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University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Safe and Inclusive Work Environments Plan Guide

Purpose: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) has developed this guide for researchers who are submitting proposals which require safety, inclusion, diversity, and/or equity plans.

Internal Review Requirement: Prior to submitting to the granting agency, the plan must be reviewed and approved by the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) and Equal Opportunity and Compliance Office opens in a new tab (EOC). Draft plans must be submitted for review five (5) business days prior to the deadline of the grant submission, consistent with OSP Operating Standard 300.03 – Deadlines for Proposal Submission to University Offices. Any deviations from this guide must be submitted ten (10) business days prior to the deadline of the grant submission.

Internal Submission Instructions: Use the Safe & Inclusive Work Environment Plan Review Form to submit a draft plan and a copy of the sponsor’s guidelines. OSP and EOC will review the plans and communicate any edits or approval to the department contacts listed on the online form. The departments should then attach the approved plan in RAMSeS using the document type “Safe and Inclusive Plans”.

Last Updated: February 15, 2024

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has policies prohibiting harassment, stalking, bullying, hazing, and conduct that is unwelcome, offensive, indecent, obscene, or disorderly, and has procedures and practices in place to prevent and address such behaviors.

The relevant policies include:

Steps to Nurture an Inclusive Off-Campus Working Environment
  1. All UNC-Chapel Hill employees are required to take Preventing Harassment and Discrimination training annually.
    • If you will be participating in off-campus research and have not yet completed these trainings, contact eoc@unc.edu with the subject line “Training for NSF Off-Campus Work.”
  2. All UNC-Chapel Hill employees are required to review the above-listed policies, which apply to their off-campus research conducted pursuant to their employment at UNC-Chapel Hill.
    • If you will be participating in off-campus research, review each of the above policies.
  3. All off-campus research site participants have the option to report misconduct of UNC-Chapel Hill employees at the off-campus research site as indicated below.
  4. All off-campus research site participants may access the University’s resources for addressing these forms of misconduct.
    • Resources are attached to this plan and are available at safe.unc.edu opens in a new tab.
Process for Making Reports

Reports can be made to the Equal Opportunity and Compliance Office at reportandresponse@unc.edu, at 919-966-3576, or through the online reporting form opens in a new tab for assessment, referral to any other applicable unit(s), and response.

Process for Resolving Reports
  1. Reports made to the Equal Opportunity and Compliance Office will be addressed consistent with the applicable procedures. More information can be found in those procedures.
  2. Reports made to Employee and Management Relations will be addressed consistent with the applicable procedures.

Last Updated: February 15, 2024

Some grants may require a plan specific to the challenges posed by the particular research site. You should consider the below possible challenges and possible solutions and tailor your plan accordingly.

Potential Challenge
Possible Solutions

Limited ability to communicate with those outside of research site
  • Place communication method in central location that is accessible to all research participants
  • Provide instructions to all participants on how and where to use available communication methods
  • Establish regular communication points with the organization and procedures for ensuring organization speaks with all research participants
  • Provide all research participants a regular, private time to use available communication method

Remote/rural research site
  • Provide all participants contact information for closest emergency services, including medical, fire, and police
  • Contact local emergency services prior to participants moving to site to ensure awareness of group’s location
  • Provide multiple avenues for participants to leave site (i.e., more than one vehicle) and ensure all participants know how and where to access these avenues

International research site
  • Provide all participants contact information for local emergency services, including medical, fire, and police
  • Consult the State Department’s website opens in a new tab for location- specific recommendations and provide same to participants
  • Consult UNC Global’s International Travel website opens in a new tab for policies, insurance, and other information and provide same to participants
  • Communicate to all team members that University policies and expectations for conduct apply in the international setting
  • Provide training on local customs to ensure cultural competency and respectful interactions with local citizens
  • Identify a time when the international site and the U.S. site will both be available in light of time zone differences to use for check ins or reporting
  • Establish procedure for ensuring regular communication between participants and U.S. site and/or personal U.S. contacts
  • Establish a plan to address any language barriers that may exists between participants and local emergency services, such as planning to pay for translation services that do not rely solely on one individual in the group and providing participants information about how to access those services

Shared living quarters
  • Provide mechanisms for privacy while sleeping, showering, and changing (i.e., privacy screens, opaque curtains, etc.)
  • Establish a schedule for private use of shared facilities

Involvement of multiple organizations
  • Establish and disseminate clear organizational structure, defining roles and responsibilities
  • Review organizations’ applicable policies and procedures, identify any conflicts, and communicate applicable approach

Third parties present at site
  • Disseminate and communicate info/materials to all third parties regarding the University and its employees’ roles, responsibilities, and expectations
  • Reiterate availability of University resources and reporting mechanisms to third parties
  • Reiterate expectations and responsibilities for University employees

Accessibility barriers
  • Communicate with all site personnel prior to start of work of the ability to request accommodations by contacting accommodations@unc.edu
  • If any accessibility barrier is identified, contact the University’s ADA Coordinator at accommodations@unc.edu
  • If physical accessibility barriers are identified prior to use of the site, communicate such barriers to all personnel and inform them of the option to request accommodations by contacting accommodations@unc.edu
  • Avoid singling out any personnel you believe may be impacted by the barrier

Last Updated: February 15, 2024

Some grants require you to identify specific actions to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion at the research site. Below are some options for you to consider. These options are not all-inclusive but may give you a starting point. If you develop other options, be sure to review the guidance below on complying with relevant laws and policies.

Actions you may include in your plan:

  • Provide or require education for research participants on DEI, conflict resolution, and/or bystander intervention. Below are University sources for such trainings.
  • Establishment of structural practices that ensure development and contribution opportunities for all research participants.
    • Establish a mentorship program.
    • Conduct regular 1:1 meetings between PI and other research staff. Incorporate an opportunity for other staff to voice concerns and provide feedback to PI. Consider allowing staff to develop or collaborate on the meeting agenda to ensure other staff have opportunities to contribute.
    • Set norms for group interactions to ensure consideration of all viewpoints. Consider methods like time limits on verbal contributions, round-robin style speaking to give everyone an opportunity to speak, or establishing an order of contributions so that junior members can contribute first.
    • Establish methods for dealing with conflict.
    • Provide individual development plans, including goals, mentoring and training needs, and successes and challenges.
    • Establish individualized processes for giving critical feedback. Seek input from staff on how they prefer to receive such feedback, whether in writing, immediate, or with time to reflect. Explain the goals of critical feedback, and explain how to move forward in addressing feedback.
  • Commitment to review the research site for access barriers and address.
    • Consider access barriers broadly, with respect to disability, pregnancy and related medical conditions, and religion.
    • Consider physical and programmatic barriers.
    • Proactively request a consultation from EOC and DAO.

Actions you may not include in your plan:

  • The University cannot hire individuals or limit job, mentorship, or other opportunities based on protected status. Protected statuses include age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, race, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.
    • You may not commit to hire personnel of a particular protected status or consider protected status in a hiring decision.
    • You may not limit mentorship or other support mechanisms to individuals of a particular protected status.
  • The University cannot solicit or require an applicant, candidate, or faculty member to make statements that require attesting to or affirming beliefs about matters of contemporary political debate or social action as part of hiring, promotion, or tenure processes. More information is available here: https://hr.unc.edu/compelled-speech-prohibition/ opens in a new tab

Last Updated: February 15, 2024

Main Inbox: safeinclusiveplans@unc.edu

Office of Sponsored Programs
SponsoredPrograms@unc.edu
(919) 966-3411

Equal Opportunity and Compliance Office
eoc@unc.edu
(919) 966-3576

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