It is understood that some research questions are specific to individuals or groups based on race, sex or other protected characteristics. In such cases, to assist faculty and deans’ offices in assessing how research may intersect with anti-discrimination laws, the following general guidelines are offered.
Research may recruit or study individuals based on protected characteristics if doing so 1) is intrinsic to the research question (e.g., research on human physiology; maternal health; diseases, conditions, or disparities that disproportionately affect certain populations; ethnography), 2) does not target individuals or groups either inside or outside of the Northwestern community for support or other disparate treatment (benefits or burdens) based on protected characteristics (e.g., programs that focus on broadening participation of students, school-age youths, researchers, faculty, other professionals, etc. in certain scientific or professional disciplines on the basis of protected characteristics; “pipeline programs”), and 3) is aimed at filling an important gap in knowledge. For example, research studies regarding health outcomes in underrepresented populations, and research on technology to assist individuals with disabilities may be permitted, even when the subject recruitment of the research would be limited based on protected characteristics.
If part of the research plan involves implementation of a new technology or intervention for testing in a group that is based on protected characteristics, care should be taken to either clearly explain and delineate the research context (the hypothesis being tested and the gap in knowledge the research is filling), or offer the technology / intervention to a non-restricted group of individuals to avoid conferring a benefit when the basis of the grouping is a protected characteristic.
When considering outreach programs or activities to broaden the impact of research or other initiatives, the same considerations apply. These activities and programs cannot exclude individuals from participating on the basis of a protected characteristic.
- Participation by members of the Northwestern community (e.g., students, faculty, staff, interns, trainees, visitors) cannot be restricted on the basis of a protected characteristic.
- When partnering or working with an outside organization or third party, University employees should take steps to confirm that the external organization’s efforts and programs are open to all irrespective of identity and any benefits will not be limited to, or provide a preference for, individuals or groups on the basis of protected characteristics.