Full Grievance Compact

On this page, you will find our full grievance compact.

Rationale

The IU Indianapolis Department of Psychology is a place where diversity of lived experience, equity in opportunity, and inclusion of our whole selves are highly valued and essential to all activities, including our research, teaching, mentoring, service, and practice. Diversity is defined as the representation of multiple identities and perspectives within the department, with special consideration of the identities and perspectives of communities we aim to serve and communities that are historically disadvantaged. Equity is defined as procedural justice – i.e., the extent to which our policies and procedures are fair and mindful of potential imbalances in power, opportunity, and outcomes. Inclusion is defined as a positive, welcoming climate in which all members of the department feel respected and valued.

We are fully committed to our core goal of infusing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) throughout the department’s entire mission. We work toward this goal by engaging in behaviors that increase representation, promote procedural justice, and foster a welcoming climate. In addition, we engage in thoughtful reflection and continuously work individually and collectively to be and do better in the DEI space. As we work toward this core goal, DEI concerns will inevitably arise among students, postdoctoral fellows, staff, and faculty.

Development

To properly address such concerns and achieve the best solution, the Psychology DEI Grievance Compact was developed by the Faculty and Staff Diversity Committee (FSDC), with input from the Graduate Student Diversity Committee (GSDC), Psychology leadership, and the Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO). This compact was approved by a full vote of Psychology faculty and staff on September 28, 2021, and implementation began on November 1, 2021. This compact is a general agreement among members of the Department of Psychology community regarding our approach to addressing particular DEI concerns at the local level. It describes concrete steps both within and outside of the department. It is designed to be used by all Psychology community members, including undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, staff, and faculty. It is intended to help us all reflect, learn, and grow together while we maintain diverse, equitable, and inclusive environments across settings. This compact is not prescriptive or punitive – it does not provide detailed action plans or consequences, as these activities are part of the missions of and are most appropriately handled by units outside of the department.

Operation

The overarching principle of this compact is: if appropriate, DEI concerns should be addressed locally first (see Internal Steps below). Examples of DEI concerns appropriate for this compact include microaggressions and/or instances of behavior/language causing offense that are not instances of discrimination, harassment, or sexual misconduct. Discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct all fall outside of this compact (see below).

Under this compact, the reporter should first bring the concern to the attention of the person whom the concern is about (Step 1). If the reporter feels uncomfortable talking with this person, the concern should be brought to the attention of the person in authority in that local context (Step 2). If the concern cannot be addressed locally, this compact delineates next steps for requesting additional assistance within (Steps 3 & 4) and outside (see External Steps) the department. Such an approach is consistent with the American Psychological Association's (APA) Ethics Code. That said, the reporter of a DEI concern always has the right to initiate a formal grievance process at any point with units outside of the Department of Psychology (see External Steps), and Psychology leadership (Area Heads, Directors of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies, and/or the Chair) will assist and support the reporter through the formal process.

The tables below delineate the Internal and External Steps for each type of Psychology community member.

Four key issues to keep in mind when carrying out the steps below are:

1. All information (from conversations, emails, meetings, etc.) stemming from a report of a DEI concern is strictly confidential. This information must not be shared with anyone who is not directly involved in the incident(s) or the follow-up steps.
2. This compact is a complement to existing University policies and procedures. If there is a conflict between this compact and any existing University policies and procedures, the University policies and procedures take precedence and must be followed.
3. Discrimination and harassment all fall outside of this compact. Any such incident must be reported to the appropriate external units (see External Steps). If you are unsure if an incident should be reported, promptly consult with Psychology leadership (Area Heads, Directors of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies, and/or the Chair).
4. Sexual misconduct falls outside of this compact. Claims of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, must be reported to the appropriate external units (see External Steps). Claims of sexual misconduct can also be reported to a "responsible person" (i.e., any faculty or people-facing staff member), who must report the incident to the appropriate external units (see External Steps).

Documentation

Under this compact, no formal documentation for any of the steps is required. However, it is recommended that you keep brief, dated notes (e.g., in a Word document) for all DEI concerns in which you are involved, which includes any of the internal and external steps described below. Such notes could prove useful for accurately recounting events, if needed.

Guidance

See Tips for Having a DEI Conversation at the end of this document.

Consultation

Please note that, while the FSDC and GSDC are not directly involved in the implementation of the Psychology DEI Grievance Compact, these committees are available to consult with Psychology community members regarding all aspects of addressing a DEI concern. We encourage Psychology community members to utilize these committees as DEI resources.

