunity and Compliance	Cassidy Johnson
Co-Chair	Human Resources and Equal Opportunity and Compliance	Katie Nolan
Office of the Chancellor	Chief of Staff	Christi Hurt
University Office for Diversity and Inclusion	Vice Provost of Equity and Inclusion/Chief Diversity Officer	Leah Cox
Office of University Counsel	Associate Vice Chancellor and Senior University Counsel	Kara Simmons
Ombuds Office	Director	Dawn Osborne-Adams
Office of Human Resources	Senior Employee and Management Relations Consultant	Robin Rudd
Academic Personnel Office	Senior HR Consultant	Teresa Scaggs
Graduate School	Dean; Distinguished Professor of Nutrition and Co-Director Nutrition Obesity Research Center	Beth Meyer-Davis
Employee Forum	Student Services Specialist, Communication Dept	Jonah Hodge
Dean of Students Office	Dean of Students	Desiree Rieckenberg
Accessibility Resources and Services	Director	Simon Bloor
Violence Prevention and Advocacy Services	Gender Violence Services Coordinator	Holly Lovern
Carolina Women’s Center	Assistant Director	Shelley Kennedy
Office of Student Conduct	Director	Jenni Spengenberg
Undergraduate Student		Aaron Stepp
Graduate Student		Ashley Addison