NSF safe and harassment-free fieldwork

Plan for off-campus or off-site research

Effective January 30, 2023, for each proposal submitted to the National Science Foundation that proposes to conduct research off-campus or off-site, the AOR must certify that the organization has in place a Safe and Harassment-free Fieldwork (SAHF) Plan for that proposal. This plan is an additional step to safeguard participants when engaging in off-campus research activities. NSF's requirement states that this plan for a safe and harassment-free work environment must describe how the following types of behavior will be addressed:

Abuse of any person, including, but not limited to, harassment, stalking, bullying, or hazing of any kind, whether the behavior is carried out verbally, physically, electronically, or in written form; or
Conduct that is unwelcome, offensive, indecent, obscene, or disorderly.

Further, this plan should also identify steps K-State will take to nurture an inclusive off-campus or off-site working environment, e.g., trainings; processes to establish shared team definitions of roles, responsibilities, and culture, e.g., codes of conduct; and field support, such as mentor/mentee support mechanisms, regular check-ins, and/or developmental events.

For the AOR to certify compliance, as required during the proposal submission process, that the plan is in place, the plan must be created at the proposal stage and subsequently distributed to each participant in advance of departure for an off-campus research activity. The underlying premise is that all participants need to know how to recognize and report inappropriate behavior and receive guidance in advance on how to feel safe and protected, even when away from campus.

Only a few select directorates require submission of the SAHF Plan as part of the proposal package. For the remaining submissions, the SAHF Plan will be maintained in K-State’s official electronic research administration system, Cayuse.

The creation and distribution of the plan is your responsibility as the award PI. To ease the administrative burden, the Office of the Vice President for Research has created a template plan for you to use as a starting point, which is attached to the following Program Plan. You will need to complete the template document boxes for your specific grant, adding additional details as may apply to your project needs or the NSF funding solicitation requirements. You may use or re-use the same plan throughout your grant if your off-site work is the same throughout the grant period, but you must make sure that all participants (regardless of when they join the project) receive a copy before they participate in off-campus research activities. If the work varies (e.g., fieldwork in a remote location one year and research activities at another US institution at another time), you will need to update your plan to reflect the specific, special needs pertinent to each activity and re-distribute the updated plan.

The template has been designed to help you identify areas where you may need to think about special circumstances. We have also created a Frequently Asked Questions to help you think through good and viable options that you may wish to deploy for those special circumstances.

Instructions for NSF principal investigators

NSF PIs are responsible for:

Determining whether any “off-campus or off-site research” will occur on their NSF-funded award (see definition below). Plans are required only for NSF-funded proposals/awards that include research conducted off-site or off-campus. See the associated FAQs for more information.
Completing the project-specific information form (PDF).
Distributing “the plan” to everyone who will participate in an off-campus or off-site research activity prior to those individuals leaving campus to engage in the off-site or off-campus research.
Retaining documentation of who received the plan (email or signup sheet is sufficient) and the plan itself in their grant files and/or in the departmental grant file. Pre-Award Services can also deposit the plan within the Cayuse project file.

The plan should not be submitted to NSF unless requested; however, it should be shared with K-State’s Office of Sponsored Programs so that the Plan may be uploaded to the IPF as the official record. Plans may be reused and redistributed for multiple off-campus research activities, but must be updated if the specific content changes.

NSF defines “off-campus or off-site research” for the purposes of this requirement as “data/information/ samples being collected off-campus or off-site, such as fieldwork on research vessels and aircraft.”

Safe and harassment-free fieldwork program statement

Kansas State University is committed to addressing harassment and fostering a safe and healthy work environment. Policies and expectations for proper conduct apply to all staff, faculty, and students, whether on campus or working, conducting research, engaging in scholarly activities, or studying at an off-site location.

In addition, it is NSF policy to “foster safe and harassment-free environments wherever science is conducted.” (NSF 2024 PAPPG Guide II-E.9). Grantees are required, effective with proposals submitted 1/30/23 or later, to certify that we have a plan in place that addresses:

Abuse of any person, including but not limited to harassment, stalking, bullying, or hazing of any kind, whether the behavior is carried out verbally, physically, electronically, or in written form.
Conduct that is unwelcome, offensive, indecent, obscene, or disorderly.

K-State meets NSF requirements (as well as its own expectations) by using the policies and procedures outlined below, and as further amplified to cover special circumstances as dictated by the PI in the project-specific information shown in this document. Principal Investigators are responsible for distributing a copy of this plan to each participant in an off-campus or off-site research prior to those individuals leaving campus to participate in the off-campus or off-site activities.

