Office of Civil Rights and Investigations

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University of Idaho’s Office of Civil Rights and Investigations (OCRI) works to ensure our campus environment is free from legally-prohibited discrimination, harassment and retaliation. As U of I’s central resource for enforcing civil rights laws, OCRI is dedicated to upholding legally-mandated equal treatment — protecting individuals from being defined by identity-based assumptions or group classifications so that students and employees can focus on U of I’s core academic mission.

As a neutral enforcer of civil rights law, OCRI helps U of I avoid promoting particular ideological viewpoints, safeguards academic freedom, prevents compelled speech and supports a pluralistic academic community where open dialogue and critical thought can thrive. Through impartial enforcement, education and resolution processes, OCRI promotes accountability and protects the rights of all members of the U of I community.

Reporting misconduct

If you’ve experienced or witnessed discrimination or harassment based on a protected status such as race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age or military/veteran status at U of I, we encourage you to reach out. We’re here to provide information, support and legally-authorized options to those impacted.

Submit a report of misconduct

We do our best to review online report submissions within one business day. If you’re ever wondering about the status of a report, contact us at ocri@uidaho.edu or 208-885-4285. If you’re in immediate danger, call 911 first. Once you’re safe, let OCRI know what happened. If you’ve experienced a sexual assault, please seek a medical exam as soon as possible to preserve evidence, even if you’re not sure yet about reporting.

Employee reporting responsibilities

All U of I employees, including faculty, staff, administrators, resident advisors and coaches, are required to report any information they receive about possible sex-based misconduct occurring in a university program or activity.

Not sure if you need to report? No problem — OCRI is happy to talk it through with you once you submit a report. Stop by or give us a call.

About OCRI

Mission

OCRI works to ensure that all members of our campus community, including students, employees and visitors, can learn, work and thrive in an environment free from prohibited discrimination, harassment (including sexual assault and other forms of sexual misconduct) and retaliation.

OCRI does this by leading U of I’s efforts to comply with federal and state civil rights laws, including:

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination in education and employment based on sex.
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in education based on race, color and national origin, including shared ancestry and ethnic characteristics.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in employment based on race, color, national origin, religion and sex.
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, which prohibit discrimination based on age in employment and education.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibit discrimination based on disability in education, employment and public accommodations.
The Idaho Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination in employment and education based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin and disability.

OCRI helps uphold U of I’s legally-required commitment to those laws by:

Educating students, employees and others about civil rights laws and related State Board of Education and university policies.
Offering support to individuals who report discrimination, harassment or retaliation based on protected status.
Providing resources and support to individuals who have been reported for such conduct.
Overseeing both informal and formal processes to address and resolve complaints.

Scope of services

All members of the U of I community — including students, employees and visitors — are protected under the laws and policies OCRI enforces. OCRI serves as a neutral and accessible resource, providing fair and consistent responses to concerns and working collaboratively across campus to support an environment where civil rights are protected in accordance with legal obligations.

The office does not engage in activities outside the scope of its legally-defined responsibilities.

Areas of responsibility

OCRI is responsible for coordinating U of I’s compliance with laws and related policies prohibiting the following conduct, whether within the university’s education program or activity or otherwise within it’s disciplinary authority. Off-campus and online conduct can be subject to OCRI enforcement depending on the specific circumstances involved and with regard to due process rights and constitutional protections, such as the First Amendment.

