CRTC Training Overview

These courses satisfy University and Washington State training requirements for faculty, staff, and student employees related to harassment and discrimination prevention, sexual violence primary prevention and awareness, and hazing and bullying prevention. Completion of these underlying training requirements is mandatory for all Western faculty, staff, and student employees. (For additional information related to employee prevention training requirements, see POL-U1600.04; Section 28B.10.907 RCW).

Western is sensitive to community members who have a personal history with sexual violence, discrimination, or bullying/hazing. Individuals who feel that one or more of the trainings would be unacceptably distressing due to personal experience may contact CRTC staff at (360) 650-2307 or crtc@wwu.edu to request an alternative way to receive important information contained in the training(s). You will not be asked to provide details of your personal experience and your request will be kept confidential exclusively in CRTC.

Western requires all faculty and staff, including temporary employees and student employees to complete mandatory online prevention training. Western currently provides this important learning opportunity by implementing three online courses:

1. Preventing Harassment and Discrimination (estimated duration: 90 minutes). This course prepares learners to cultivate and maintain a workplace culture resistant to discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Employees will be equipped with the information and skills that promote intervention, empathy, and allyship, including how to prevent unlawful harassment, identify issues, and resolve conflicts. 
2. Building Supportive Communities: Clery Act and Title IX (estimated duration: 60 minutes). This course takes a close look at the issue of sexual harassment, including sexual assault, relationship violence, and stalking, in higher education; reviews responsibilities of faculty, staff and student employees as mandatory reporters under Title IX, including best practices related to reporting disclosures of sexual harassment to the University's Title IX Coordinator; and includes important regulatory updates.
3. Hazing Awareness and Prevention (Faculty & Staff) (estimated duration: 50 minutes). This course will review the signs and dangers of hazing as well as the institution's prohibition on hazing. The goals of this course are to help employees understand what hazing is, explain why hazing occurs and educate best ways to identify and address hazing incidents. This course will also cover the definition of hazing, health and legal risks, and your responsibility.

New and existing employees who are due for ongoing trainings will be assigned by CRTC. Western has currently partnered with Vector Solutions as the official vendor to deliver these online trainings. Upon assignment, employees will receive an email invitation from the training platform (e.g., from a @vectorsolutions.com or @safecolleges.com email address) containing information for how to access and complete the required trainings. The email will include a link for employees to login directly to the online learning platform (requires WWU login) to access their assigned training modules. Employees should complete the trainings within 45 days of being assigned to them, and are strongly encouraged to complete the trainings as soon as possible, in recognition of their importance to the University community. Employees will receive an automatic weekly reminder email until the required trainings are completed. CRTC will inform supervisors and unit leadership when employees within their area of responsibility are past due for completing these trainings, and ask for their assistance in ensuring that all employees are successfully completing the training requirements.

Hazing prevention training must be completed annually by all employees, including student employees. This is in accordance with University Policy and Washington state law. Employees and student employees will be re-assigned annually to applicable training at the beginning of each academic year, and will be notified via email with information on how to access the training.

In accordance with University Policy, all employees must be trained annually on the University's obligations to address discrimination based on sex in its programs and activities, the scope of conduct that constitutes discrimination based on sex, all applicable employee reporting obligations, guidance on how to prevent or respond to discrimination based on sex.

How will I know if my employees have completed the required trainings?

Supervisors may request that employees provide certificates of completion for the courses (these can be downloaded by the employee from the online learning platform). CRTC will periodically notify relevant supervisors of faculty, staff, and student employees who are past-due for required online training modules. Individuals are considered past-due if training is not completed by 45 days after their assignment. Supervisors are asked to follow up in a timely manner with employees. If, for example, the employee is currently on leave or not currently on contract, supervisors should plan to communicate with the employee upon their return regarding the importance of completing required trainings.

What about employees who do not have a supervisor listed in Banner?

For employees who do not have a supervisor listed in Banner, if training remains incomplete, CRTC will notify the relevant payroll override approver (or if no override approver is indicated in Banner, CRTC will notify the relevant default payroll approver for the org code).

What if I am not the relevant supervisor/payroll approver or if the employee no longer works at Western, and the employee continues to show as past-due for required training?

The Supervisor Change Form can be completed to update the supervisor listed in Banner (for permanent staff, faculty, and academic administrator positions). The Request to Change Payroll Approver Form can be completed if needing to change the override approver for an employee, or change the default approver for an org code.

If the employee no longer works at Western, please work with HR or the Work Study Center as appropriate to ensure the individual’s employment information is updated in Banner.

What if my employee and/or student employee only works a very temporary basis and/or limited duration and it's not feasible for them to complete all the required trainings?

CRTC works with supervisors to address concerns on a case-by-case basis. Please contact CRTC staff at CRTC@wwu.edu or (360) 650-3307 to consult regarding your specific situation.

Employees and student employees should complete the required trainings during work time. Please coordinate with your supervisor. If you have extenuating circumstances, please contact CRTC staff at CRTC@wwu.edu or (360) 650-3307 to consult regarding your specific situation.

While student employees are required to complete the same online prevention training as faculty and staff, all students also participate in student focused prevention and awareness online training which is administered by Western's Counseling and Wellness Services (CWC). Students can find CWC training information, including how to request exemptions, on the Violence Prevention and Education website.