Expected Outcomes

The expected outcomes of the Psychology DEI Grievance Compact are:

1. greater awareness of the department's DEI values and approach to addressing DEI concerns;
2. greater awareness of units outside of the department that are appropriate for addressing DEI concerns;
3. increased engagement by all Psychology community members in addressing DEI concerns; and
4. improved department climate.

Internal steps (within the Department of Psychology)

Step 1: The reporter of the DEI concern should bring the relevant incident(s) to the attention of the person whom the concern is about.

We recommend that the reporter discuss the DEI concern with the appropriate person as soon as is feasible after the incident to increase the likelihood that the concern is addressed quickly and further harm is prevented; however, there is no time limit for reporting an incident.

The reporter should proceed to Step 2 if:

• the reporter feels uncomfortable talking with the person whom the concern is about, and/or
• the concern is not addressed to the reporter's satisfaction in Step 1.

Step 2: The reporter of the DEI concern should bring the relevant incident(s) to the attention of the local supervisor/administrator.

Upon receiving a DEI concern, the local supervisor/administrator should schedule separate meetings with the reporter and the person whom the concern is about within 10 working days to discuss the incident and collaboratively develop any action plans, if indicated. Another Psychology community member can accompany the reporter or the person whom the concern is about to these meetings to provide support and/or information relevant to the incident. If action plans are developed, they should be implemented by the local supervisor/ administrator. Of note, there is no strict time limit for the resolution of the concern, given that some concerns may need to be addressed continually over a longer period.

The reporter should proceed to Step 3 if:

• the concern is about the local supervisor/administrator, and/or
• the concern is not addressed to the reporter's satisfaction in Step 2.

Step 3: The reporter of the DEI concern should bring the relevant incident(s) to the attention of the next person up the departmental organizational structure.

Upon receiving a DEI concern, the contact person should schedule separate meetings with the reporter, the person whom the concern is about, and the local supervisor/administrator within 10 working days. The purpose of this meeting is to acquire an understanding of the incident and the Step 1 outcome and to collaboratively develop any action plans, if indicated. Another Psychology community member can accompany the reporter, the person whom the concern is about, or the local supervisor/administrator to these meetings to provide support and/or information relevant to the incident. If action plans are developed to address the DEI concern, they should be implemented by the contact person. Of note, there is no strict time limit for the resolution of the concern, given that some concerns may need to be addressed continually over a longer period.

The reporter should proceed to Step 4 if:

• the concern is about the next person up the departmental organizational structure, and/or
• the concern is not addressed to the reporter's satisfaction in Step 3.

Step 4: The reporter should bring the relevant incident(s) to the attention of the Psychology Chair.

Upon receiving a DEI concern, the Psychology Chair should schedule separate meetings with the reporter, the person whom the concern is about, and Steps 2 and 3 contact people within 10 working days. The purpose of this meeting is to acquire an understanding of the incident and the Steps 1, 2, and 3 outcomes and to collaboratively develop any action plans, if indicated. Another Psychology community member can accompany the reporter, the person whom the concern is about, or the Steps 2 and 3 contact people to these meetings to provide support and/or information relevant to the incident. If action plans are developed to address the DEI concern, they should be implemented by the Psychology Chair. Of note, there is no strict time limit for the resolution of the concern, given that some concerns may need to be addressed continually over a longer period.

The reporter should proceed to External Steps if:

• the concern is about the Psychology Chair and Step 1 has already been completed, and/or
• the concern is not addressed to the reporter's satisfaction in Step 4.

External steps (outside of the Department of Psychology)

At any time, Psychology community members can report and seek assistance with a DEI concern from the following campus units outside of the department:

Depending on the nature of the incident(s), it may also be appropriate to report the DEI concern to Campus Police.

The reporter of a DEI concern has the right to initiate a formal grievance process at any point with units outside of the department. The reporter of a DEI concern may decide to initiate a formal grievance process for many reasons, including, but not limited to: (a) the reporter is not comfortable speaking with people in the department about the concern, (b) the DEI concern was not adequately addressed by the Internal Steps, and/or (c) the nature of the DEI concern requires direct and immediate reporting to units outside of the department. Psychology leadership (Area Heads, Directors of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies, and/or the Chair) will assist and support the reporter through this formal process.