Kansas State University represents that it has established “Codes of Conduct” that reinforce the requisite culture expected of all K-State employees and students, to foster safe and harassment-free environments and overall standards of ethical conduct wherever the university mission and activities are conducted. Kansas State University will maintain academic, research, housing, and work environments that are free of discrimination, harassment (including sexual harassment and sexual violence), and retaliation and has a robust policy system designed to enforce the expectations for a safe and healthy work environment. The following is a list of applicable university policies. Note that the hyperlinks are publicly accessible and easy to view.

K-State’s Office of Organizational Culture and Employee Experience, housed within the Division of Human Resources, serves as an employee resource for faculty and staff well-being.

The Office of Student Support and Accountability serves as a student resource for support services and overall student well-being.

The Vision and Mission statements of this office establish the ground-level culture that K-State embraces as a university with global reach:

Vision: Kansas State University will lead the nation as a next-generation land-grant university – setting the standard for inspiring learning, creativity, discovery and engagement that positively impacts society and transforms lives in Kansas and around the world.

Mission: The mission of Kansas State University is to foster excellent teaching, research and service that develop a highly skilled and educated citizenry necessary to advancing the well being of Kansas, the nation and the international community. The university embraces all, encourages engagement and is committed to the discovery of knowledge, the education of undergraduate and graduate students and improvement in the quality of life and standard of living of those we serve.

K-State Office of Civil Rights and Title IX

Kansas State University is committed to fostering an intellectually rich student, faculty, and staff environment that is rooted in respect and fair practices. The Office of Civil Rights & Title IX (CRIX) is actively involved in training, outreach, equal employment opportunity compliance, and conducting investigations in accordance with PPM 3010, laws, regulations, executive orders and other applicable policies that uphold equal opportunity and civil rights laws.

CRIX accomplishes this through collaboration with students, faculty and staff in hiring practices, training and reporting. Collaborating with partners to ensure Complainants and Respondents are aware of resources that may be available to them because they are involved in a concern under the University's Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Harassment, and Procedure for Reviewing Complaints PPM 3010. The goal of this office is to serve as a resource for the university and to coordinate fair, equitable treatment and practices to all regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, ancestry, disability, genetic information, military status, or veteran status.

This office oversees K-State’s Discrimination and Harassment Policies and Procedures Chapter, which describes the expected culture of compliance and belonging embraced by Kansas State University and how a complainant may file reports.

CRIX maintains resources relating to claims of discrimination, harassment and retaliation, Title IX, Equal Opportunity, Complainant and Respondent procedures, along with training and educational resources.

The K-State Policies and Procedures Manual is the resource for policy statements relating to the University’s Threat Management Policy, and Employment General Policies and Procedures for USS and Unclassified Employees.

The K-State University Handbook is the resource for policy statements developed through the Faculty Senate that address such issues as Discrimination, Harassment and Sexual Violence and other employment policies pertaining to faculty and unclassified professionals.

As an agency of the State of Kansas, many of K-State’s compliance requirements must also comply with State of Kansas Ethics Statutes and mandates.

Portfolio of K-State’s Conduct Policies:

All faculty, administrators, and professional staff are required to update their Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Time Commitments disclosures each year, as they renew their employment contracts, and to maintain active completion records for Conflict of Interest and Responsible Conduct in Research Training. New hires are required to complete the aforementioned disclosure documents at the time they execute their employment contracts. K-State’s policy includes the reporting, routing, approval, management, and sanctions procedures to ensure proper and complete compliance with the requirements.

Mandatory Civil Rights training is required of all employees, and all employees are subject to all policy statements established to ensure a safe and harassment-free research, academic, and work environment.

Kansas State University values the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and professionalism, and expects employees to act ethically and legally while supporting the university’s mission and strategic goals.

Ethics and compliance hotline

The university's Ethics and Compliance hotline is an anonymous, 24/7 resource for reporting concerns regarding legal or policy violations or unethical behavior. We are committed to always doing the right thing. Employees who believe they are aware of a violation are expected and encouraged to report their concerns. You may use any of the three following methods to submit a report.

Report an incident online
Dial toll-free:
- 1-833-210-4036 (English speaking in USA or Canada)
- 1-800-216-1288 (Spanish speaking in USA or Canada)
Email: reports@lighthouse-services.com
- Must include the university name with the report.

All members of a National Science Foundation Project Team are to be provided a copy of this Program Statement. Furthermore, the Project Principal Investigator(s) must complete the project-specific Safe and Harassment-free Fieldwork Plan for this project, as described on the Project Specific Information Template for NSF Safe and Harassment-free Fieldwork Plan for Off-Campus or Off-Site Research (PDF).

FAQs

Updated May 5, 2026

What does “off-campus” or “off-site” mean. If I’m housed in a leased building adjacent to a K-State campus, does this new requirement apply to me? Or if this is only a day trip?

