Am I an academic or administrative officer?

The following individuals are academic or administrative officers as defined by the Policy:

• Collegiate Deans (including Associate Deans and Assistant Deans)
• Departmental Executive Officers (DEO) and Directors of Graduate or Undergraduate Studies
• Student Academic Advisors (staff)
• Director of Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity or Designee
• Any Vice President or Designee
• Provost or Designee
• Any Director, Supervisor, or Human Resources Representative

A supervisor is a person who has the authority to:

• undertake or recommend tangible employment decisions (such as hiring/firing, pay raises, performance evaluations, etc.) affecting an employee; or
• direct an employee's daily work activities.

Still not sure whether you are an academic or administrative officer? Please consult with your director, dean, or the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity for clarification.

What are the responsibilities of the academic or administrative officer?

1. Make an initial report.

According to the Policy on Sexual Harassment:

Any academic or administrative officer of the University who becomes aware of specific and credible allegations, whether through the report of a complainant, the report of a third party, or otherwise, shall report the allegations to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity for assistance in evaluating the situation…even if the complainant has requested that no action be taken.

In other words, once an academic or administrative officer has specific and credible information that sexual harassment may have occurred, he or she must report to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity (EOD). The EOD will consult with the academic or administrative officer to determine how to appropriately address the situation. At this point, it may not be necessary to provide the parties' names to the EOD.

2. Facilitate an informal resolution of the complaint, if appropriate.

If an informal resolution is desired and appropriate, the academic or administrative officer, in consultation with the EOD, will carry out the appropriate steps to investigate and resolve the complaint informally. The initial report to the EOD therefore does not end the academic or administrative officer's responsibility in resolving the situation.

Depending on the allegations and the situation, the academic or administrative officer may need to:

• Meet with the complainant and/or alleged victim to gather information;
• Meet with the person accused of inappropriate behavior and get that person's response to the allegations;
• Interview other witnesses;
• Review relevant documentation;
• Facilitate an informal resolution of the complaint.

What to Do about Sexual Harassment: A Supervisor's/Administrator's Guide provides information and advice about interviewing individuals in various roles during an investigation.

3. File a final report with the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity.

After the informal resolution is complete, the academic or administrative officer must complete the Confidential Report of Informal Sexual Harassment Complaint Resolution (pdf 100k) and submit it to the EOD. If the person accused was informed of the complaint, then the parties names must be provided on the form. If the person accused was not informed of the complaint, then the parties names must not be provided.

4. Monitor compliance with the informal resolution.

The academic or administrative officer that facilitates the informal resolution is responsible for following up with the parties at reasonable intervals to make sure they are complying with the terms of the informal resolution. If they are not, the academic or administrative officer should consult with the EOD. The situation may be referred to the EOD for formal investigation.

5. Maintain confidentiality.

At all times, the academic or administrative officer must take care to maintain confidentiality relating to the investigation and resolution of the complaint. Only those individuals who need to know the information to resolve the situation should have access to any information about the complaint.

What resources are available to assist me?

Please review the following materials to assist you in carrying out your responsibilities as an academic or administrative officer.

Policy on Sexual Harassment

What to Do about Sexual Harassment: A Supervisor's/Administrator's Guide

In addition, you can also consult with your supervisor, director, dean, or the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity if you need guidance as to your responsibilities as an academic or administrative officer.