Individuals with Reporting Obligations (IROs) are required to share with the Equity, Civil Rights, and Title IX Office (ECRT) details they receive about prohibited conduct while at work, within 48 hours after disclosure. We encourage all employees, regardless of IRO designation or University position, to share with ECRT details that they receive about concerns of prohibited conduct which include harassment and discrimination based on sex, gender, sexual orientation, and sexual identity.
Important Role of IROs
When IROs connect ECRT with the person who has shared a concern, the University can ensure that every individual receives comprehensive information about resources and options (supportive measures and resolution options). Reporting to ECRT allows the University to take steps to effectively identifying patterns and addressing possible sexual and gender-based misconduct.
Am I An IRO?
If you are unsure if you are an IRO, please contact us.
The following people are IROs:
The following people are IROs:
University Employees in these areas:
- Academic and staff supervisors who have authority to hire, transfer, suspend, layoff, recall, promote, discharge, reward, or discipline other employees
- ex: You are a faculty member who oversees a GSRA/GSI or staff manager
- Athletic staff members (excluding clerical, custodial, maintenance and dining employees)
- Board of Regents members
- Chancellors (including Vice, Associate, or Assistant Chancellors)
- Deans (including Vice, Associate, or Assistant Deans)
- Department Chairs (including Associate or Assistant Department Chair)
- Division of Public Safety staff members (excluding clerical, custodial, and maintenance employees)
- Faculty and staff members
- who provide direct oversight of University related travel abroad experiences for students
- who accompany students on University related travel
- serving as identified advisors to Student Organizations required by their campus to have a named faculty or staff advisor
- ECRT staff (excluding clerical employees, interns and student staff)
- Executive Officers (including Associate or Assistant Executive Officers)
- Graduate Chair
- Human Resources staff member handling employment matters (not clerical or transactional)
- President
- Professional staff in Student Life/Affairs who are responsible for discipline/sanctions/remedies in nonacademic matters
- Undergraduate Chair
- Vice Provosts
Student Employees in these departments:
- Athletics
- Department of Public Safety Service or DPS on the Flint and Dearborn campuses
- Housing
- Human Resources
- Student Life/Student Affairs
What to do if you learn of prohibited conduct?
IROs should file a report using the Harassment and Discrimination Reporting Form or by emailing or calling ECRT and should include their name and contact information within 48 hours of receiving a disclosure. IROs must include any relevant information known to them, such as the name(s) and/or University affiliation of the individuals involved and/or who shared the information with the IRO. This allows ECRT to make sure everyone receives the information they need in order to make informed decisions and access resources. This also allows ECRT the best opportunity to take effective action to address the concerns.
As an IRO, it is not your job to investigate or ask questions about the experience(s) but you do have a responsibility to connect people to ECRT. We also encourage you to share information about confidential and non-confidential resources, supportive measures, and resolution options.
For more information on guidelines of what to say visit our responding to disclosures page.
Reporting Exemptions
IROs do not have to report disclosures when they happen under certain, generally uncommon, scenarios:
- Sexual misconduct public awareness events (ex: Take Back the Night or events organized by confidential resources)
- Classroom discussions, in an assignment for class, in discussion outside of class, or as a part of a research project directly related to the class (for example, a person discloses a personal experience of sexual misconduct in a written assignment related to the neurobiology of trauma, or a classroom discussion about course material related to sexual violence);
- Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved research project – Unless otherwise provided in the IRB-approved consent, during a non-minor participant’s involvement as a subject in an IRB-approved human subjects research protocol (IRB Research), even when such disclosure would otherwise be considered received within the scope of the IRO’s employment
- A discussion in a peer support group organized and offered by a confidential resource (e.g., SAPAC, FASCCO, OCWR), when the IRO is a member of the peer support group
Training
All faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to complete the Reporting Sexual and Gender-Based Misconduct module on an annual basis to understand what reporting obligations they may have, the conduct covered under the Policy, and how to respond appropriately and report concerns.
Looking for additional IRO training/workshop for your unit? Contact the Prevention Education, Assistance & Resources (PEAR) Office at [email protected].