The intent of this requirement is to provide guidance and protection for participants when they do not have ready access to the on-campus in-person resources they normally do. If your participants continue to have such access, no plan is needed. For clarity, K-State does indeed maintain research sites away from main campus, such as the Konza Prairie Biological Station and Agricultural Branch Stations. However, these locations are not classified as “off-site” facilities by definition and maintain ready access to resources maintained at the site headquarters, as well as access to main campus resources. Many of the resources, such as anonymous tip lines and online reporting and assistance portals are available. If these sites are hosting non-K-State researchers performing NSF funded research on behalf of their employing institutions, then it would be best practice to obtain their employing institution’s Safe and Harassment-free Research Activity Plan for the work being performed on K-State owned/managed sites. If participants are sufficiently distant from campus such that access to these resources is more limited than they would be if they were on campus, then a plan is needed, including if performing research at any remote locations at the aforementioned K-State field stations. Work from home by an individual employee would not, for the purpose of this policy, be considered “off-campus” or “off-site.”

“Day trips” or excursions (e.g., to public places, schools, the state fair, a mall) where participants are returning without an overnight stay would not normally require a plan, but a plan should be created if the nature of the off-campus research activity is likely to create a larger-than-normal opportunity for harassment to occur (e.g., studies looking at sexual activities, incarcerated individuals, prior knowledge of harassment in the same setting, etc.). When in doubt, create a plan.

Attendance or presentation of research results at a conference does not require a plan; if participants will also engage in the conduct of research activities while attending a conference, a plan would be required.

What does “research activities” mean? I don’t do research; my NSF work is considered an “other sponsored activity”

This new requirement applies only to research activities. NSF has defined off-campus or off-site research for the purpose of these requirements as “data/information/samples being collected off-campus or off-site, such as fieldwork or research activities on vessels and aircraft.” PIs are responsible for determining whether the requirement applies to their project or to certain activities on their project. If there happens to be a research component on an award that is characterized as an “other sponsored activity”, then the requirement would apply only to that research component.

I forgot to send a plan to one or more participants before we left; what do I do now?

If the off-site research is still taking place, send the plan now to the participant(s). If the off-site research is over, send an email to your Office of Sponsored Programs grant and contract administrator explaining the circumstances. Pre-award staff will confer with the PI on appropriate next steps (NSF has not identified what corrective actions should be taken, but most likely it will involve an uninvolved third party checking with the participant to ascertain whether there were any issues that arose while off- campus that made the participant feel unsafe or needed reporting.)

Who counts as a “Participant”? Does this include subrecipient personnel? Other faculty working at the off-campus location with the PI?

Who submits SAHF Plans in a collaborative (or lead/subrecipient) proposal submission? Should only one SAHF Plan be submitted for the entire collaborative project, or should each organization submit their own SAHF Plan?

Simultaneously submitted collaborative proposals and proposals that include subawards are a single unified project, and, as such, only one combined plan for the project should be developed, regardless of the number of non-lead collaborative proposals or subawards included. The lead organization is responsible for checking the "Off-Campus or Off-Site Research" box on the Cover Sheet, if applicable. (NSF PAPPG) Note that this may place a special administrative burden on the K-State PI as the external participants will not already be familiar with K-State policies or practices, and special coordination across entities may be needed. It is a good idea to confer with OSP-PAS well in advance of the off-site research should this be applicable so that special arrangements can be made.

Is it possible to name a backup point of contact listed on the form?

Yes, in fact it is advisable to have a primary and a secondary point of contact available. The Principal Investigator must be listed on the form in the “PI” box but may also be listed as the primary point of contact, or they may delegate the primary point of contact responsibility to another individual who is present at the off-campus location. Make sure and include the cell phone and email of the alternative contact.

What should happen if the person doing the alleged misconduct is the named point of contact?

As described above, it is helpful to list contact information for two individuals (e.g., the PI and a second delegated person) so that there is a local second point-of-contact readily available. Assuming there is internet or cell phone service, the participant can also use one of the other reporting mechanisms to contact their supervisor or a University official responsible for handling misconduct concerns. If the participant is unable or unwilling to notify the primary point of contact and the standard reporting options are not available, the participant may defer reporting until access is available (if they feel it is safe to do so) or approach another senior person on the off-campus team (whether or not from K-State) to assist them in appropriate next steps.

I am the PI and I do have special off-site circumstances. What are my options?

PIs may devise options they believe are appropriate to the circumstances, but some reasonable options for certain known circumstances might include the following:

Additional resources and guidance

NSF PAPPG Chapter II.E.9 Safe and Inclusive Working Environments for Off-Campus or Off-Site Research
NSF Safe and Harassment-free Fieldwork Plan page
NSF SAHF FAQs specific to the BIO/GEO Directorates.