Area of responsibility	What OCRI addresses
Race, color, national origin and religion (including “Title VI” misconduct)	Different treatment, disparate impact and harassment in a university program or activity, including education and employment, based on race, color, national origin, shared ethnic characteristics or ancestry and religion. Examples include: Antisemitic harassment Anti-Middle Eastern/Arab/Islamic harassment Concerns about exclusionary or stereotypical diversity, equity and inclusion practices Denial of reasonable accommodations based on religion
Sex-based misconduct (including “Title IX” misconduct)	Different treatment, disparate impact and harassment in a university program or activity, including education and employment, based on sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and related conditions, and parenting status (to the extent protected by relevant law and authorized by the First Amendment) Examples include: Sex-based violence or assault (including rape, fondling and statutory rape) Dating/domestic violence Stalking Quid pro quo harassment based on sex Other sexual or sex-based harassment Gender equity in pay Gender equity in athletics Denial of reasonable accommodations based on pregnancy and related conditions Violation of consensual relations requirements
Disability access	Different treatment, disparate impact and harassment in a university program or activity, including education and employment, based on disability. Examples include: Concerns about reasonable accommodations or auxiliary aids and services in education or employment Concerns about denied requests to reasonably modify policies and procedures Campus facility accessibility concerns Web and mobile content accessibility concerns Harassment or exclusion of individuals with disabilities
Age	Different treatment, disparate impact and harassment in a university program or activity, including education and employment, based on age.
Military or veteran status	Different treatment, disparate impact and harassment in a university program or activity, including education and employment, based on military or veteran status.
Retaliation	Intimidation, threats, coercion or other adverse action against anyone because someone reported a perceived wrongdoing, inequity or violation of law or U of I policy, filed a complaint alleging illegal or prohibited discrimination, participated in a grievance or appeals procedure or participated in dispute resolution through Human Resources or the Office of the Ombuds.

Services

OCRI promotes compliance with civil rights laws by leading a broad range of education, prevention, support and enforcement efforts as required by law, State Board of Education policies and university policies.

Note: OCRI offers educational programming only when required to stop unlawful conduct, prevent its recurrence or remedy its effects as mandated by law or related policy.

Education and outreach	Deliver general training sessions on civil rights laws, related institutional policies and nondiscriminatory practices Develop customized educational programs for students and employees, including as remedial measures or targeted interventions Collaborate with departments and units to embed civil rights requirements into trainings, programs and daily operations upon request Create and maintain toolkits, guidance materials and communications to promote awareness and campus-wide compliance
Policy and procedures	Maintain OCRI’s civil rights-related policies and procedures in alignment with federal and state laws and institutional priorities Support other units in drafting, reviewing and revising policies to address civil rights-related concerns Identify and elevate policy gaps, inconsistencies or risks that may impact civil rights compliance Provide consultation on the application of civil rights policies in specific or complex situations
Culture and climate initiatives	Conduct climate assessments through surveys, focus groups and listening sessions Partner with individuals and groups, including student organizations, to support civil rights-related inquiries and initiatives Promote community-building efforts that advance civil rights compliance
Support for parties to a report or complaint	Help individuals identified as alleged victims or alleged perpetrators in civil rights reports and complaints understand their rights, process options and available resources Connect parties to academic, workplace, living, health-related and other reasonable accommodations and supportive measures When requested, provide parties ongoing procedural guidance throughout the report, complaint and resolution processes applicable to their cases
Complaint resolution (Formal)	Conduct prompt, thorough and neutral investigations of discrimination, harassment and retaliation complaints Ensure fair and equitable procedures for all parties consistent with university policy and legal standards Communicate findings and outcomes in a timely and transparent manner
Complaint resolution (Informal)	Help parties identify shared goals and explore resolution options through separate, facilitator-led conversations without direct party-to-party interaction Assist in drafting written resolution agreements that reflect mutual understanding Monitor agreements for compliance and support sustainable, accountable outcomes
Data, reporting and oversight	Track and analyze trends to inform policy development, training efforts and resource planning Prepare and submit reports to university leadership and external regulatory agencies as required Monitor civil rights compliance and recommend improvements based on data and case insights

Contact OCRI

For more information about OCRI, please contact us at ocri@uidaho.edu or 208-885-4285.

If you are in immediate danger, call 911 first. You can notify OCRI when you are safe.

Contact OCRI staff

Operations and compliance coordination

Jackie Gharapour Wernz
Acting director, Title IX and ADA coordinator
jwernz@uidaho.edu
208-885-4955

Amber Feldman
Acting deputy director, deputy Title IX and ADA coordinator
afeldman@uidaho.edu
208-885-4285

Katie Reagan
Office manager
kreagan@uidaho.edu
208-885-4285

Investigations

Morgan Pappas
Civil rights investigator
mpappas@uidaho.edu
208-885-4285

Trent Taylor
Civil rights investigator
wtaylor@uidaho.edu
208-885-4285