+ What should I do if I am experiencing discrimination or harrassment in the workplace?

If you have a complaint to lodge against a faculty or staff member, you now have several options. You can report this conduct to the university’s Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity and Affirmative Action (IDEAA), and consult with them about whether you wish to initiate an investigation. Additionally or alternatively, you can request that interim measures be taken to ensure your safety and comfort in the workplace as soon as possible. You can request interim measures prior to an investigation, in lieu of investigation, or while an investigation is taking place.

+ What are interim measures?

We encourage graduate workers to request interim measures that are tailored to their needs. These may include but are not restricted to: requests to change one’s work or class schedule, requests to restrict contact between parties involved in a complaint, requests for firm behavioral guidelines be given to a faculty member by the department chair, or requests for mediation. Interim measures do not include the discipline of a faculty or staff member, because this would require a completed investigation by IDEAA.

+ How do I request interim measures? And what happens next?

Graduate workers can request interim measures by contacting their department chair, program director or relevant unit head, IDEAA, any Title IX coordinator. This university representative, the graduate worker, and a union representative if desired will meet within 10 working days of the request. The Title IX Coordinator or Deputy Coordinator will be notified that this request has been made, and may participate in the meeting. A university representative will then provide a written response to the graduate worker’s request within 5 working days following the meeting. All parties will protect the confidentiality of the information related to the graduate worker’s request.

+ What if the university representative and the graduate worker cannot agree about what interim measures are appropriate?

If the graduate worker is unsatisfied with the response to their request, they may appeal within 15 working days to the Title IX Coordinator, who will then convene a committee consisting of the Title IX Coordinators, the Vice Dean of the Graduate School or designee, and a graduate student assistant who is a union representative and who has received university training on Title IX procedures. This committee will be authorized to make a final and binding determination of the appropriate interim measures to be taken based on the original request. The committee will meet within 15 working days of the graduate worker’s appeal, and will reach a written decision within 15 working days following the meeting.

+ What should I do if I have a complaint of discrimination or harrassment against another student?

Complaints against another student should be reported to a Title IX Coordinator or to the university’s Office of Student Conduct.