In response to the accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI) needs to be gleaned from the Fall and Winter quarter 2022-23 listening sessions, the Spring 2022 climate survey, and the DEI and antiracism training for all students and employees required by Senate Bill #5227, the President’s cabinet in Spring 2023 initiated a requirement for all new employees to complete a series of required DEI training modules. Beginning in academic year 2024-25, all employees and student employees will be required to complete a series of required DEI training modules.

These initial courses are included as part of an ongoing broader effort to create a comprehensive training/professional development program that centers our diverse identities, cultivate positive relationships, and create a more just, equitable, and inclusive community. We will use the collective knowledge and expertise present at Western to develop further opportunities that will be added.

The DEI modules are delivered online through the same online learning platform that is used for the above prevention trainings required for all employees. Upon assignment, employees and student employees will receive an email invitation from the training platform containing information for how to access and complete the required trainings, and can also log in directly to the online learning platform (requires WWU login).

1. Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging (estimated duration: 75 minutes). Designed to meet employees and organizations where they are in their learning journey, this course helps employees and leaders gain the skills they need to collaborate in an increasingly diverse workforce and cultivate a speak-up, ally culture. This course will not only make important but complex topics like equity, identity, unconscious bias, microaggressions, and more both accessible and applicable for learners but will increase awareness, deepen understanding, and encourage positive action throughout your organization.
2. The Influence of Unconscious Bias (Faculty and Staff) (estimated duration: 45 minutes). This course explores unconscious bias, the impact of myths and stereotypes in academia, and strategies faculty and staff can use to uncover and combat unconscious bias. Participants will unpack myths surrounding ability, lifestyle, experience, and classroom behavior with the purpose of mitigating the impact of those myths in the school environment. The unique challenges facing LGBTQ faculty and students will be explored, along with what research says about providing support that fosters academic success and good mental health.

In addition to the two required DEI courses outlined above, the following DEI courses are available to all employees and student employees as optional and encouraged learning:

• Implicit Bias and Microaggression Awareness (estimated duration: 23 minutes). This course is designed to help participants gain an understanding of what implicit bias and microaggressions are, the science behind these concepts and how to prevent imposing them on others.

The below DEI courses are also encouraged as additional learning, particularly for managers, and faculty leaders (e.g., department chairs, search chairs, and search committee members). These courses are available broadly to all employees and student employees and can be accessed in the online learning platform by navigating to "My Assignments" on the left-hand menu, and will be listed under "Suggested Training."

• Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging for Leaders (estimated duration: 70 minutes). Focusing specifically on leadership roles, this course is designed to meet employees and organizations where they are in their learning journey, help employees and leaders gain the skills they need to collaborate in an increasingly diverse workforce and cultivate a speak-up, ally culture. This course will not only make important but complex topics like equity, identity, unconscious bias, microaggressions, and more both accessible and applicable for learners but will increase awareness, deepen understanding and encourage positive action throughout your organization.
• The Influence of Unconscious Bias in Decision Making (Faculty Search Committees) (estimated duration: 43 minutes). This course examines how myths about fit and merit impact the hiring process at academic institutions. Course takers will delve into a number of common myths surrounding the employment of women, people of color, and LGBTQ community members while considering the role that unconscious and covert bias can play in academia. This course provides practical solutions for hiring committees intent on diversifying their academic communities by confronting and counteracting bias.
• Skills for Members of Faculty Search Committees (estimated duration 29 minutes). This course focuses on vital skills for diversity-competent academic search teams. Course takers will examine microaggressions and their impact on diversity in academic culture. They will identify three ground rules that academic search teams should establish and unpack ten guidelines to aid diversity-competent search teams as they recruit and interview candidates.

All search committee members must complete CRTC's required online Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action training prior to review of any applications (this includes review of any potential Dual Career Assistance applicants). The online training can be accessed through the  Western Training Portal. Search chairs are responsible to ensure that this training requirement is communicated to all committee members and that the required training is completed in a timely manner. The training is more of a “read through” training, so CRTC recommends asking committee members to complete the training individually by a certain date and then re-convening the committee afterwards to discuss any questions they may have or anything that would be helpful to review as a committee. Search chairs are also encouraged to share with the committee CRTC’s Toolkit for Inclusive Searches, which contains important resources and information for search committees. Questions may be directed to CRTC.

The online training explores what equal employment opportunity and affirmative action requirements mean in practice as we conduct searches and with respect to the individuals we employ. It is the policy of the University not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and parenting status), disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. It is also the policy of the University  to take affirmative action to employ and to advance in employment, qualified women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and protected (or covered) veterans, and to base all employment decisions only on valid job requirements. Affirmative actions include training programs, outreach efforts, and other positive steps. This policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, upgrading, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, recall, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation, and selection for training, including apprenticeship, at all levels of employment. Furthermore, the University will provide qualified applicants and employees who request an accommodation due to a disability with reasonable accommodations, as required by law.

Please review the below links for information about trainings provided by other University offices, which you may also be required to complete.

Questions regarding these trainings should be directed to the relevant office that provides the training.

Information Security Training

Web Accessibility Training

University Ethics Training/Guidance 

Social Media Training

Western Training Portal