Email thank-you

FROM:
TO:
Bcc:
SUBJECT:

National Science Foundation/Office of Equity and Civil Rights
Selected Interviewee
Contracting Officer’s Representative; Contract Project Manager
National Science Foundation’s Title IX Request

I am writing to you from the National Science Foundation (NSF), Office of Equity and Civil Rights (OECR)
to request your help in assessing our award requirements and policies aimed at promoting safe and
inclusive research and education environments. Specifically, OECR requests that you share your
insights and suggestions by participating in a voluntary, confidential conversation. No special
preparation is necessary. We are interested in your experiences, impressions, and suggestions for
improving this effort.
In 2018 and 2019 respectively, NSF developed a new award term and condition that established
notification requirements regarding incidents of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and other forms of
harassment and initiated a new conference policy that requires NSF-sponsored conferences to have
clear policies or codes of conduct addressing the same, including procedures for reporting any incidents.
In our effort to understand the impacts of these policies and how OECR can support awardee
organizations in implementing them, we have contracted with an independent research team to
conduct conversations with representatives of awardee organizations across the United States. These
voluntary conversations will include questions about the requirements and policies and their
implementation, the opportunities and challenges they have presented, and recommendations for NSF
moving forward. To encourage open and honest feedback, all responses will be kept confidential, and
none of the findings reported to NSF will be attributed to specific conversation participants or awardee
organizations. We aim to learn more about how these requirements and policies have been experienced
across multiple awardee organizations to ensure we provide the best support possible.
In the next few days, one of our 101 Research team members will contact you to see if you are
interested in participating in a conversation. We recognize the many demands on your time, and we are
confident that the time you share with our researchers will be of significant value and effect. We
genuinely appreciate and will consider any insights and recommendations you are willing to provide,
and we thank you in advance for your participation.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this request, please feel free to contact the
NSF/OECR/Awardee Compliance Branch at (703) 292-7020.
Thanks,
Rhonda J. Davis
Head, Office of Equity and Civil Rights
National Science Foundation
2415 Eisenhower Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22314