As of Aug. 1, policy updates will take effect that reflect the Office of Institutional Equity’s role as Ohio State’s centralized report-and-response office for all forms of harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct..
Institutional Equity now houses the university’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), Protection of Minors and Title IX functions.
Policies with interim revisions include:
- Sexual Misconduct: The interim revised policy will include updated definitions and a new process to direct reports of sexual misconduct to the Office of Institutional Equity. Starting Aug. 1, all reports must go to this office. (Deputy Title IX Coordinator positions in Human Resources or Student Life will no longer exist.) Note that all employees have a duty to report sexual misconduct; this will not change.
- Affirmative Action, Equal Employment Opportunity and Non-Discrimination/Harassment: The interim revised policy will add all protected classes from the existing Non-discrimination Notice plus pregnancy, clarify definitions and update to reporting language.
In the next 18 months, the university will take these interim revised policies through the full policy process, including a public comment period, when the campus community may provide feedback.
Other policies have been updated to reflect the responsibilities of the Office of Institutional Equity. These include:
- Access for Individuals with Disabilities Policy
- Activities and Programs with Minor Participants
- Reasonable Accommodation Policy
Policies and standards associated with Institutional Equity, along with the updated Code of Student Conduct, are located at https://equity.osu.edu/policies-and-standards.