We recognize that there is not much to our life at NC State that feels “typical” or “normal” at present due to COVID-19.
The State of North Carolina is in a state of emergency and it is unclear how long current regulations regarding social distancing and remote work will last.
Though there have been changes to NC State’s operations to accommodate our new virtual environment, the reporting obligations for Responsible Employees remain. Department heads, directors of undergraduate and/or graduate programs, academic advisors, program directors, coaches and NC State Police, among others, must still forward disclosures and reports of sexual harassment, sexual violence, stalking and interpersonal/relationship violence to Equal Opportunity and Equity (EOE).
Students may disclose living in an unsafe household or that adapting to institutional changes is difficult as they navigate daily experiences following a traumatic experience. Someone may disclose that the chaos of COVID-19 has triggered anxieties and fears related to a past experience of sexual harassment.
Should a student or colleague disclose experiencing sexual harassment, sexual violence, stalking, relationship/interpersonal violence or related concerns, please report these concerns to EOE promptly.
EOE and the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity, like NC State, remain open.
To accommodate social distancing, in lieu of face-to-face meetings, EOE is hosting meetings virtually through Google Hangouts or Zoom in addition to being available for phone conferences. EOE’s main office phone number, 919.513.0574, is also available during regular business hours (8 a.m. – 5 p.m). EOE has also extended outreach efforts to be mindful of the volume of email messages and updates received near daily in regard to COVID-19.
Reporting information and details can be found at go.ncsu.edu/reportconcern.
Student support through the Women’s Center, the Counseling Center, and Prevention Services is available remotely. Assistance for employees through the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FASAP) is also available remotely, as is campus-wide support through Violence Prevention and Threat Management. InterAct of Wake County, our area’s sexual and domestic violence support center, is also offering virtual support and assistance to anyone impacted by such incidents.
EOE remains committed to the Wolfpack. For questions or concerns about our current operations, or to request a training on this topic via Zoom, please contact David Elrod, associate vice provost for equal opportunity and equity, at equalopportunity@ncsu.edu or 919.513.0574.
To review additional information regarding the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity’s remote work in response to COVID-19, including tips to navigating Zoom effectively and equitably and other online training offerings, please visit diversity.ncsu.edu/coronavirus-response.
April Baer, Ed.D (she/her), is an equal opportunity officer in the Equal Opportunity and Equity unit of the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity.