Addressing Discrimination & Harassment
Have You Been Harassed, Mistreated, or Discriminated Against?
Any student who feels that s/he may have been subjected to abuse, illegal discrimination, harassment, or mistreatment of any kind has the right to seek remedy through any one of multiple options. The University of Utah will ensure that this process shall be free of retaliation. The student has both informal and formal options available. Whenever possible, the student is encouraged, but not required, to seek remedy at the most informal level that will adequately and appropriately address the student’s concerns.
How Do I Report Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, or Mistreatment?
Student may report their concerns about mistreatment to any deans office administrator, course director, the ombuds office:
- Students may meet with the Associate Dean of Student Affairs or Senior Director of the Academic Success Program. The Associate Dean of Student Affairs and the Senior Director routinely review the process for reporting mistreatment in student debriefings, class meetings, and the Student Handbook. In addition, student may alternately report concerns of mistreatment to any deans office administrator, course director or the ombuds office. These individuals will coordinate the mistreatment report and investigation with the Office of Student Affair who centrally monitors all reports of mistreatment.
- Students may report incidents of mistreatment on clinical rotations through the end of rotation evaluation. These reports are by definition anonymous and are collected by the Office of Education Quality Improvement and reported to the Offices of Curriculum and Student Affairs as well as the representative Department.
- Students may meet with the individual involved in the complaint and come to an informal mutually agreed upon resolution of the problem. The student may wish to bring a representative of the hospital, School of Medicine, Dean’s Office, or the University to aid in dispute resolution. These representatives may include chief residents, student program directors, department chairs, nurse managers, the Associate Administrator for Patient Care Services, Senior Director of Academic Success Program or, a School of Medicine Dean. Unless required by law or University policy, there will not be a written record made concerning a matter that is resolved directly between the complainant and the alleged offender.
- Allegations of illegal discrimination or sexual harassment must be referred to the Office of Equal Opportunities and Affirmative Action (OEO/AA) at (801) 581-8365. In all other incidents, once the student or student advocate has coordinated with the Office of Student Affairs with a formal written claim of mistreatment, the Associate Dean of Student Affairs will conduct a timely investigation of the facts and will assist in any intervention deemed necessary for resolution of the problem. If so desired, the Associate Dean may form an ad hoc advisory board consisting of faculty, residents, and students who are not involved in the incident. The majority of complaints against faculty and residents can be dealt with on a departmental basis, with feedback to the faculty member or resident from the department chair or residency director. Most complaints against a staff member can be handled with feedback from the deans office to the individual from their supervisor
- Students may meet with a hospital representative such as a nurse manager or the Associate Administrator for Patient Care Services, or department representatives, such as chief residents, course directors, chairs, or School of Medicine officials, such as the Associate Dean of Student Affairs, to informally discuss a complaint and to develop a plan for resolution of the problem
Disciplinary actions or academic sanctions will be assessed in accordance with the following:
- Violations of the Standards of Conduct by a faculty member shall be the basis for disciplinary action in accordance with Code of Faculty Rights and Responsibilities and the School of Medicine Professional Conduct Policy for Faculty
- Violations of the Standards of Conduct by a staff member shall be the basis for disciplinary action in accordance with University of Utah Human Resources and the University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics Professional Conduct Policy
- Violations of the Standards of Conduct by a resident shall be the basis for disciplinary action in accordance with the Graduate Medical Education policy and procedures
- Violations of the Standards of Conduct by a medical student shall be the basis for disciplinary action in accordance with the School of Medicine Handbook (for medical students), the appropriate College policy (for U of U graduate students) and the University of Utah Code of Students Rights and Responsibilities