As part of its ongoing commitment to a thriving campus, the University of Michigan has strengthened its existing policies and introduced a new student policy to foster a campus free of discrimination, harassment and sexual misconduct. 

The policies — which are effective Sept. 2 — expand employee reporting requirements, provide consistent information on support and procedures for addressing complaints, and centralize reporting of matters involving discrimination, harassment and sexual and gender-based misconduct to the Equity, Civil Rights and Title IX Office. 

“Consistency in our policies and procedures strengthens community awareness of expectations and helps to promote a safe and healthy campus community,” said Tami Strickman, special advisor to the president and executive director of ECRT.

“The new and updated policies enable the university to respond to concerns, meet legal obligations, and connect individuals who have been impacted by discrimination, harassment or misconduct to support and resources.”

The updates are outlined in university Standard Practice Guides, Discrimination and Harassment by employees (SPG 201.89-1) and Sexual and Gender-Based Misconduct (SPG 601.89), which apply to the university’s three campuses, including Michigan Medicine.

In addition, the university has created a new Interim Policy and Procedures on Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation by Students for the Ann Arbor campus, which will be adopted by Dearborn and Flint with procedures tailored to their respective campuses. 

Serving as the companion policy to the employee non-discrimination policy, the new student policy prohibits discrimination, harassment and related retaliation based on a protected class, including race, religion and national origin. The policy also outlines available support, policy procedures and resolution options.

ECRT will conduct listening sessions in the fall before finalizing the interim policy.  

The policies follow the requirements of the June 2024 agreement with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights in which the university committed to a review of its policies to ensure clarity on its process for responding to concerns of discrimination or harassment based on a protected class, including race, religion and national origin. 

Information sessions for the U-M community to learn more about the policies and reporting are planned for the coming weeks across all campuses. Registration is required. Formal training on the new and updated policies for students, faculty and staff will be forthcoming. 

Here’s a closer look at some of the policy updates: 

Reporting 

All non-confidential employees — faculty and staff, including student employees — are required to share with ECRT information learned in the scope of their employment about alleged sexual misconduct and protected class discrimination, harassment or retaliation. 

Confidential resources — such as Faculty and Staff Counseling and Consultation Office, Michigan Medicine Office of Counseling and Workplace Resilience, university ombuds and the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center — remain exempt from reporting. 

Additional limited reporting exemptions still apply such as when a disclosure occurs during classroom discussions, Institutional Review Board approved research projects or at a public awareness event.

The change expands the previous reporting requirements under the SGBM policy from a designated group known as Individuals with Reporting Obligations, which was limited to university leadership, supervisors, faculty and staff in specific units and/or with certain oversight of students.  

Individuals who experience discrimination, harassment or sexual or gender-based misconduct are not required to share their personal experience under the policies. 

Consistent resources, response and resolution options

All policies now include information about supportive measures, how the university responds to complaints and the available resolution options for addressing concerns. 

Supportive measures — which are individualized supports, adjustments or services designed to restore or preserve equal access to university programs and activities — are available to individuals impacted by discrimination, harassment or sexual misconduct regardless of whether a complaint is made to ECRT. 

ECRT reviews all information shared for appropriate next steps, which may include outreach to impacted parties to discuss supportive measures and resolution options or referral to another campus resource, such as Human Resources or the Division of Public Safety and Security.

Multiple resolution options are available to resolve concerns or reports including informational consultation, adaptable resolution and formal investigation. All resolution options must be approved by ECRT.